How to Pick a Physical Therapist College near Medford 55049

Receiving a physical therapist degree near Medford MN is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are considering to make certain they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Medford MN hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

• Arthritis or Osteoporosis
• Car or motor cycle accidents
• Head injuries.
• Heart attacks.
• Sports injuries.
• Burn injuries.
• Knee Replacement.
• Sciatica.
• Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Medford MN medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Medford MN area:

• Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically part of the course of study.
• Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
• Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

Although not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Medford MN home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures 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 right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you probably have come to decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Medford MN area and across Minnesota, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you pick the program that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited?  Ask if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, beginning 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 agencies for their reviews also. Contact a few Medford MN physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the Minnesota Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Medford MN area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Minnesota or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are reviewing have associations with Medford MN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students establish professional connections in the Medford medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

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 undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Medford MN residence. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what type of help is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapist program you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Medford MN area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Medford Minnesota?

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

Choose the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Medford MN

Choosing the ideal physical therapy program is an important initial decision you need to make to launch a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Medford MN.

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