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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Training Program near Boonville 47601

Boonville IN physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Boonville IN is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we cover 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’s Job Description?

Boonville IN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Boonville IN hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Boonville IN medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

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

Associate Degrees educate 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 GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want 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 investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Boonville IN While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Boonville IN home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning some of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Boonville IN area and across Indiana, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you choose the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the schools 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 choose an online college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact several Boonville IN physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program selections. It might also be a good idea 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 two useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Boonville IN area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum 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 therapy program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have relationships with Boonville IN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to receive practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Boonville healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Boonville IN residence. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what kind of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist program you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Boonville IN area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Boonville Indiana?

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

Boonville

Pick the Best Physical Therapist School near Boonville IN

Deciding on the best physical therapist school is an important initial decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit different colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize 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 field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Boonville IN.