Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Mc Cordsville IN

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Mc Cordsville 46055

Mc Cordsville IN physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Mc Cordsville IN is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Mc Cordsville IN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Mc Cordsville IN private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped 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 caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive 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
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Mc Cordsville IN health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Mc Cordsville IN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Mc Cordsville 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 a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 three years to complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Mc Cordsville IN While not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Mc Cordsville IN home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Mc Cordsville IN area and across Indiana, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college options. Moreover, you want to be sure that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting 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. Get in touch with some Mc Cordsville IN physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your school options. It might also be prudent to check with the Indiana Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Mc Cordsville IN area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have associations with Mc Cordsville IN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Mc Cordsville medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they select will need to be within driving distance of their Mc Cordsville IN home. 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 importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly 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 Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what type of help is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Mc Cordsville IN area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Mc Cordsville Indiana?

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

McCordsville, Indiana

According to the 2010 census, McCordsville has a total area of 4.71 square miles (12.20 km2), of which 4.7 square miles (12.17 km2) (or 99.79%) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) (or 0.21%) is water.[9]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 4,797 people, 1,653 households, and 1,322 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,020.6 inhabitants per square mile (394.1/km2). There were 1,717 housing units at an average density of 365.3 per square mile (141.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 83.2% White, 10.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 1.3% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.4% of the population.

There were 1,653 households of which 50.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.5% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 20.0% were non-families. 15.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.26.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Mc Cordsville IN

Picking the ideal physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your final decision. You may decide to go to different schools to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish 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 ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Mc Cordsville IN.