Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Altoona IA

How to Select a Physical Therapist Program near Altoona 50009

Altoona IA physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Altoona IA is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss 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?

Altoona IA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Altoona IA 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 diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Altoona IA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Altoona IA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Altoona IA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want 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 finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not just 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 available in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Altoona IA While not as common as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Altoona IA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding some of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Altoona IA area and across Iowa, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you pick the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 enroll in an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning 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 organizations for their reviews also. Call a few Altoona IA physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your college options. It might also be prudent to check with the Iowa Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After 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 Altoona IA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Iowa or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are reviewing have partnerships with Altoona IA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to get practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Altoona health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Altoona IA home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose 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 normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and find out what kind of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist program you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Altoona IA area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Altoona Iowa?

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

Altoona, Iowa

Anthony Yant first settled in what is now Altoona in 1854, the same year that Gilbert T. Taylor settled there. The land was originally surveyed in 1847 and put up for sale by the US government in 1848, but it took six years to sell. After many different sales between different families, the Davis family ended up with the land on February 1, 1868.

The Davises hired surveyor Juian B. Bausman to lay out the city for them. He is also credited for giving the city the current name. Altoona is named for the Latin word for "high," altus, after surveyor Julian B. Bausman discovered that Altoona was the highest point on the Des Moines Valley Railroad between Des Moines and Keokuk.[4]

The plot was recorded on July 30, 1868, and the Post office opened the next day. When the Rock Island Railroad came to Altoona in September of that year, they referred to Altoona as Yant, the city's original name.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy College near Altoona IA

Selecting the right physical therapist school is an important first decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are other critical questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you to your final decision. You might want to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Altoona IA.