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

How to Choose a Physical Therapy School near Stratford 54484

Stratford WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Stratford WI is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the proper training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are thinking about to make sure they will supply a superior education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we talk about 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?

Stratford WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Stratford WI hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Stratford WI health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

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

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four 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 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 3 years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Stratford WI Although not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Stratford WI home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Stratford WI area and throughout Wisconsin, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you enroll in the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 enroll in an online school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact a few Stratford WI physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your program options. 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 Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once 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 Stratford WI area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the school 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 school you select provides both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria 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) 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 number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have partnerships with Stratford WI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to obtain practical training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Stratford medical community and help with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Stratford WI home. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even 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 generally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT schools offer some type of financial aid to their prospective students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance office and see what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy school you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Stratford WI area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Stratford Wisconsin?

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

Stratford, Wisconsin

Stratford is located at 44°48′7″N 90°4′26″W / 44.80194°N 90.07389°W / 44.80194; -90.07389 (44.801971, -90.073829).[8] According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 5.35 square miles (13.86 km2), of which, 5.31 square miles (13.75 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) is water.[1]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 1,578 people, 666 households, and 433 families residing in the village. The population density was 297.2 inhabitants per square mile (114.7/km2). There were 713 housing units at an average density of 134.3 per square mile (51.9/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 98.5% White, 0.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

There were 666 households of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.0% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.97.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy School near Stratford WI

Choosing the right physical therapy college is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your final decision. You might decide to go to different colleges to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize 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 options so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Stratford WI.