Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Bangor WI

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Training Program near Bangor 54614

Bangor WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Bangor WI is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are considering to make sure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be considered along with cost and location. 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 the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Bangor WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Bangor WI private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Bangor WI medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite 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 Therapy Degrees Available

Bangor WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is available to become 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 descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Bangor WI area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to advance 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 practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order 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 complete, making the overall commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Bangor WI Although not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Bangor WI home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Bangor WI area and throughout Wisconsin, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to make sure that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously stated, 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 obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call several Bangor WI physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your college options. It might also be prudent to contact the Wisconsin Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Bangor WI area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Wisconsin or the state where you will be practicing. 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 school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have partnerships with Bangor WI hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Bangor medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Bangor WI home. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial aid office and see what kind of help is available. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Bangor WI area, verify that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Bangor Wisconsin?

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

Bangor, Wisconsin

Bangor is a village in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States, along the La Crosse River. It is part of the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,459 as of the 2010 Census. The village is located partially within the Town of Bangor.

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 1,459 people, 571 households, and 392 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,186.2 inhabitants per square mile (458.0/km2). There were 597 housing units at an average density of 485.4 per square mile (187.4/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 97.7% White, 0.5% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.2% Asian, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

There were 571 households of which 39.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.3% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.11.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Bangor WI

Deciding on the best physical therapy school is an important first decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many variables will lead you to your final decision. You might want to go to different schools to see their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Bangor WI.