Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - New Holstein WI

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist School near New Holstein 53061

New Holstein WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapy degree near New Holstein WI is an important first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to 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 important qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover 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’s Job Description?

New Holstein WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as New Holstein WI hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other New Holstein WI health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

New Holstein WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degrees that are available in the New Holstein WI area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. 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 therapist training to ready candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order 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 commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some 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 attainable in the United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in New Holstein WI Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure 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 segment of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s New Holstein WI home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapist degree you want 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 colleges within the New Holstein WI area and throughout Wisconsin, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. 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 choose an online school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact some New Holstein WI physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your program selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Wisconsin Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the New Holstein WI area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you select furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Wisconsin or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are assessing have partnerships with New Holstein WI hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the New Holstein healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their New Holstein WI home. Students who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might need 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 don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office and find out what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the New Holstein WI area, make sure 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 have to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near New Holstein Wisconsin?

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

New Holstein, Wisconsin

New Holstein is named after the Schleswig-Holstein region in Germany from which many early settlers emigrated. In 1848, 70 people from Hamburg, Germany emigrated to the New Holstein area,[6] forming the basis of what would become the present city. Many settlers were intellectuals who feared an impending war as a result of competing claims to the territory.[7] Settlers originally named the community Altona after Altona, Hamburg, Germany.[8] As the amount of mail received in Altona increased, the United States Post Office wanted Altona to be renamed because the community's name was too close to Altoona in western Wisconsin.[8]

The first settlers in the city were Charles Greening and two of his companions.[10] Dr. Charles Bock arrived shortly afterwards. The first postmaster was Monsignor Puchner, a Roman Catholic priest. In 1849 the town was organized, with the first chairman being Greening,[10] who was named county judge in 1855. Settlers continued arriving from Germany throughout the mid-nineteenth century. A drama troupe was organized in 1851.[10]

Railroad service was planned at meetings in 1871. A depot was built and the railroad arrived in 1872.[11] The railroad named the station "New Holstein" after the town.[8] Mail then came to the community on trains instead of via the Pony Express. The first post office was built shortly after rail service started.[8]

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapy College near New Holstein WI

Choosing the right physical therapist school is an important initial decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that many variables will lead you toward your final decision. You may want to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in New Holstein WI.