Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Billings MT

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Billings 59101

Billings MT physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Billings MT is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare 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 obtain the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are considering to ensure they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Billings MT physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Billings MT private practices, hospitals, 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 stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Billings MT health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Billings MT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training 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 available in the Billings MT area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Billings MT While not as common as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Billings MT home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you probably have made a decision concerning a few of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Billings MT area and across Montana, you’ll have to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to be sure that you enroll in the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national 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 school, it may also receive 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 simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with a few Billings MT physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college options. It may also be prudent to contact the Montana Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Billings MT area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Montana or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have relationships with Billings MT clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help graduates and students develop professional connections in the Billings health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they select will need to be within driving distance of their Billings MT home. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college 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 typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Billings MT area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Billings Montana?

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

Billings, Montana

Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area with a population of 169,676.[5] It has a trade area of over half a million people.[6]

Billings is located in the south-central portion of the state and is the seat of Yellowstone County, which had a 2016 population of 158,980.[5] The 2016 Census estimates put the Billings population at 111,150,[7] making it the only city in Montana with over 100,000 people. The city is experiencing rapid growth and a strong economy; it has had and is continuing to have the largest growth of any city in Montana. Parts of the metro area are seeing hyper growth. From 2000 to 2010 Lockwood, an eastern suburb of the city, saw growth of 57.8%, the largest growth rate of any community in Montana.[8] Billings has avoided the economic downturn that affected most of the nation 2008–2012 as well as avoiding the housing bust.[9][10] With the Bakken oil development in eastern Montana and western North Dakota, the largest oil discovery in U.S. history,[11][12] as well as the Heath shale oil discovery just north of Billings,[13] the city's growth rate stayed high during the shale oil boom.[14][15] Although the city is still growing, the rate of increase has diminished markedly with oil price declines in recent years.[16][17]

Billings was nicknamed the "Magic City" because of its rapid growth from its founding as a railroad town in March 1882. The city is named for Frederick H. Billings, a former president of the Northern Pacific Railroad. With one of the largest trade areas in the United States,[18] Billings is the trade and distribution center for much of Montana east of the Continental Divide, Northern Wyoming, and western portions of North Dakota and South Dakota. Billings is also the retail destination for much of the same area. With more hotel accommodations than any area within a five-state region, the city hosts a variety of conventions, concerts, sporting events, and other rallies.[18]

Pick the Best Physical Therapist School near Billings MT

Selecting the ideal physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to go to different campuses to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Billings MT.