Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Chippewa Falls WI

How to Select a Physical Therapy Program near Chippewa Falls 54729

Chippewa Falls WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Chippewa Falls WI is a critical first step to starting a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Chippewa Falls WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Chippewa Falls WI private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Chippewa Falls WI health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Chippewa Falls WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Chippewa Falls WI area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several 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. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Chippewa Falls WI While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Chippewa Falls WI residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable 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 benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Chippewa Falls WI area and throughout Wisconsin, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you want to make sure that you enroll in the college 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 schools you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously 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 college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact a few Chippewa Falls WI physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Wisconsin Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Chippewa Falls WI area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Wisconsin or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have associations with Chippewa Falls WI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Chippewa Falls medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they select will have to be within driving distance of their Chippewa Falls WI residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and see what type of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Chippewa Falls WI area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative 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 as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Chippewa Falls Wisconsin?

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

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

Chippewa Falls is a city located on the Chippewa River in Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 13,661 at the 2010 census. Incorporated as a city in 1869, it is the county seat of Chippewa County.[6]

Chippewa Falls is the birthplace of Seymour Cray, known as the "father of supercomputing", and the headquarters for the original Cray Research. It is also the home of the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, the Heyde Center for the Arts, a showcase venue for artists and performers, Irvine Park, and the annual Northern Wisconsin State Fair. Chippewa Falls is 15 miles from the annual four-day music festivals Country Fest and Rock Fest.

Chippewa Falls was originally a lumber town that became a railroad town, even though the main railroad line of the 1870s went through Eau Claire, about 10 miles to the south. In 1870, the West Wisconsin Railway built a line from St. Paul, Minnesota, to Milwaukee through the area at Eau Claire. Following this, the Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls Railway established a line running from Eau Claire to Chippewa Falls. In 1880, the CF&W was joined by the Wisconsin and Minnesota Railway pushing its way west from Abbotsford. This was followed in 1881 by the Chippewa Falls & Northern Railroad, which built a line north from Chippewa Falls to Bloomer, eventually being extended to Superior.

Choose the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Chippewa Falls WI

Selecting the best physical therapist program is an important first decision you have to make to launch a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that numerous factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach 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 best choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Chippewa Falls WI.