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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Dunkirk 47336

Dunkirk IN physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Dunkirk IN is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we discuss 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?

Dunkirk IN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Dunkirk IN private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Dunkirk IN health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Dunkirk IN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Dunkirk IN area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish 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 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 commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment 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 phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Dunkirk IN While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs 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 college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Dunkirk IN home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you undoubtedly have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Dunkirk IN area and across Indiana, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to be sure that you pick the college that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 college, it may also obtain 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 just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for 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. Get in touch with several Dunkirk IN physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your school selections. It may 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 schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, 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 Dunkirk IN area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Indiana or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are interested in have partnerships with Dunkirk IN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to obtain hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Dunkirk health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Dunkirk IN residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Dunkirk IN area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Dunkirk Indiana?

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

Dunkirk

Dunkirk (/dʌnˈkɜːrk, ˈdʌnkɜːrk/; French: Dunkerque [dœ̃kɛʁk]; Dutch: Duinkerke(n) [ˈdœyŋkɛr(ə)kə(n)] ( listen)) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It lies 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the Belgian border. The population of the city (commune) at the 2016 census was 91,412 inhabitants.

The name of Dunkirk derives from West Flemish dun(e) 'dune' or 'dun' and kerke 'church', which together means 'church in the dunes'.[1] Until the middle of the 20th century, the city was situated in the French Flemish area; today the local Flemish variety of the Dutch language can still be heard, but has largely been supplanted by French.

Today Dunkirk is the world's northernmost Francophone city (not counting minor Canadian settlements such as Fermont, Quebec, which does have French as a majority language, but is not classified as a city).

Select the Best Physical Therapy College near Dunkirk IN

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to different campuses to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Dunkirk IN.