Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - White Lake WI

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Program near White Lake 54491

White Lake WI physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near White Lake WI is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also be licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are considering to make sure they will provide a superior education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

White Lake WI physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as White Lake WI hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes 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 mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other White Lake WI medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

White Lake WI physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees offered for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on 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 White Lake 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. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community or junior colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in several 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 available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Colleges

woman attending physical therapy school online in White Lake WI Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined 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 part of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s White Lake WI residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the White Lake WI area and throughout Wisconsin, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you enroll in the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier mentioned, 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 may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact a few White Lake WI physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any insight about your college options. It might also be a good idea to contact the Wisconsin Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might mean that students dropped out 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 assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the White Lake WI area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even excellent. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you enroll in furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Wisconsin or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are evaluating have partnerships with White Lake WI clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the White Lake health care community and help with job placement after licensing.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their White Lake WI residence. Students who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and see what kind of assistance is obtainable. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist college you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the White Lake WI area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near White Lake Wisconsin?

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

White Lake, Wisconsin

The name "White" was given to the lake by the Indians who hunted and fished in the area many years ago. It was so named because of the white sand and marl in the lake bottom. In 1876, pioneer Isaac Farrow attempted to drain White Lake and make a hay meadow out of the level bottom. He failed in this venture because he didn't realize the depth of the lake and the fact that it was fed by springs.[7]

The White Lake area lies south and west of a former terminus of the Wisconsin and Northern Railroad, Van Ostrand. Service began running between Shawano and Van Ostrand in late 1907. Settlement in the area began to show preference to the White Lake area over Van Ostrand, a process that was accelerated by the construction of a new lumber mill completed at the end of 1916. The Wisconsin Northern moved its depot from Van Ostrand to White Lake at approximately that time.[8] Van Ostrand was ultimately abandoned, while White Lake was incorporated as a village in 1926.[9]

White Lake is located at 45°9′24″N 88°45′56″W / 45.15667°N 88.76556°W / 45.15667; -88.76556 (45.156596, -88.765597),[10] in the eastern part of Langlade County about four miles west of the Wolf River and Wisconsin Highway 55. It is surrounded by the Town of Wolf River.

Select the Best Physical Therapy College near White Lake WI

Picking the ideal physical therapist school is an important initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You might want to visit different campuses to see their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in White Lake WI.