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

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Pewaukee 53072

Pewaukee WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Pewaukee WI is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will deliver a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Pewaukee WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying settings, such as Pewaukee WI private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. 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 people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Pewaukee WI health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Pewaukee WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Pewaukee WI area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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 finish, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced 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 having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pewaukee WI Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of 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 college 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 Pewaukee WI home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you probably have made a decision regarding a few of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you intend 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 colleges within the Pewaukee WI area and throughout Wisconsin, you’ll have to research additional qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make sure that you select the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously mentioned, 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 school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Pewaukee WI physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your school selections. It might 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 colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Pewaukee WI area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Wisconsin or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are assessing have associations with Pewaukee WI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Pewaukee medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges 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 an opportunity to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Pewaukee WI home. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college 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 usually charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance office and see what kind of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist school you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Pewaukee WI area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask 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 Pewaukee Wisconsin?

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

Pewaukee, Wisconsin

Pewaukee is a city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. The population was 13,195 at the 2010 census. The Village of Pewaukee, which was incorporated out of the town before it incorporated as a city, is surrounded by the city.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.15 square miles (54.78 km2), of which, 19.50 square miles (50.50 km2) is land and 1.65 square miles (4.27 km2) is water.[10]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 13,195 people, 5,410 households, and 3,883 families residing in the city. The population density was 676.7 inhabitants per square mile (261.3/km2). There were 5,767 housing units at an average density of 295.7 per square mile (114.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.3% White, 1.1% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.6% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist School near Pewaukee WI

Selecting the best physical therapy school is a necessary first decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the medical 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. However there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Pewaukee WI.