Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Oswego KS

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Training Program near Oswego 67356

Oswego KS physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Oswego KS is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many 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 those you are looking at to make sure they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered 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 the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Oswego KS physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, including Oswego KS private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Oswego KS health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Oswego KS physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degrees that are offered in the Oswego KS area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 finish, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely 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 offered in the United States. A number of licensed 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 instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Oswego KS Although not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Oswego KS residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you probably have come to decision concerning several of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Oswego KS area and across Kansas, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college choices. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you pick 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 therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call several Oswego KS physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program options. It may also be prudent to check with the Kansas 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 two relevant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Oswego KS area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you choose provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Kansas or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have relationships with Oswego KS clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Oswego health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they pick will have to be within driving distance of their Oswego KS 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 local internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind 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 commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department and see what type of help is obtainable. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist school you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Oswego KS area, verify that they are offered. 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, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Oswego Kansas?

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

Oswego, Kansas

Oswego is located on the site of an Osage village called No tse Wa spe, which means "Heart Stays" or more loosely translated, "Quiet Heart."[8] Jesuit Missionaries from Osage Mission (now St. Paul, Kansas) who worked among the Osages called the village "Little Town," probably because the band of Osages who lived in the village were of the "Little Osage" division of the Osage People. More specifically, the Osage Village of Little Town was described as "Little Town Above" by the Jesuits, to distinguish it from another village, which was sometimes located just to the east of Little Town, called "Little Town Below."[9] While Osage villages were moved quite often (according to weather, hunting conditions, and sanitary conditions)[10] Little Town Above was generally located on the bluff overlooking the Neosho River, where Oswego sits today. Little Town Below often sat near Horseshoe Lake, in the Neosho River Valley about a mile due east of Oswego.[11] During the 1850s, Little Town was often referred to as "White Hair's Town," in honor of a resident of the village named Iron Hawk.[8] Iron Hawk was named Grand Tsi Shu Chief (or Peace Chief) of the Osage Nation (through the 19th Century, it was tradition for the Osage Chief to take the name "White Hair".[12]

A study of the baptismal records of the Jesuits at Osage Mission reveals that several white or mixed white and Osage families lived in or near Little Town before the Civil War.[13] Several mixed white and Cherokee families also lived in or near the present site of Little Town, likely just east of the village in the Cherokee Neutral Lands or to the south, near Chetopa.[14]

One family of mixed Osage blood that lived at Little Town before the Civil War was the John Allan Mathews family, who operated a blacksmith/gunsmith shop on the site and ran a trading post here, as well as one at Osage Mission and one at Fort Gibson.[15] Mathews first purchased the trading post at Little Town from Augustus Chouteau in either 1838 or 1843, depending upon the source.[16] Mathews was married to Mary Ann Williams until her death and then to her sister Sarah Jane Williams, daughters of William Sherley Williams, better known as "Old Bill Williams" and his Osage wife, A-Ci'n-Ga or Wind Blossom.[17]

Choose the Best Physical Therapy Training Program near Oswego KS

Choosing the best physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Oswego KS.