Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Kelly WY

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy College near Kelly 83011

Kelly WY physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Kelly WY is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are looking at to make sure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Kelly WY physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, including Kelly WY hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers 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 people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Kelly WY health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Kelly WY physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Kelly WY area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several 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 available in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Kelly WY While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Kelly WY residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Kelly WY area and across Wyoming, you’ll have to research other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you choose 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 colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received 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 choose an online school, it can 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 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 receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call some Kelly WY physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college options. It may also be a good idea to contact the Wyoming Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Kelly WY area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Wyoming or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although 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 additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have relationships with Kelly WY clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Kelly health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Kelly WY residence. Those who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance department and see what kind of help is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Kelly WY area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Kelly Wyoming?

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

Kelly, Wyoming

Kelly is situated along the Gros Ventre River on the eastern side of the Jackson Hole valley, is part of the Jackson, WY–ID Micropolitan Statistical Area and has a US Post Office with zip code 83011.

The settlement formed in the late 1890s as Grovont, but was renamed Kelly in 1909 to avoid confusion with a similarly named settlement nearby.[5] On May 18, 1927 the town was destroyed when a natural dam formed by the Gros Ventre landslide two years earlier collapsed and completely flooded the town.

On June 23, 1925 following weeks of heavy rain, approximately 50,000,000 cubic yards (38,000,000 m3) of rock slid off the north face of Sheep Mountain, and into a valley formed by the Gros Ventre River. The rock formed a large natural dam, backing up the water and forming Lower Slide Lake. The lake and dam eventually stabilized, and engineers determined there was no danger of collapse.[5] There were heavy snows in the winter of 1926-1927, and the higher than normal snow melt was accompanied by more weeks of heavy rain in May 1927. On May 18, residents started to notice debris from the flooding of the upper valley floating downstream in the river. Alarmed, several residents went to the dam to discover that the lake had overflowed the top of the dam and was beginning to erode it. The warning was given, and the residents of the town evacuated. The ensuing flood was 6 feet (2 m) deep for at least 25 miles (60 km) downstream. The flood destroyed most of the town, leaving only the church and the schoolhouse standing.[6] Thanks to the prior warning, only six people perished in the flood. The deluge also damaged ranches and part of the community of Wilson, 14 miles (22 km) downstream on the Snake River.[5][7]

Select the Right Physical Therapy School near Kelly WY

Choosing the right physical therapist program is an important first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that a number of variables will guide you toward your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Kelly WY.