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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy Training Program near Stanley 54768

Stanley WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Stanley WI is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients 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 need to acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research those you are considering to ensure they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you should not do is select a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered in addition to 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 the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Stanley WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, such as Stanley 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 patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Though 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.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Stanley WI health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Stanley WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Stanley WI area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible 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 commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program must also 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 commitment seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal component along with the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in some 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 licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Stanley WI While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs offered, 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 necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Stanley WI home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding some of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Stanley WI area and throughout Wisconsin, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college options. Moreover, you want to make certain that you select the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national 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 choose an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can look into a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call a few Stanley WI physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your school 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 submitted against the colleges.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Stanley WI area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements 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) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are interested in have relationships with Stanley WI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Stanley medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their Stanley WI home. Those who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT schools offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department and see what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Stanley WI area, verify that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask 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 Stanley Wisconsin?

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

Stanley, Wisconsin

Stanley is a city in Chippewa and Clark counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 3,608 at the 2010 census. Of this, 3,602 were in Chippewa County, and 6 in Clark County.[citation needed]

Stanley was settled and platted in 1881 when the Wisconsin Central Railway built its line through the area. The town is named for L.C. Stanley, a merchant and railroad man from Chippewa Falls who was involved in that first plat.[6] The main early businesses were a small steam sawmill and some charcoal kilns built by the York Iron Company in 1887.[7]

In 1891 the Northwestern Lumber Company from Eau Claire started a big lumber mill at Stanley and spawned the Stanley, Merrill and Phillips Railway to haul logs out of the country to the north and south where it held timber lands. (The railway never reached Merrill or Phillips; its furthest reach was Walrath, to the north of Jump River.) The mill in Stanley sawed wood until 1920, when Northwestern's timber holdings in the area were largely exhausted. Over that period, the mill is estimated to have sawed 850 million board feet of lumber.[8]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Stanley WI

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy college is an important initial decision you have to make to begin a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that numerous factors will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to each of the schools to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Stanley WI.