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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Degree Program near Sharon 53585

Sharon WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Sharon WI is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are considering to ensure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Sharon WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Sharon 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 touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen 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:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Sharon WI health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of 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 stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Sharon WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Sharon WI area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. 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 education to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal component in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some 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 Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Sharon WI Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the program can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Sharon WI residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat less than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Sharon WI area and across Wisconsin, you’ll need to look into additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to be sure that you select the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online program, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of 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 check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact some Sharon WI physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college selections. It might also be prudent 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 Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Sharon WI area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you enroll in furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Wisconsin or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are assessing have associations with Sharon WI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Sharon health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapist school they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Sharon WI home. Students who have decided 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 normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department and find out what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Sharon 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 have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Sharon Wisconsin?

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

Sharon, Wisconsin

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,605 people, 594 households, and 406 families residing in the village. The population density was 966.9 inhabitants per square mile (373.3/km2). There were 714 housing units at an average density of 430.1 per square mile (166.1/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 86.7% White, 0.2% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 10.5% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.5% of the population.

There were 594 households of which 38.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.6% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.24.

The median age in the village was 35.3 years. 28.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.7% were from 25 to 44; 27.1% were from 45 to 64; and 8.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 50.8% male and 49.2% female.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Sharon WI

Picking the ideal physical therapy school is an important first decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you to your final decision. You might want to visit different colleges to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Sharon WI.