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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy College near Batavia 52533

Batavia IA physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Batavia IA is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are looking at to ensure they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered besides location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Batavia IA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Batavia IA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Batavia IA health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Batavia IA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Batavia IA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can 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 programs are usually offered by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a licensed practicing 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 finish, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding 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 Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Batavia IA While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Batavia IA residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on campus options, and expenses 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 option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapy 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 numerous PT colleges within the Batavia IA area and across Iowa, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT program’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. Contact several Batavia IA physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your program options. It might also be prudent to check with the Iowa Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Batavia IA area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Iowa or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have relationships with Batavia IA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to get hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional connections in the Batavia health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Batavia IA 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 area internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department and find out what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy program you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Batavia IA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Batavia Iowa?

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

Batavia, Iowa

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 499 people, 216 households, and 137 families residing in the city. The population density was 831.7 inhabitants per square mile (321.1/km2). There were 236 housing units at an average density of 393.3 per square mile (151.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 99.2% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% from other races, and 0.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.6% of the population.

There were 216 households of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.6% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.85.

The median age in the city was 40.4 years. 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.2% were from 25 to 44; 28.6% were from 45 to 64; and 15% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 45.9% male and 54.1% female.

Select the Best Physical Therapy College near Batavia IA

Choosing the ideal physical therapy school is an important initial decision you need to make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and talk with 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 options so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Batavia IA.