Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Bainbridge IN

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Program near Bainbridge 46105

Bainbridge IN physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Bainbridge IN is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn 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 considering to ensure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to 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 the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Bainbridge IN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Bainbridge IN hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Bainbridge IN medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

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

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning 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 colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with 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 mandated in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 available in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Bainbridge IN Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Bainbridge IN residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Bainbridge IN area and throughout Indiana, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school options. Also, you want to make sure that you select the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate 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 important that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact a few Bainbridge IN physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program options. It might also be prudent to check with the Indiana Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Bainbridge IN area? If a college has a high 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 school has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Indiana or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have relationships with Bainbridge IN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Bainbridge health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. 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 College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Bainbridge IN residence. Students who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even 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 often charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and find out what type of help is offered. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Bainbridge IN area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Bainbridge Indiana?

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

Bainbridge

Select the Right Physical Therapy College near Bainbridge IN

Selecting the right physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you must make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to visit different campuses to view their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Bainbridge IN.