Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Garretson SD

How to Choose a Physical Therapist School near Garretson 57030

Garretson SD physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Garretson SD is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are looking at to make certain they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Garretson SD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Garretson SD hospitals, health clinics, 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 people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to 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 endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Garretson SD health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Garretson SD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Garretson SD area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 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 therapy education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Garretson SD While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Garretson SD home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding some of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Garretson SD area and across South Dakota, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to make certain that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 choose an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive an excellent 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 imperative that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call several Garretson SD physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your program options. It might also be a good idea to check with the South Dakota Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Garretson SD area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for South Dakota or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements vary 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? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have relationships with Garretson SD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist graduates and students form professional connections in the Garretson medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the average 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 an opportunity to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Garretson SD home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program 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 commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid department and see what kind of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Garretson SD area, verify that they are available. 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 carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Garretson South Dakota?

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

Garretson, South Dakota

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 1,166 people, 449 households, and 308 families residing in the city. The population density was 804.1 inhabitants per square mile (310.5/km2). There were 476 housing units at an average density of 328.3 per square mile (126.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.5% White, 0.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.3% of the population.

There were 449 households of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.4% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.03.

The median age in the city was 38.1 years. 28.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.4% were from 25 to 44; 24.8% were from 45 to 64; and 15.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.0% male and 53.0% female.

Pick the Right Physical Therapy College near Garretson SD

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy program is an important initial decision you must make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your final decision. You might want to visit different colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Garretson SD.