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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy College near Preston 55965

Preston MN physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Preston MN is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Preston MN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as Preston MN private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Preston MN health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, 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 Therapy Degree Options

Preston MN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degrees that are available in the Preston MN area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required if you want 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 finish, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Preston MN While not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Preston MN residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision concerning some of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Preston MN area and throughout Minnesota, you’ll need to research additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you select 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 colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program 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 can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact a few Preston MN physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your school options. It may also be prudent to contact the Minnesota Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Preston MN area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in provides both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Minnesota or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have relationships with Preston MN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Preston health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Preston MN residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Preston 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 have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Preston Minnesota?

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

Preston, Minnesota

Preston is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,325 at the 2010 census.[6] It is the county seat of Fillmore County.[7] The Root River runs through it, and Mystery Cave State Park is nearby. It bills itself as "America's Trout Capital,"[8] with a 20-foot trout [9] placed along Minnesota State Highway 16.

Preston was platted in 1855.[10] The community was named for Luther Preston, a millwright[11] and postmaster.[12] The old Preston grain elevator used to be known as the Milwaukee Elevator Company Grain Elevator. It was built around 1890 for holding grain for shipment by railroad to the Eastern cities of the United States. The elevator was last used in the 1980s. It was built with "cribbed" construction, which has to do with interlocking bins. At the time it was a lot stronger and a lot more expensive to build it this way than to build it in stud construction. Now the Preston Historical Society is trying to restore the structure.

The Preston Overlook was built in 1937 by the Minnesota Department of Highways under the program of Federal Relief Construction during the New Deal. A site was chosen on the highest point on the bluffs above the Root River, 90 feet below. The Preston Overlook was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapist School near Preston MN

Picking the ideal physical therapist program is an important first decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to different schools to view 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 adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Preston MN.