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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Eldridge 52748

Eldridge IA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Eldridge IA is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are looking at to ensure they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered besides location and cost. 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?

Eldridge IA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, including Eldridge IA hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Eldridge IA health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite 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 Therapy Degrees

Eldridge IA 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 emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are available in the Eldridge IA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding 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 Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Eldridge IA While not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Eldridge IA home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs 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 learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Eldridge IA area and across Iowa, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you need to make certain that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for 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 Eldridge IA physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college selections. It might also be a good idea 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 School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Eldridge IA area? If a college 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 school has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you enroll in provides 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 needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have associations with Eldridge IA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Eldridge health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want 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 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 decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Eldridge IA home. Students who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Eldridge IA area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Eldridge Iowa?

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

Eldridge, Iowa

Jacob M. Eldridge, the city's namesake, arrived in central Scott County in 1846, having purchased land for $1.25 per acre. Immigrants from Germany soon followed, and northern Scott County slowly began to develop. Railroads were developed during the 1860s, bringing more settlers. Eldridge Junction, built on land donated by Jacob Eldridge, was incorporated on July 2, 1871. A post office and a Presbyterian church were soon built.[5]

Eldridge faced several challenges during its early years. The railroad faltered financially during the 1880s and was re-located to Oxford Junction, while a smallpox epidemic several years later was said to have totally isolated the city. A fire heavily damaged the city's business district in 1904, and in 1918 a tornado of unknown strength heavily damaged or destroyed several residences and the church, and killed three people. Each time, the city recovered, and the farming community maintained its status as a grain and livestock shipping center.

The city began growing in population during the 1950s, starting with the formation of the Scott County Library System (a countywide network of libraries serving smaller communities in the area) in 1950, and the North Scott Community School District in 1956. By the late 1960s, the population had grown to more than 1,000 residents, and with the creation of several industrial parks to encourage new business development, the city continued to grow.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Eldridge IA

Deciding on the right physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might want to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Eldridge IA.