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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist School near Prior Lake 55372

Prior Lake MN physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Prior Lake MN is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are thinking about to ensure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Prior Lake MN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Prior Lake MN private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously 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 create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Prior Lake MN medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Prior Lake MN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the Prior Lake MN area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may 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 programs are typically provided by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 essential component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced 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 prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Prior Lake MN Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Prior Lake MN home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding a few of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Prior Lake MN area and throughout Minnesota, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you select the program that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier 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 college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact some Prior Lake MN physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your program options. 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 submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Prior Lake MN area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports 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 program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have relationships with Prior Lake MN hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Prior Lake health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Prior Lake MN residence. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are considering have a financial aid department and see what kind of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Prior Lake MN area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Prior Lake Minnesota?

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

Prior Lake, Minnesota

Prior Lake is a city 20 miles (32 km) southwest of downtown Minneapolis seated next to Savage and Shakopee in Scott County in the state of Minnesota. Surrounding the shores of Lower and Upper Prior Lake, the city lies south of the Minnesota River in an area known as South of the River and establishes the urban fringe of the south-southwest portion of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the sixteenth largest metropolitan area in the United States. The population of Prior Lake was 22,796 at the 2010 census.[5]

Prior Lake was first incorporated as a village in 1891. Prior Lake is one of the oldest cities in the south metro area. The city's modern rapid growth is due in part to the ease of access for commuters to the rest of the region, via the upgraded State Highway 13.[6][7]

As of the 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $75,363, and the median income for a family was $81,011. The per capita income for the city was $32,089. About 1.7% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Prior Lake MN

Picking the ideal physical therapy school is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different campuses to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college 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 field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Prior Lake MN.