Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Arlington MN

How to Select a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Arlington 55307

Arlington MN physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Arlington MN is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a school 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 considered besides location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Arlington MN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Arlington MN private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Arlington MN medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

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

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want 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 total investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Arlington MN Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more 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 necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Arlington MN home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding several of your preliminary questions, including the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Arlington MN area and throughout Minnesota, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, 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 important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier 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 obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call several Arlington MN physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school selections. It might also be prudent to check with the Minnesota Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out due to displeasure 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 Arlington MN area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you enroll in provides both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Minnesota or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have associations with Arlington MN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to receive practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional connections in the Arlington healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering 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 ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will have to be within commuting distance of their Arlington MN residence. Students who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually 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 Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial aid department and see what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide 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 School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist program you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Arlington MN area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Arlington Minnesota?

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

Arlington, Minnesota

The community was platted in 1856,[7] and the name was officially approved on May 11, 1858, which is the same date that Minnesota became a state. German settlers came to the area to homestead beginning in the 1860s and 1870s. The population of Arlington continues to be of predominately German descent. In 1948, the community was incorporated as a city.[8]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 2,233 people, 911 households, and 549 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,422.3 inhabitants per square mile (549.2/km2). There were 1,018 housing units at an average density of 648.4 per square mile (250.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.1% White, 0.1% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 3.6% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.4% of the population.

There were 911 households of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.7% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.06.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Arlington MN

Selecting the ideal physical therapist college is an important first decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Arlington MN.