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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist College near Hartford 53027

Hartford WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Hartford WI is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, 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 important to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make certain they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is choose a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides 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 what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Hartford WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Hartford WI hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Hartford WI health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Hartford WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Hartford WI area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 three years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely 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 eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hartford WI Although not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Hartford WI home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Hartford WI area and throughout Wisconsin, you’ll need to research other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college options. Also, you want to make certain that you enroll in the school that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact a few Hartford WI physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school options. It may also be prudent to contact the Wisconsin Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Hartford WI area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care field is good or even excellent. It also confirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you choose provides both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Wisconsin 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. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have relationships with Hartford WI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Hartford healthcare community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Hartford WI residence. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally 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 Help Provided? Most DPT schools supply some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what type of help is available. They at least should help in obtaining 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 you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Hartford WI area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hartford Wisconsin?

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

Hartford, Wisconsin

Hartford is a city in Washington and Dodge counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 14,223. All of this population resided in the Washington County portion of the city. The portion of the city in Dodge County consists of only industrial/commercial parcels.

John Thiel and Nicolas Simon first surveyed the area that would become Hartford in 1843. James and Charles Rossman accompanied Nicolas Simon back to Hartford in 1844, and soon bought 40 acres around the rapids of the Rubicon River.[6] After constructing a dam across rapids in the river, the Rossmans built a sawmill that harnessed the power of the water to make lumber for the growth of the area. Rails were laid in 1855 that linked Chicago, Milwaukee, La Crosse and Minneapolis until the early 1900s.[7] The town was named after Hartford, Connecticut.

The settlers of Hartford brought with them many of their Yankee New England values such as a passion for education by establishing many schools, as well as staunchly supporting abolitionism. They were mostly members of the Congregationalist Church though some were Episcopalian. Due to the second Great Awakening some of them had converted to Methodism and some had become Baptists before moving to Hartford. Hartford, like much of Wisconsin, was aligned with early New England culture for most of its early history.[8] The first church in Hartford was the First Congregational Church, constructed by Yankee New England migrants. The Church was built in 1847.[9][10] German and Irish immigrants began arriving after 1842, though initially in small numbers. In the late 1870s the number of German immigrants increased. [11][12]

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist Degree Program near Hartford WI

Deciding on the best physical therapy program is an important initial decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many factors will lead you toward your final decision. You may decide to go to different campuses to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Hartford WI.