Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Villa Grove IL

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Training Program near Villa Grove 61956

Villa Grove IL physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Villa Grove IL is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Villa Grove IL physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Villa Grove IL private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Villa Grove IL medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Villa Grove IL physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Villa Grove IL area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a licensed practicing 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 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Villa Grove IL While not as prevalent as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to 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 in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Villa Grove IL residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you probably have come to decision concerning some of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Villa Grove IL area and throughout Illinois, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you want to make certain that you select the school that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 choose an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning 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 agencies for their reviews also. Contact some Villa Grove IL physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school 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 Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Villa Grove IL area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are evaluating have associations with Villa Grove IL clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally 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 Villa Grove health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Villa Grove IL residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what kind of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Villa Grove IL area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Villa Grove Illinois?

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

Villa Grove, Illinois

Villa Grove was chartered in 1903 after the area was recognized by the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad (C&EI) as being exactly halfway between Chicago and St. Louis. This made it a desirable location for a steam locomotive repair facility.[3] Villa Grove later became the site of a C&EI division headquarters and roundhouse.[4]

Villa Grove's historic rail depot was demolished in the predawn hours of Friday, October 29, 1976 despite a city ordinance that was intended to protect the structure.[6] The city later received reparation for the destruction.[3]

On August 10, 2011, a 100-year-old vacant building on main street in Villa Grove was destroyed by a fire set by a two boys age 14 and 9. At least 15 fire departments responded to the blaze containing it to the original structure.[7] The boys were ordered to pay $126,076 in restitution. The 14-year-old received 3 years probation, 30 days in jail and 100 hours of community service. The 9 year old received 2 years probation and 50 hours community service. State law prohibited jail time for the 9 year old.[8] Adjacent businesses were temporarily displaced due to damage caused by smoke and heat.[9]

Select the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Villa Grove IL

Choosing the best physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to go to different campuses to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Villa Grove IL.