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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Moorhead 56560

Moorhead MN physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Moorhead MN is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the proper education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are looking at to ensure they will supply a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered besides location and cost. But before we discuss 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?

Moorhead MN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Moorhead MN hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Moorhead MN health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Moorhead MN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Moorhead MN area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and often include an internship program of a minimum of 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 finish, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Moorhead MN While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Moorhead MN residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding several of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Moorhead MN area and throughout Minnesota, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you select the school that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received 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 school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact a few Moorhead MN physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college options. It may also be a good idea to contact the Minnesota Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Moorhead MN area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have relationships with Moorhead MN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Moorhead healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Moorhead MN residence. Those who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid office and see what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Moorhead MN area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask 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 Moorhead Minnesota?

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

Moorhead, Minnesota

Moorhead is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States, and the largest city in northwest Minnesota. The population was 42,005 according to the 2015 United States Census estimates.[5] It is the county seat of Clay County.[6]

Moorhead was platted in 1871. The city was named for William Garroway Moorhead (1811–1895), an official of the Northern Pacific railroad.[7] Moorhead is bordered on the west by the Red River of the North and the city of Fargo, North Dakota. On the east, Moorhead is bordered by Dilworth, Minnesota. Moorhead, along with its twin city of Fargo, North Dakota, as well as adjacent West Fargo, form the core of the Fargo–Moorhead metropolitan area, which has a 2010 population of around 208,777 residents.

Moorhead is located adjacent to the Red River in the Red River Valley. The land around the Fargo–Moorhead area is some of the flattest and richest (for agricultural uses) in the world. This is because it lies on the lake bed of glacial Lake Agassiz, which drained between 9,900 and 11,000 years ago.[8]

Choose the Right Physical Therapy School near Moorhead MN

Choosing the best physical therapist school is an important initial decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You may want to go to different schools to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Moorhead MN.