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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy College near Saukville 53080

Saukville WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Saukville WI is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated due to 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 necessary education and training. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides location and cost. But before we talk about 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?

Saukville WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, including Saukville 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 previously touched on, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to deal with 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
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Saukville WI medical specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Saukville WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, 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 short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Saukville WI area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to complete and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a licensed practicing 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 3 years to finish, making the total commitment seven years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component in addition to the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

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 available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Saukville WI While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Saukville WI home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Saukville WI area and throughout Wisconsin, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Also, you want to make sure that you choose the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning 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 organizations for their reviews as well. Call a few Saukville WI physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school options. It may also be a good idea to check with 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 Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy schools 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, how many of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Saukville WI area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have associations with Saukville WI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Saukville health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Saukville WI home. Individuals 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. Something to keep in mind 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 generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance office and see what kind of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy program you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Saukville WI area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Saukville Wisconsin?

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

Saukville, Wisconsin

Saukville is a village in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 4,451 at the 2010 census. Most of the village perimeter is bordered by the Town of Saukville to the north and west, the Town of Port Washington to the east and southeast and by the Town of Grafton to the south and southwest.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.85 square miles (9.97 km2), of which, 3.80 square miles (9.84 km2) of it is land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km2) is water.[1]

Saukville was established on April 4, 1848 along the Milwaukee River. Previously, it was part of the old Port Washington area. Settlers began living in the area as early as 1845 and 1846. Before the white settlers came to the Saukville, the area was inhabited by the Native Americans, including the Sauk tribe.[7]

Pick the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Saukville WI

Choosing the best physical therapist school is an important first decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Saukville WI.