Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Columbia City IN

How to Select a Physical Therapy School near Columbia City 46725

Columbia City IN physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Columbia City IN is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are thinking about to ensure they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a school 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 considered besides location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Columbia City IN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Columbia City IN private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Columbia City IN health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Columbia City IN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Columbia City IN area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not only 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 United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Columbia City IN While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more 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 requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Columbia City IN home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you probably have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Columbia City IN area and across Indiana, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need 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 colleges you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call a few Columbia City IN physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your program options. 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 couple of significant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Columbia City 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 perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Indiana or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are interested in have associations with Columbia City IN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to obtain practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Columbia City healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. 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 several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Columbia City IN residence. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider 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 often 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 Assistance Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Columbia City IN area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Columbia City Indiana?

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

Columbia City, Indiana

The Whitley County Courthouse was designed (1888–1891) by Brentwood S. Tolan, of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The Thomas R. Marshall House was added to the register in 1983 and the Columbia City Historic District was added in 1987.[8]

According to the 2010 census, Columbia City has a total area of 5.601 square miles (14.51 km2), of which 5.58 square miles (14.45 km2) (or 99.63%) is land and 0.021 square miles (0.05 km2) (or 0.37%) is water.[10]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 8,750 people, 3,658 households, and 2,235 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,568.1 inhabitants per square mile (605.4/km2). There were 3,944 housing units at an average density of 706.8 per square mile (272.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.7% White, 0.5% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Columbia City IN

Choosing the ideal physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many factors will guide you to your final decision. You might want to visit each of the campuses to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Columbia City IN.