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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist School near Pittsville 54466

Pittsville WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Pittsville WI is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many 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 looking at to make sure they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is choose a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered in addition to location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Pittsville WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Pittsville WI hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Pittsville WI health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Pittsville WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is available to practice as 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 short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Pittsville WI area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want 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 complete, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pittsville WI Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Pittsville WI home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your initial queries, such as the type of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Pittsville WI area and across Wisconsin, you’ll need to research other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you choose the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have earned 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 select an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact some Pittsville WI physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school options. It might also be a good idea to check with the Wisconsin Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist programs you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Pittsville WI area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in provides both superior training and a course of study 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) as well as 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 supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have associations with Pittsville WI hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional connections in the Pittsville healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. 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 converse with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Pittsville WI home. Students who have opted to attend online classes obviously 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 program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Pittsville WI area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask 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 Pittsville Wisconsin?

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

Pittsville, Wisconsin

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 874 people, 338 households, and 238 families residing in the city. The population density was 443.7 inhabitants per square mile (171.3/km2). There were 378 housing units at an average density of 191.9 per square mile (74.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.9% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.8% Asian, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.8% of the population.

There were 338 households of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.6% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.03.

The median age in the city was 36 years. 27.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26% were from 25 to 44; 24.9% were from 45 to 64; and 14.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Pittsville WI

Picking the right physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Pittsville WI.