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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Menomonee Falls 53051

Menomonee Falls WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Menomonee Falls WI is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are thinking about to make certain they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we talk about 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?

Menomonee Falls WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Menomonee Falls WI private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate 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.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Menomonee Falls WI health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind 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 Therapist Degrees Offered

Menomonee Falls WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Menomonee Falls WI area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and commonly 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 also must 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 total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

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 United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Menomonee Falls WI Although not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated 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 curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Menomonee Falls WI home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have come to decision regarding several of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Menomonee Falls WI area and throughout Wisconsin, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you enroll in the college that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously 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 enroll in an online college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact a few Menomonee Falls WI physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Wisconsin Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure 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 college’s job placement program, particularly in the Menomonee Falls WI area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Wisconsin 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 therapy college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Menomonee Falls WI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means 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 may assist students and graduates form professional connections in the Menomonee Falls medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Menomonee Falls WI residence. Those who have chosen to attend classes online 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 consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may 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 to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office and see what kind of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Menomonee Falls WI area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Menomonee Falls Wisconsin?

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

Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

Menomonee Falls is a village in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States, and is part of the Greater Milwaukee area. The population was 35,626 at the 2010 census, making it the most populous village in Wisconsin.[7] It is the fourth largest community in Waukesha County. The village's slogan is "Take from one village, give to all village."

Menomonee Falls continued to grow throughout the 1870s. By 1890, the population was 2,480.[8] In 1892, a section of Menomonee Falls was incorporated as a village. In 1894 the first village board was elected as and the first village fire department formed. After becoming a village, many important buildings were built, including the village hall/fire station, Menomonee Falls High School, and the Wisconsin Sugar Factory.[8] The Wisconsin Sugar Factory employed as many as 500 laborers and produced up to 15 million pounds of sugar annually.[9]

The first public telephone service was offered in 1902; a local electricity plant offered a substitute for kerosene lamps by 1907; water mains were installed in the 1910s; and the first sewer lines were laid in 1924. New neighborhoods were developed and the Menomonee Falls Public Library were built.[8] The village's second bank, the Farmers and Merchants bank, was established in 1908 by attorney Samuel A. Connell.[10] By 1910, automobiles started being sold in the village, which led to an increase in paved roads. By 1919 Highway 15 connected Menomonee Falls to Milwaukee and Illinois and by 1922 to Green Bay.[8]

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Menomonee Falls WI

Picking the ideal physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you must make to launch a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different campuses to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental 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 achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Menomonee Falls WI.