Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Allen Park MI

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Program near Allen Park 48101

Allen Park MI physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Allen Park MI is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are considering to ensure they will deliver a superior education and comply with 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 home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated besides 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?

Allen Park MI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Allen Park MI hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Allen Park MI medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Allen Park MI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Allen Park MI area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order 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 3 years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just 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. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Allen Park MI While not as common as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Allen Park MI home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Allen Park MI area and across Michigan, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier 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 enroll in an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Allen Park MI physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your college selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the Michigan Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Allen Park MI area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Michigan or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have associations with Allen Park MI hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to get hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Allen Park health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Allen Park MI home. Students who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy college you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Allen Park MI area, make sure 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 enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Allen Park Michigan?

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

Allen Park, Michigan

Allen Park is a middle-class suburban city in central Wayne County, Michigan. The city is known for its tree-lined streets, brick houses, and the Fairlane Green Shopping Center that opened in 2006. At the 2010 census, the population was 28,210. The suburb of Detroit was once recognized in Money Magazine's list of America's Best Small Cities.[5] Allen Park is part of the collection of communities known as Downriver. Much like other "Downriver" communities, Allen Park has seen a steady decline in recent years, in terms of property value.[6]

Ford Motor Company is an integral part of the community. Many of the company's offices and facilities lie within the city limits. Since 2002, Allen Park is the practice home of the Detroit Lions football team and is also the site of the team's headquarters.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.05 square miles (18.26 km2), of which 7.00 square miles (18.13 km2) is land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km2) is water.[1]

Pick the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Allen Park MI

Choosing the right physical therapy college is an important initial decision you have to make to start a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different campuses to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Allen Park MI.