Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - South Haven MN

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Training Program near South Haven 55382

South Haven MN physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near South Haven MN is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate the ones you are considering to make certain they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

South Haven MN physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, such as South Haven MN private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other South Haven MN medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also manage 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 entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

South Haven MN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is available 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 short explanations of degrees that are offered in the South Haven MN area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 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 commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only 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 available in the USA. Some practicing 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 Therapist Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in South Haven MN While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s South Haven MN home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than similar on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you probably have made a decision concerning several of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, 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 schools within the South Haven MN area and throughout Minnesota, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Also, you want to make sure that you pick the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 select an online program, it may also earn 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 recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact several South Haven MN physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school options. It might also be a good idea to check with 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 useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the South Haven MN area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you select furnishes both excellent training and a course of study 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing have relationships with South Haven MN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to obtain practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help graduates and students develop professional relationships in the South Haven healthcare community and assist 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 hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their South Haven MN residence. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide 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 typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what kind of help is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist school you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the South Haven MN area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near South Haven Minnesota?

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

South Haven, Minnesota

South Haven was platted in 1888 when the railroad was extended to that point.[7] The city was so named for the fact it is located in Southside Township and due south of Fair Haven Township, Stearns County, Minnesota.[7] A post office has been in operation at South Haven since 1887.[8] South Haven was incorporated in 1902.[7]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 187 people, 70 households, and 48 families residing in the city. The population density was 296.8 inhabitants per square mile (114.6/km2). There were 74 housing units at an average density of 117.5 per square mile (45.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.6% White, 0.5% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.8% of the population.

There were 70 households of which 41.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.6% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.4% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.33.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near South Haven MN

Selecting the best physical therapy college is a necessary first decision you need to make to start 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 accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in South Haven MN.