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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Program near Letcher 57359

Letcher SD physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Letcher SD is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are looking at to ensure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Letcher SD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, such as Letcher SD 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 diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Letcher SD health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Letcher SD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Letcher SD area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in some 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 attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Letcher SD While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Letcher SD home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Letcher SD area and across South Dakota, you’ll need to research other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you select the program that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have excellent 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 place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call a few Letcher SD physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your school options. It might also be a good idea to check with the South Dakota Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean 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 college’s job placement program, particularly in the Letcher SD area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for South Dakota 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. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have partnerships with Letcher SD hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Letcher healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. 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 some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Letcher SD home. Those who have decided 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 keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps 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 frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Letcher SD area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Letcher South Dakota?

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

Letcher, South Dakota

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.66 square miles (1.71 km2), of which, 0.62 square miles (1.61 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) is water.[3]

As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 173 people, 77 households, and 42 families residing in the town. The population density was 279.0 inhabitants per square mile (107.7/km2). There were 83 housing units at an average density of 133.9 per square mile (51.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 100.0% White.

There were 77 households of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.5% were non-families. 39.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 3.07.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Letcher SD

Selecting the right physical therapy school is an important first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional important questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many factors will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Letcher SD.