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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Merton 53056

Merton WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Merton WI is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate education and training. 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 those you are thinking about to ensure they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered along with location and cost. 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 what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Merton WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Merton WI private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Merton WI medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Merton WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for students to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing 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 available in the Merton WI area:

Associate Degrees train students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take 4 years to complete and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an intregal element in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. A number of licensed physical therapists having 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 Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Merton WI While not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Merton WI home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. 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 motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding some of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Merton WI area and across Wisconsin, you’ll need to research additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you need to make certain that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional 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 enroll in an online school, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning 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 agencies for their reviews as well. Call some Merton WI physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice 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 College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Merton WI area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose furnishes both exceptional 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 required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have relationships with Merton WI hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to receive practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates form professional relationships in the Merton health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their Merton WI residence. Those who have opted 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. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some form of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance department and see what kind of help is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy program you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Merton 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, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Merton Wisconsin?

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

Merton, Wisconsin

Merton is at 43°8'28" North, 88°18'34" West (43.141308, -88.309613)[6] in the Lake Country area of Waukesha County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.07 square miles (7.95 km2), of which 3.00 square miles (7.77 km2) is land and 0.07 square miles (0.18 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 3,346 people, 1,020 households, and 934 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,115.3 inhabitants per square mile (430.6/km2). There were 1,054 housing units at an average density of 351.3 per square mile (135.6/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 95.5% White, 0.7% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.

There were 1,020 households of which 55.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 83.1% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 8.4% were non-families. 6.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 1.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.28 and the average family size was 3.44.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist College near Merton WI

Deciding on the best physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you have to make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are other important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your final decision. You might decide to visit different schools to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize 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 proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Merton WI.