Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – South Wilmington IL

How to Pick a Physical Therapist School near South Wilmington 60474

South Wilmington IL physical therapy school student with volunteerReceiving a physical therapy degree near South Wilmington IL is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are thinking about to make certain they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

South Wilmington IL physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including South Wilmington IL private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

  • Arthritis or Osteoporosis
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Strokes.
  • Cardiac arrest.
  • Sports injuries.
  • Fire injuries.
  • Knee Replacement.
  • Sciatica.
  • Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other South Wilmington IL medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

South Wilmington IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are three physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the South Wilmington IL area:

  • Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the program.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in South Wilmington ILWhile not as common as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s South Wilmington IL home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the South Wilmington IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited?  Find out if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several South Wilmington IL physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the South Wilmington IL area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Illinois or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have partnerships with South Wilmington IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the South Wilmington health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their South Wilmington IL home. Students who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and find out what type of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy program you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the South Wilmington IL area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near South Wilmington Illinois?

If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the South Wilmington IL area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.

South Wilmington, Illinois

Although the name might indicate proximity to the city of Wilmington, South Wilmington is approximately 11 miles southwest of Wilmington, and is separated from it by several communities, including Gardner, Braceville, Godley, and Braidwood.

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 621 people, 260 households, and 165 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,089.8 people per square mile (420.6/km²). There were 287 housing units at an average density of 503.7 per square mile (194.4/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.39% White, 0.97% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.42% of the population.

There were 260 households out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.98.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy College near South Wilmington IL

Deciding on the best physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your final decision. You may want to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in South Wilmington IL.

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