Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Lake Station IN

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy School near Lake Station 46405

Lake Station IN physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Lake Station IN is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become 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 necessary to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Lake Station IN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Lake Station IN hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Lake Station IN health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Lake Station IN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Lake Station IN area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible 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 finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 3 years to finish, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered 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 existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lake Station IN While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Lake Station IN home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Lake Station IN area and throughout Indiana, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you need to make sure that you choose the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at 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 select an online college, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call a few Lake Station IN physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program options. It may also be prudent to check with the Indiana Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Lake Station IN area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Indiana or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. 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 supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are evaluating have associations with Lake Station IN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Lake Station medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Lake Station IN home. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid office and see what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist college you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Lake Station IN area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses 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 emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lake Station Indiana?

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

Lake Station, Indiana

Initially, the site of modern Lake Station was the starting point of two Amerind trails leading to Fort Dearborn.[7] Later it became an early stagecoach depot stop, as the Fort Dearborn-Detroit Stagecoach Route passed through the site during the wet season.[7] The location became known as Lake Station as far back as 1851 when it began to serve as a depot, the western terminus of the Michigan Central Railroad[7] (on what would later become its Detroit to Chicago line). This was the first train station in Lake County.[7] The Michigan Central Railroad built a park and railroad shops around its two-story depot.[7] A year later, in April 1852, George Earle mapped out and platted a town[7] of about 6,500 acres (26 km2) on the site, continuing its name of Lake Station.

Being a bedroom community, Lake Station welcomed Abraham Lincoln to its Audubon Hotel, perhaps on more than one occasion, according to oral history. But George Pullman, who tried to negotiate for land in Lake Station for his proposed railcar company, never struck a deal and set up shop on the south side of Chicago instead. Prior to its current location in Crown Point, Indiana, the county seat was located on what is now the west end of Lake Station in a section called Liverpool, although it was a separate settlement at the time.

The name of Lake Station was officially changed to East Gary in 1908 in an attempt to lure executives from the nearby US Steel plant in Gary, Indiana into creating a suburban community. With another name change in 1977, primarily to disassociate itself from the urban decay and crime of Gary, the city reverted to its historical designation of Lake Station.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Lake Station IN

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist school is an important initial decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to different campuses to see their facilities and speak to 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 adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field 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 Lake Station IN.