Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Spring Valley IL

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist School near Spring Valley 61362

Spring Valley IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Spring Valley IL is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will supply a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered besides location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Spring Valley IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Spring Valley IL private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Spring Valley IL medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Spring Valley IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Spring Valley IL area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want 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 three years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

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

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Spring Valley IL While not as common as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Spring Valley IL home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Spring Valley IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact several Spring Valley IL physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Illinois Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Spring Valley IL area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Illinois or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed 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 PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have associations with Spring Valley IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Spring Valley medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Spring Valley IL home. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and see what kind of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist college you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Spring Valley IL area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Spring Valley Illinois?

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

Spring Valley, Illinois

Spring Valley is a city situated on the Illinois River in Bureau County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,398 at the 2000 census, and 5,558 in 2010. It is part of the Ottawa–Streator Micropolitan Statistical Area.

According to the 2010 census, Spring Valley has a total area of7.468 square miles (19.34 km2), of which 7.37 square miles (19.09 km2) (or 98.69%) is land and 0.098 square miles (0.25 km2) (or 1.31%) is water.[4]

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 5,398 people, 2,158 households, and 1,467 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,389.3 people per square mile (535.8/km²). There were 2,339 housing units at an average density of 602.0 per square mile (232.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.74% White, 0.76% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 1.70% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.65% of the population.

Choose the Best Physical Therapist College near Spring Valley IL

Deciding on the best physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Spring Valley IL.