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

How to Select a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Plainfield 50666

Plainfield IA physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Plainfield IA is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Plainfield IA physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Plainfield IA private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients 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 address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Plainfield IA health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Plainfield IA physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single 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 prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Plainfield IA area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab 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 replaced 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 before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Plainfield IA Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Plainfield IA home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools 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.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Plainfield IA area and throughout Iowa, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to be sure that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at 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 enroll in an online program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of 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 also. Get in touch with a few Plainfield IA physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school selections. It might also be prudent to contact 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 relevant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After 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 Plainfield IA area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Iowa or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have relationships with Plainfield IA clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help graduates and students establish professional connections in the Plainfield medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

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 likely want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Plainfield IA home. Those who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office and see what type of help is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Plainfield IA area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out 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 emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Plainfield Iowa?

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

Plainfield, Iowa

Plainfield is a city in Bremer County, Iowa, United States. The population was 436 at the 2010 census a decrease of 2, or 0.5%, from 438 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Waterloo–Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 436 people, 185 households, and 123 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,321.2 inhabitants per square mile (510.1/km2). There were 197 housing units at an average density of 597.0 per square mile (230.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.9% White, 0.5% African American, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.5% of the population.

There were 185 households of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.5% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.90.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Plainfield IA

Picking the ideal physical therapy school is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might decide to go to different colleges to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options 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 Plainfield IA.