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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy School near Dallas 50062

Dallas IA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Dallas IA is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are looking at to make certain they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Dallas IA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Dallas IA hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Dallas IA medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going 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 long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Dallas 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 single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are available in the Dallas IA area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor 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 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 even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Dallas IA Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so 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 near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Dallas IA home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools 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.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, including the type of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Dallas IA area and across Iowa, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you select the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering 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 choose an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call some Dallas IA physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations 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 filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Dallas 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 excellent. It also affirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Iowa or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have associations with Dallas IA hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Dallas medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech 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 Dallas IA home. Those who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose 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 normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of help is available. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Dallas IA area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Dallas Iowa?

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

Melcher-Dallas, Iowa

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,288 people, 527 households, and 357 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,288.0 inhabitants per square mile (497.3/km2). There were 584 housing units at an average density of 584.0 per square mile (225.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.7% White, 0.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.2% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.

There were 527 households of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.3% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.99.

The median age in the city was 39.6 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.8% were from 25 to 44; 25.8% were from 45 to 64; and 17.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.6% male and 50.4% female.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Dallas IA

Picking the ideal physical therapy school is an important first decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different campuses to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to 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 necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Dallas IA.