Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Johnson Creek WI

How to Choose a Physical Therapist School near Johnson Creek 53038

Johnson Creek WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Johnson Creek WI is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the proper 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 enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are looking at to make certain they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Johnson Creek WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, including Johnson Creek WI hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Johnson Creek WI health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Johnson Creek WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Johnson Creek WI area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may 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 made available by community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a licensed practicing 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. Therefor the completion 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 phased out and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Johnson Creek WI While not as common as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Johnson Creek WI home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages may make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision concerning a few of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Johnson Creek WI area and throughout Wisconsin, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to make certain that you select the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier 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 select an online program, 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, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Johnson Creek WI physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college options. It may also be a good idea to check with the Wisconsin Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Johnson Creek WI area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Wisconsin 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 therapist college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy colleges you are evaluating have partnerships with Johnson Creek WI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to get hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Johnson Creek health care community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within commuting distance of their Johnson Creek WI home. Individuals who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing 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 may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and see what kind of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating 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 verify that the physical therapy college you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Johnson Creek WI area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Johnson Creek Wisconsin?

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

Johnson Creek, Wisconsin

Johnson Creek is a village in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,738 at the 2010 census.[6] The village is approximately halfway between Milwaukee and Madison, at the intersection of Wisconsin Highway 26 and Interstate 94.

The first two settlers were Charles Goodhue and Timothy Johnson, the latter of whom also founded nearby Watertown.[7] While sometimes called Belleville, this caused it to be confused with another Belleville, Wisconsin, and the post office has always been named Johnson Creek. The village took its name from its location on Johnson Creek.[8]

Johnson Creek was founded where the Union Pacific railroad crosses Johnson Creek just above where the stream empties into the Rock River. The Union Pacific spur currently runs from Fort Atkinson to Clyman Junction.[9] The economy is now more dependent on Interstate 94. A large outlet mall shopping complex was built in 1998 to capitalize on this traffic. The once famous hotel and supper club, The Gobbler, was in Johnson Creek.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Johnson Creek WI

Picking the best physical therapy program is an important first decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many factors will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to visit different colleges to see their facilities and speak to 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 selection. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Johnson Creek WI.