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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Hartland 53029

Hartland WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Hartland WI is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are considering to make certain they will provide a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated besides 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Hartland WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, such as Hartland WI 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 mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Hartland WI health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

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

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or can 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 usually provided by 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 course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and commonly 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 finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential element in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several 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 attainable in the USA. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hartland WI Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure 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 a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Hartland WI home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning some of your initial questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Hartland WI area and across Wisconsin, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you choose the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 enroll in an online program, it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call several Hartland WI physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your college selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Wisconsin Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Hartland WI area? If a school 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 confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select provides both excellent training and a course of study 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have relationships with Hartland WI hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to obtain hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Hartland healthcare community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Hartland WI residence. Students who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble 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 school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often 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 Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department 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 therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Hartland WI area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hartland Wisconsin?

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

Hartland, Wisconsin

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 5.17 square miles (13.39 km2), of which, 5.12 square miles (13.26 km2) of it is land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 9,110 people, 3,566 households, and 2,440 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,779.3 inhabitants per square mile (687.0/km2). There were 3,746 housing units at an average density of 731.6 per square mile (282.5/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 95.1% White, 0.8% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.9% of the population.

There were 3,566 households of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.6% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.12.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Hartland WI

Picking the best physical therapist college is an important first decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous variables will lead you to your final decision. You might want to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak with active 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 right selection. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Hartland WI.