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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Program near Richmond 47374

Richmond IN physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Richmond IN is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered along with 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 what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Richmond IN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Richmond 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 the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Richmond IN health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Richmond IN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Richmond IN area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a practicing licensed 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 three years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, 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 available in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Richmond IN While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Richmond IN residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Richmond IN area and across Indiana, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you want to make sure that you pick the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously 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 can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through 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 securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning 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 several Richmond IN physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your college selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Indiana Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Richmond IN area? If a program 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 assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are evaluating have relationships with Richmond IN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to obtain practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional relationships in the Richmond healthcare community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Richmond IN residence. Students who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what type of aid is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Richmond IN area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Richmond Indiana?

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

Richmond

Pick the Right Physical Therapy School near Richmond IN

Selecting the best physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you toward your final decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Richmond IN.