Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Omro WI

How to Choose a Physical Therapy College near Omro 54963

Omro WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Omro WI is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Omro WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Omro 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 earlier stated, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Omro WI medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Omro WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is offered 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 progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Omro WI area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a licensed practicing 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 total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Omro WI Although not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Omro WI home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Omro WI area and across Wisconsin, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, 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 important questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have received 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 enroll in an online program, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’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 organizations for their reviews as well. Contact a few Omro WI physical therapist 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 may also be a good idea to check with the Wisconsin Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy schools you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Omro WI area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements 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 therapist school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have associations with Omro WI hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Omro healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching 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 final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Omro WI home. Those who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 Support Offered? Most DPT schools supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Omro WI area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. 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 Omro Wisconsin?

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

Omro, Wisconsin

The area encompassing present day Omro was Winnebago Indian Territory when it was first visited by French explorers in 1639. Omro's location gave it two advantages from the beginning, which were a position on one of the few natural transportation and communications routes of the time and an abundant amount of water for industrial use. The first modern settlers visited in 1847. There are at least three differing accounts of how the town was named. One widely held version is that it was named for Charles Amereau, a French trader and blacksmith who started a fur trading post there.[6] By 1880, Omro was a stop on the railroad line and was home to the county fairgrounds, several mills, a glass factory, carriage factories, several machine works, and had a population greater than 2,000. Eventually most of the manufacturers either relocated to nearby Oshkosh, or faded away. Since Omro began a revitalization process in 1986, it has seen growth.[citation needed] Several projects pay respects to Omro's past, including a historical walking tour, the Scott park pavilion project, and the designation of a historic downtown district.[7]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 3,517 people, 1,419 households, and 937 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,496.6 inhabitants per square mile (577.8/km2). There were 1,537 housing units at an average density of 654.0 per square mile (252.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.6% White, 0.7% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 1.5% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.3% of the population.

There were 1,419 households of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.0% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.98.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Omro WI

Picking the ideal physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that many factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Omro WI.