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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Program near Viborg 57070

Viborg SD physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Viborg SD is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are considering to make sure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered besides location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Viborg SD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, such as Viborg SD hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Viborg SD health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Viborg SD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered 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. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Viborg SD area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as 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 most often provided by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 complete, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just 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 attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Viborg SD Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more 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 necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Viborg SD home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary queries, like the type of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Viborg SD area and across South Dakota, you’ll have to research other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Also, you need to be sure that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select 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 select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting 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 some Viborg SD physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your school options. It might also be prudent to contact 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 two useful statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Viborg SD area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have partnerships with Viborg SD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to get hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Viborg medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Viborg SD home. Individuals who have chosen 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. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and see what type of aid is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Viborg SD area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Viborg South Dakota?

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

Viborg, South Dakota

Founded by Danish-Americans, the city is named after the Danish city of Viborg.[8] The area was first settled by Danish migrants in the 1860s, founding a community known as Daneville. With the advent of the railway in 1893, a new settlement closer to the railway was created as Viborg. Viborg was incorporated as a city on August 25, 1903.[9]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 782 people, 360 households, and 189 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,955.0 inhabitants per square mile (754.8/km2). There were 429 housing units at an average density of 1,072.5 per square mile (414.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.6% White, 0.8% Native American, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 360 households of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.7% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.5% were non-families. 43.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.98 and the average family size was 2.69.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapy College near Viborg SD

Choosing the right physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Viborg SD.