Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Grand Mound IA

How to Pick a Physical Therapist School near Grand Mound 52751

Grand Mound IA physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Grand Mound IA is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are considering to make certain they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we cover 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’s Job Description?

Grand Mound IA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Grand Mound IA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Grand Mound IA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather 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 Degrees

Grand Mound IA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Grand Mound IA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become 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 degrees are typically provided by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training 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 practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish 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 finish, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an essential component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only 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 available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Grand Mound IA Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, 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, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Grand Mound IA home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your initial questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Grand Mound IA area and throughout Iowa, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier stated, 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 school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Grand Mound IA physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your school 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 submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Grand Mound IA area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have associations with Grand Mound IA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great manner to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional connections in the Grand Mound healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their Grand Mound IA home. Students who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Grand Mound IA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Grand Mound Iowa?

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

Grand Mound, Iowa

The Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska Railroad was built through the town site in 1858, and a train station was built. Grand Mound was platted in 1866.[4] Grand Mound was named for nearby Sand Mound; a recording error accounts for the error in spelling, which was never corrected.[5]

Grand Mound is part of the Central Community School District, based in DeWitt. Until 2001, elementary-aged students attended Grand Mound Elementary School with older students being bused to DeWitt. After the closure of Grand Mound (due to declining enrollment and concerns about the building's structural condition), students were bused to elementary schools in Welton and DeWitt; today (with Welton also closed), all elementary-aged students attend school in DeWitt.

Prior to the formation of the Central Clinton School District, Grand Mound had its own junior-senior high school, which operated in the same school building as the elementary school. Sports teams were known as the Cardinals. The last graduating senior class was in 1961, when Grand Mound—along with the Welton and DeWitt school districts—consolidated to form the Central Community School District.

Select the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Grand Mound IA

Picking the ideal physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you have to make to begin a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Grand Mound IA.