Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Waite Park MN

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist College near Waite Park 56387

Waite Park MN physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Waite Park MN is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are thinking about to ensure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Waite Park MN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Waite Park MN private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though 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.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Waite Park MN health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Waite Park MN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Waite Park MN 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 obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning 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 important component in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in several 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 available in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Waite Park MN While not as common as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Waite Park MN home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Waite Park MN area and throughout Minnesota, you’ll need to research other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, 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 obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact a few Waite Park MN physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the Minnesota Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you should know 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 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 Waite Park MN area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Minnesota or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have relationships with Waite Park MN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Waite Park health care community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Waite Park MN residence. Individuals who have opted 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 bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what kind of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Waite Park MN area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have 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 emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Waite Park Minnesota?

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

Waite Park, Minnesota

Waite Park is a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 6,715 at the 2010 census and according to 2016 estimates is now 7,839. It is part of the St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 6,568 people, 2,967 households, and 1,536 families residing in the city. The population density was 841.0 people per square mile (324.7/km²). There were 3,065 housing units at an average density of 392.5 per square mile (151.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.74% White, 0.72% African American, 0.56% Native American, 3.50% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.20% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.01% of the population.

There were 2,967 households out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.5% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.2% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.80.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Waite Park MN

Picking the right physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Waite Park MN.