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Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Wausa NE

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Wausa 68786

Wausa NE physical therapy school student with volunteerEarning a physical therapy degree near Wausa NE is an essential first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. 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 also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are thinking about to ensure they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides 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?

Wausa NE physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Wausa NE private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop 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.
  • Cardiac arrest.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
  • Burn injuries.
  • Hip Replacement.
  • Sciatica.
  • Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Wausa NE medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with 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 stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Wausa NE physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degrees that are available in the Wausa NE area:

  • Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may 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 degrees are most often made available by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the course of study.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are required 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 finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

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

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Wausa NEAlthough not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature 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 nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Wausa NE home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat less than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you probably have made a decision concerning several of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Wausa NE area and throughout Nebraska, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to make sure that you select the college that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited?  Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional 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 select an online program, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Wausa NE physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the Nebraska Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Wausa NE area? If a program 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 school has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you select furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Nebraska or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have relationships with Wausa NE clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to get 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 relationships in the Wausa health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Wausa NE residence. 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. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT schools supply some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what kind of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Wausa NE area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Wausa Nebraska?

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

Wausa, Nebraska

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 634 people, 257 households, and 172 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,196.2 inhabitants per square mile (461.9/km2). There were 290 housing units at an average density of 547.2 per square mile (211.3/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 97.6% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population.

There were 257 households of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.1% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.86.

The median age in the village was 48.3 years. 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.6% were from 25 to 44; 23.8% were from 45 to 64; and 30.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Wausa NE

Selecting the ideal physical therapy program is an important initial decision you must make to start a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the campuses to view 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 following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Wausa NE.

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