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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy School near Delafield 53018

Delafield WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near Delafield WI is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are considering to make certain they will supply a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Delafield WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Delafield WI hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Delafield WI health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Delafield WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degrees that are offered in the Delafield WI area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment 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 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 mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Delafield WI While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy 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 necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Delafield WI home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Delafield WI area and throughout Wisconsin, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Also, you want to make sure that you select the college that is right for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously mentioned, 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 school, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call some Delafield WI physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your program options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Wisconsin Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Delafield WI 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 excellent. It also verifies that the school has a large network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you choose furnishes both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Wisconsin or the state where you will be practicing. 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 program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are evaluating have partnerships with Delafield WI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to receive hands on training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Delafield medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are looking at 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 speak with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Delafield WI home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry 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 program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department and find out what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy program you ultimately pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Delafield WI area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option 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 might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Delafield Wisconsin?

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

Delafield, Wisconsin

Delafield was the hometown of the Cushing brothers, who served the Union cause during the American Civil War - Alonzo (killed during Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg), William (led the raid on CSS Albemarle), and Howard (an Indian fighter killed fighting the Apache in Arizona after the war). Cushing Memorial Park is named after them, and is home to a war memorial in their honor. It was established in 1837, and was named after Dr. Charles Delafield of Milwaukee.[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.06 square miles (28.65 km2), of which, 9.41 square miles (24.37 km2) is land and 1.65 square miles (4.27 km2) is water.[6]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 7,085 people, 2,776 households, and 1,858 families residing in the city. The population density was 752.9 inhabitants per square mile (290.7/km2). There were 2,974 housing units at an average density of 316.0 per square mile (122.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.4% White, 0.8% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.2% of the population.

Choose the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Delafield WI

Choosing the right physical therapy program is an important first decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your final decision. You may want to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me achieve 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 options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Delafield WI.