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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist College near Wittenberg 54499

Wittenberg WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Wittenberg WI is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Wittenberg WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Wittenberg WI hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Wittenberg WI medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Wittenberg WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degrees that are offered in the Wittenberg WI area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community colleges, and take about two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to finish and often incorporate 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 complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in some 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 available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in Wittenberg WI While not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Wittenberg WI residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Wittenberg WI area and across Wisconsin, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you pick the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact several Wittenberg WI physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the Wisconsin Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Wittenberg WI area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Wisconsin or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have partnerships with Wittenberg WI hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Wittenberg healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within driving distance of their Wittenberg WI home. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance office and see what type of help is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Wittenberg WI area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Wittenberg Wisconsin?

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

Wittenberg, Wisconsin

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 1,081 people, 427 households, and 231 families residing in the village. The population density was 603.9 inhabitants per square mile (233.2/km2). There were 495 housing units at an average density of 276.5 per square mile (106.8/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 89.3% White, 3.8% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 5.1% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.1% of the population.

There were 427 households of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.9% were non-families. 40.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.94.

The median age in the village was 42.2 years. 22.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.6% were from 25 to 44; 21% were from 45 to 64; and 25.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 46.6% male and 53.4% female.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Wittenberg WI

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy college is an important initial decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Wittenberg WI.