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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Windsor 53598

Windsor WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Windsor WI is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose 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 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Windsor WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Windsor WI private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Windsor WI medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Windsor 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 options, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Windsor WI area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prep candidates to move up 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. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order 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 3 years to complete, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

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

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Windsor WI Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Windsor WI home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning some of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Windsor WI area and throughout Wisconsin, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you need to make certain that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for 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 also. Contact some Windsor WI physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to contact 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 Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Windsor 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 perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a course of study 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are interested in have partnerships with Windsor WI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to get hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Windsor healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on 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 opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Windsor WI residence. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online obviously 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 bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 Offered? Most DPT schools offer some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department and find out what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist school you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Windsor 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 enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Windsor Wisconsin?

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

Windsor, Wisconsin

Windsor is a village and former town in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 5,286 at the 2000 census. The communities of Lake Windsor, Morrisonville, and Token Creek are located within the village. Windsor voted to incorporate as a village on November 3, 2015; prior to its incorporation, it was a town, and a portion of the town was a census-designated place.[4] Windsor is a part of the Census Bureau's Madison metropolitan statistical area.

A portion of the former town was part of a disputed annexation by the Village of DeForest. In July 2004 the village and town reached a settlement in which part of the disputed area would be annexed by the village and part would remain with the town. In addition, the town and village agreed to exchange other less populated land.

While visited in the late 1830s, the first settler to the town was William Lawrence, who came from the state of Vermont in 1841. He later served in the Civil War. James Morrison settled in the town in 1843 at what is now Morrisonville.[5]

Pick the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Windsor WI

Choosing the best physical therapist program is an important first decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have discussed 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 additional relevant 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 many variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit different campuses to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Windsor WI.