College of St. Scholastica offers online courses for experienced physical therapists

A new online degree program for physical therapists at the College of St. Scholastica will allow these professionals to further themselves within the industry. The school's new curriculum offers Web-based courses in subjects such as diagnostic screening, pharmacology, health policy and patient screening.

Since the College of St. Scholastica started these online classes, it has seen a tremendous success rate as well as a demand for workers within the industry. Denise Wise, chair of the school's physical therapy department says "all of our recent graduates have found jobs, and every week, I receive at least four new job postings."

According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, career opportunities for physical therapists will increase by 30 percent over the next eight years. Jobs will skyrocket due in part to the number of baby boomers who are expected to be rehabilitating from heart attacks, strokes or injuries, as this generation is getting older and people are living longer. The National Institute on Aging estimates that from 2006 until 2030 the number of Americans over the age of 65 will nearly double from 37 million to almost 72 million.

Through these online courses, physical therapists can gain marketable skills without walking away from their current jobs.

By Stephanie Hughes