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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Andrew 52030

Andrew IA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Andrew IA is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are considering to make sure they will provide a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Andrew IA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Andrew 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 individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Andrew IA medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Andrew IA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Andrew IA area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and often incorporate 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 complete, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

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 attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Andrew IA Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Andrew IA home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, 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 Andrew IA area and throughout Iowa, you’ll have to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college options. Moreover, you want to be sure that you enroll in the school that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online college, it can also obtain 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, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Andrew IA physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Iowa Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out 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 know about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left due to 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 college’s job placement program, particularly in the Andrew IA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you select provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Iowa or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have relationships with Andrew IA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Andrew medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Andrew IA home. Students who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing 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 may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what type of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Andrew IA 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, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Andrew Iowa?

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

Andrew, Iowa

In 1841 Ansel Briggs, the first governor of Iowa, settled on a location outside of Andrew known as Bluff Mills, later moving his family to town. He became the Jackson County deputy treasurer in 1843 then began a two-year term as Sheriff of Jackson County in 1844. Ansel Briggs won the election against Thomas McKnight for the governor of Iowa in 1846. Briggs served as governor until 1850. On September 22, 1909 the citizens of Andrew erected a granite monument in the city cemetery in his honor. Although Briggs was originally buried in Omaha, Nebraska he was re-interred in 1909 in the Andrew Cemetery.[5]

Andrew was incorporated in 1863 with the first record of ordinances recorded in 1867. The county seat switched between Bellevue and Andrew several times until it was moved to Maquoketa in 1873. The county seat was responsible for much of the growth of the city. An orphans asylum and courthouse was built along with other structures to serve the county government.

The Jackson County Jailhouse was built in 1870 and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The three-story limestone structure includes sheriff's office, cell room, exercise yard, a jailer quarters, and prison kitchen. The jailhouse has since been restored and tours are given.

Select the Best Physical Therapy College near Andrew IA

Picking the best physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you need to make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that many factors will guide you to your final decision. You may want to go to different campuses to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Andrew IA.