Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Choteau MT

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Program near Choteau 59422

Choteau MT physical therapy school student with volunteerReceiving a physical therapist degree near Choteau MT is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are looking at to ensure they will provide a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Choteau MT physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists practice in varying settings, including Choteau MT hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

  • Osteoporosis and Arthritis
  • Car or motor cycle accidents
  • Strokes.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
  • Burn injuries.
  • Knee Replacement.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Choteau MT medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Choteau MT physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are 3 physical therapy degrees offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available 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 advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Choteau MT area:

  • Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may 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 programs are typically made available by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the curriculum.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are required in order 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 finish, making the total commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component along with the substantial lab and classroom 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 United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Choteau MTAlthough not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more 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 near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Choteau MT residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you probably have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Choteau MT area and across Montana, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to make sure that you enroll in the school that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited?  Find out if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national 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 choose an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply 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 might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact a few Choteau MT physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program selections. It may also be prudent to contact the Montana Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Choteau MT 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 verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Montana or the state where you will be working. 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 college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have associations with Choteau MT hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Choteau health care community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Choteau MT home. Those who have opted 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 importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what type of aid is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy program you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Choteau MT area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative 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 may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Choteau Montana?

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

Choteau, Montana

Choteau is a city in and the county seat of Teton County, Montana, United States.[4] It lies along U.S. Routes 89 and 287 (the latter terminating at the former in this city) about 20 miles (32 km) east of the Rocky Mountains, near Flathead National Forest, the Rocky Mountain Division of Lewis and Clark National Forest, and Glacier National Park. The population was 1,684 at the 2010 census. The Montana town is named for French fur-trapper and explorer Pierre Chouteau, Jr., who is also the namesake of Chouteau County, Montana (county seat: Fort Benton).[5]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.83 square miles (4.74 km2), all of it land.[1] The Teton River runs nearby, although for some distance upstream of Choteau, it is dry during much of the year.

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,684 people, 791 households, and 441 families residing in the city. The population density was 920.2 inhabitants per square mile (355.3/km2). There were 888 housing units at an average density of 485.2 per square mile (187.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.0% White, 2.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population.

Pick the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Choteau MT

Selecting the best physical therapy program is an important first decision you have to make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to visit each of the colleges to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Choteau MT.

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