Prospective students will be glad to hear that there are a fair number of physical therapy programs in Kansas that you can choose from in order to complete your qualification and achieve your career goals. Some schools are better than others, and some schools are more expensive than others, but it is important to remember that, just because a school is more expensive, it doesn’t mean that it is better. This is a decision that must be made very carefully and after a lot of consideration as it will affect your career moving forward.
How To Become A Physical Therapist In Kansas
The steps to becoming a physical therapist in Kansas are quite similar to the steps you would follow in any other state, with a few small differences. Education and training opportunities are limited in this state, but there are still options to choose from.
Education And Training
There are two main educational routes you can take to become a physical therapist n Kansas:
- You can attend a four-year college that offers a PTA program
- You can attend a less expensive—often more flexible program at a community college that is usually finished in about two years
Before you can be admitted to one of the physical therapy programs in Kansas you must have certain educational prerequisites, including:
- Algebra
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Psychology
- Ethics
Some of the topics that you may cover in your actual physical therapy training include:
- Neuromuscular rehabilitation
- Pathophysiology
- Clinical skills
When applying for a program remember that some of the better schools only accept very few students each year, sometimes as little as 20, so apply early and do what you can to make your application stand out. Your training will include a mixture of practical and theoretical training. You will be required to complete written and practical exams, namely the National Physical Therapy Examination for the Physical Therapist Assistant. The website (https://pt.fsbpt.net/) provides useful preparation tips for the examination.
Certification
In order to become certified you need to download and complete the certification application form. Websites where this form can be found include http://www.ksbha.org/licensing/09_10_09_pt_pta_app_fillable.pdf) and (http://www.ksbha.org/licensing/09_10_09_pt_pta_app_nonfill.pdf) once you have completed the form you will need to mail it to the Kansas board of physical therapy. In addition to the application form you will also need to send a fee of $80. This can be sent:
- As a check
- As a completed the credit card authorization form
After this, patience is required. The processing of your application can take around 4 to 8 weeks. This is not long to wait, but it may feel like a long time to an impatient applicant. Unless you left something out on your form or filled something in incorrectly, you should be certified as a physical therapist in the state of Kansas following this application.
Finding A Job
There are a number of factors supporting job growth for the physical therapy industry in Kansas:
- The state has many small, rural towns that are growing and that will continue to require healthcare professionals.
- The state has a large percentage of Kansas residents working in agriculture and other physically arduous work, making the chance of incurring injury very high. This increasing the need for exceptional physical therapists and their assistants even more.
List Of Physical Therapy Programs In Kansas
There are a number of other states that have more programs on offer for physical therapy students, but the programs offered here are of fairly good quality. Graduating from one of the programs mentioned below will prepare you to complete the certification examination as well as to be a successful pharmacy technician in your career moving forward.
University of Kansas Medical Center
Location: Kansas, Kansas City
Degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy, Transition D.P.T., DPT/PhD
Program Homepage: http://www.kumc.edu/SAH/pted/
Founded/Established: 1905
Contact Information:
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Kansas City
KS 66160
Phone: 913-588-5000
Type: 4-year, Public
Institutional Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the Higher Learning Commission
Wichita State University
Location: Kansas, Wichita
Degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy
Program Homepage: http://webs.wichita.edu/?u=chp_pt&p=index
Founded/Established: 1895
Contact Information:
1845 Fairmount Street
Wichita
KS 67260
Phone: 316-978-3456
Type: 4-year, Public
Institutional Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the Higher Learning Commission
University of Saint Mary
Location: Kansas, Leavenworth
Degree: Doctor of Physical Therapy
As there are only 3 schools to choose form it is suggested that you apply at all three schools. This will allow you to keep your options open and it also may speed up the acceptance process. However, as you are likely to be accepted at all three if you are accepted at one, you need to have a good idea of which program is meets your requirements more fully and effectively. This decision should be based on:
- The reputation of the program
- The pass rate on the certification exam of students who graduate from this program
- The distance of the school form your home
- The cost of tuition through each program
- The size of the classes that you will be required to attend
Pay
In the state of Kansas there are about 1690 physical therapy jobs available each year. The hourly rate for physical therapists in this state is about $34.80 and they can earn around $70,380 a year.
- In Hutchinson Plus you can expect to earn in the region of $71,913 a year
- In Overland Park you can expect to earn in the region of $68,316 a year
- In Lawrence you can expect to earn in the region of $63,782 a year
- In Shawnee you can expect to earn in the region of $68,316 a year
- In Leavenworth you can expect to earn in the region of $68,316 a year
- In Topeka you can expect to earn in the region of $79,045 a year
- In Lenexa you can expect to earn in the region of $68,316 a year
- In Wichita you can expect to earn in the region of $71,924 a year
- In Olathe you can expect to earn in the region of $68,316 a year
Some of these cities pay significantly more than others, but overall the salary that physical therapists can earn in this state is very good, making it a good career to pursue in this part of the country. It is important to note that your specific employer may have different ideas regarding how much to pay physical therapists and this could also impact the exact salary that you can earn. In addition different industries in which physical therapists can work also tend to pay different salaries, something that you will need to look into carefully when deciding whether or not the salary is worth the effort and time that you have to put in to become a physical therapist in the first place. Generally speaking the higher your level of education and degree, the more your will be able to earn as a physical therapist, so a higher qualification is worth striving towards in this regard. In some cases, but not all, your gender may affect your salary as a physical therapist, although these differences are less noticeable than they once were.
Career Outlook
According to http://careerplanning.about.com: “Physical therapists (PTs) held about 185,500 jobs in the U.S. in 2008. Some physical therapists held two or more jobs, which makes the number of jobs held higher than the actual number of PTs. Most PTs work in hospitals or in offices of other health practitioners”. What this means for you as a physical therapy students is that there are a number of excellent employment opportunities to look forward to in all of the states, including in Kansas. Through 2018 we can expect to see faster growth in this occupation, which makes it likely that the 1690 physical therapy jobs available each year in Kansas, will increase in number, thereby providing more opportunities for physical therapy students. Attending one of the physical therapy programs in Kansas could be an excellent career move, especially when you consider the promise of job stability as well as the many benefits that come with the career. The good annual salaries are just one thing to consider and it must not be forgotten that physical therapists often work for themselves from the comfort of their own home. Pursuing a career such as this one in Kansas will not be a decision that you will regret.
Prospects for physical therapy students as well as for qualified physical therapists look quite good in the state of Kansas. When choosing form between the several physical therapy programs in Kansas you need to consider two aspects:
- Your personal preferences
- The reputation of the school
Both of these factors are equally important if you are to enjoy your program and complete it successfully without giving up. In addition these two factors will affect your readiness to join the job market once your program is complete.