Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - La Porte City IA

How to Pick a Physical Therapist College near La Porte City 50651

La Porte City IA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near La Porte City IA is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are thinking about to make sure they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

La Porte City IA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as La Porte City 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 diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other La Porte City IA medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

La Porte City IA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the La Porte City IA area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to finish and usually 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 finish, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment 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 taken the place of 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 present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in La Porte City IA Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s La Porte City IA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the La Porte City IA area and throughout Iowa, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you want to make sure that you select the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously 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 select an online school, it can also obtain 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 simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with several La Porte City IA physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Iowa Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the La Porte City IA area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you enroll in provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Iowa or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are interested in have partnerships with La Porte City IA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the La Porte City healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their La Porte City IA home. Individuals who have decided 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 importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly 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 Aid Provided? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the La Porte City IA area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near La Porte City Iowa?

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

La Porte City, Iowa

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 2,285 people, 915 households, and 601 families residing in the city. The population density was 896.1 inhabitants per square mile (346.0/km2). There were 996 housing units at an average density of 390.6 per square mile (150.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.8% White, 0.8% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.

There were 915 households of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.3% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.04.

The median age in the city was 39.6 years. 27% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.9% were from 25 to 44; 24.4% were from 45 to 64; and 18.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.0% male and 53.0% female.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist School near La Porte City IA

Deciding on the best physical therapist college is an important initial decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may want to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish 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 appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in La Porte City IA.