Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Lennox SD

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist College near Lennox 57039

Lennox SD physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Lennox SD is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will supply a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is choose a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Lennox SD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Lennox SD hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have 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 suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor 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
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Lennox SD medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Lennox SD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single 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 progress to the doctoral level. Below are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Lennox SD 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 GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and often include an internship program of at least 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 complete, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

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 United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lennox SD While not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Lennox SD home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Lennox SD area and throughout South Dakota, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Moreover, you need to be sure that you enroll in the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online program, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Contact a few Lennox SD physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the South Dakota Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Lennox SD area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the college has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in provides both superior training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for South Dakota or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Lennox SD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent way to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Lennox healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Lennox SD residence. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT schools supply some type of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy school you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Lennox SD area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, find out 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 Lennox South Dakota?

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

Lennox, South Dakota

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 2,111 people, 842 households, and 542 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,611.5 inhabitants per square mile (622.2/km2). There were 914 housing units at an average density of 697.7 per square mile (269.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.2% White, 0.1% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.4% Asian, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population.

There were 842 households of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.6% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.02.

The median age in the city was 37.8 years. 26.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.2% were from 25 to 44; 23.7% were from 45 to 64; and 16% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.4% male and 50.6% female.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Lennox SD

Selecting the right physical therapy program is an important first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional critical questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Lennox SD.