Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Clear Lake MN

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Clear Lake 55319

Clear Lake MN physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Clear Lake MN is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are considering to make sure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Clear Lake MN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Clear Lake MN hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes 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 mentioned, physical therapists help people 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 try to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Clear Lake MN health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Clear Lake MN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is attainable to become 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. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are available in the Clear Lake MN area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as 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 qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 years to finish and usually include 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 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 total commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in some 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 eliminated and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Clear Lake MN While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Clear Lake MN residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Clear Lake MN area and across Minnesota, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you pick the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 enroll in an online program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact several Clear Lake MN physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Minnesota Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Clear Lake MN area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in provides both excellent 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 required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have partnerships with Clear Lake MN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to receive hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Clear Lake medical community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy 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 some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Clear Lake MN home. Those who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to keep 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 may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial aid department and find out what kind of help is obtainable. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy college you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Clear Lake MN area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Clear Lake Minnesota?

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

Clear Lake, Minnesota

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 545 people, 205 households, and 151 families residing in the city. The population density was 529.1 inhabitants per square mile (204.3/km2). There were 222 housing units at an average density of215.5 per square mile (83.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.3% White, 0.4% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.2% of the population.

There were 205 households, of which 43.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.3% were non-families. 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.05.

The median age in the city was 31.1 years. 30.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 35.7% were from 25 to 44; 18.5% were from 45 to 64; and 8.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

Pick the Best Physical Therapy Training Program near Clear Lake MN

Choosing the right physical therapy college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to launch a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your final decision. You might want to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me accomplish 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 right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Clear Lake MN.