Can You Afford to go to Physical Therapy School?

I came across a journal article titled, “The False Wisdom of Tuition Based Ranking of Allied Health Programs: Is Your Program Affordable?” through a tweet by the Department of Physical Therapy at University of the Pacific on Twitter (@PacificDPTweet).

While this article focuses on the costs of physical therapy programs, it raises some good points if you are thinking about going back to school for any discipline. I wish I would’ve read this article a couple of years ago while I was researching physical therapy programs. I’m now in the middle of my first year of a DPT program, so I thought I would share the article with you in case you are considering physical therapy school or some other grad program and don’t know what to expect.

Schools are often ranked by tuition, but as the article above points out: “Regional differences in the cost of living and the total length of the program made a significant difference in the total cost of attending the program.” I attend school in Duluth, Minnesota, a small city on beautiful Lake Superior, where 56% of renters pay more than 30% of their household income on rent according to a recent article in the Duluth News Tribune. Finding acceptable housing has proven to be a challenge for me and several of my “transfer” DPT classmates. I am a 30-something returning student with pets, so cramming myself into traditional college student housing with a bunch of 21-year-old’s is not an option for me. I am certainly paying for it.

Another bit to consider, according to the article, is “the lost opportunity to earn wages.” Some graduate programs are flexible and allow, or even provide, opportunities for grad students to work and get paid. Some graduate programs, like physical therapy school, require students to work (clinical internships) and not get paid. The DPT program is very time consuming outside of regular class time with cadaver lab; exam, evaluation, and modalities open lab practice time, and clinical experiences. While it is possible, finding a flexible part-time job that does not interfere with studying can be difficult in PT school.

The article above is from 2006 so it also considered length of program. All PT programs are now Doctor of Physical Therapy programs and most likely 36 months in duration. Some programs were offering at “3 + 3″ option which allowed undergraduate students to apply to physical therapy school their Junior year of college and enter physical therapy school their Senior year of college. This would allow the students to be considered undergraduates for one year of the PT program and pay less tuition. I believe most programs have eliminated the 3 + 3 option with the new Doctor of Physical Therapy program requirement.

Of course it is also important to consider the program ranking.

I’m not trying to discourage anyone from going back to school. I just want to help paint the realistic picture I wish I had had going into physical therapy school. I hope it’s worth it.

More about going back to school if you’re interested:

What to Wear to a Physical Therapy School Interview
Physical Therapy School Interview Questions
DPT Post Interview Thank You?

PINK by Victoria’s Secret and Wisconsin Sport Team Merchandise – Packers, Badgers, Brewers

Dear Victoria’s Secret,
When are you going to stop discriminating against Wisconsin’s sports teams in your Pink NFL Collection and Pink Collegiate Collection and Pink MLB Collection? How good do the Green Bay Packers, University of Wisconsin Badgers, and Milwaukee Brewers have to be before you will offer a variety of merchandise for Wisconsin sports teams*?

For example, let’s start with the Super Bowl champion, regular season 15-1 Green Bay Packers. On your Field Lineup of Facebook “Likes”, the Packers have 984 Likes – the highest of all 32 teams. The nearest teams after the Packers are the Dallas Cowboys with 940 and Pittsburgh Steelers with 914. What Pink Green Bay Packers merchandise is available for the most liked team with the best record in the NFL? One pair of $50 sweatpants. Not even the jersey worn by the Packers model is available. No thanks.

Now, let’s look at the miserable 3-13 Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings got 148 Facebook Likes. FBD. Yet, what Pink Minnesota Vikings merchandise is available for this terrible and unloved football team? Three whole pages of Pink Vikings items. Lame.

Wisconsin sports teams are loved nation-, and world-, wide. Time to start offering cute Packers, Badgers, and Brewers clothing, Victoria’s Secret.

Sincerely,
Rencsi

* For anyone who cares about Wisconsin sports, I am not leaving out the Milwaukee Bucks – Victoria’s Secret does not have a Pink NBA collection.

New Zumba Trend – Dedicated Zumba Studios

What’s new with Zumba for 2012? Small businesses dedicated to Zumba Fitness classes are popping up in American cities of all sizes all over the United States!

The Zumba studio in my city is holding its first-ever master class on Friday night to celebrate their grand opening: Zstudio – Duluth, Minnesota, USA

Other studios dedicated to Zumba Fitness classes have opened in Stillwater, Minnesota and Mason City, Iowa.

Do you own or go to a dedicated Zumba studio in your area? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment and share a link to your Zumba studio!

Christmas Gifts for Zumba Lovers

Do you have a Zumba lover in your life? Want to give them a Christmas gift they’re going to love? Here are some Christmas gift ideas from a Zumba lover for Zumba lovers:

Zumba Wear
Some people wear their everyday gym clothes to Zumba, but Zumba wear is different than gym clothes. It’s a cross between street wear and dance wear. Zumba wear is available from the Zumba online shop and will cost you anywhere from $14.95 for a pair of Zumba flip flops to $94.95 for a pair of Zumba athletic dance shoes. A safe bet for any Zumba lover is a top to wear to class. A Zumba wear top will cost you anywhere form $14.95 to $39.95 + shipping. Shop now if you want it to arrive by Christmas!

Zumba DVDs
The gift that keeps on giving – a Zumba class right in your very own home! There are two authetic Zumba DVD sets available: the Total Body Transformation System (as seen on TV) or the Zumba Exhilarate DVD Experience. There is even a set of Zumba DVD’s for children called Zumbatomic. The DVD sets are expensive ($89.95 for Exhilarate on Zumba.com, $49.95 for TBTS on Amazon.com), but contain five DVDs including a live workout and choreography to tone the arms, abs, buns, and thighs. Shop for DVDs on Zumba.com or Amazon.com.

Zumba Video Game
I was lucky enough to participate in the Best Buy release of the original Zumba Fitness video game for Kinect on the XBox 360 at the Mall of America, in Bloomington, Minnesota last year and let me tell you, it is amazing! The Zumba Fitness video game is available for Wii and Playstation and WILL give you a workout. This year, the Zumba Fitness 2 video game is also available for Wii. Shop for DVDs on Zumba.com or Amazon.com.

Here are some other ideas for Zumba lovers:

• Dance lessons – Maybe they’re ready to start salsa dancing???
• Exercise clothes – Bright, neon colors are popular in Zumba classes. Popular exercise clothing brands in my classes: lululemon athletica, lucy, C9 from Champion available at Target, Victoria’s Secret PINK (yes, Victoria’s Secret), Old Navy
• Hip Scarf – Belly dance and Bollywood songs in Zumba have inspired some Zumba lovers to wear colorful hip scarves during class.

Zumba lovers, do you have any other suggestions?

Zumba at Prince’s Paisley Park Studios – January 2012

Minnesota has the BEST Zumba parties!

Join the 90-minute Zumba Master Class with Columbia-native Wally Diaz at Minnesota-native Prince’s Paisley Park Studios!

DRESS CODE: PURPLE

Master Class: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Cost: $30 + $1.50 (transaction fee) + canned good item
(This master class is for everyone. You don’t have to be an instructor to attend!)

Master Class Address:
7801 Audubon Road
Chanhassen, MN 55317

More information at www.zumbainminnesota.com

Fun Minnesota RPE Scale – Does your region have one?

I am part of a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program in Minnesota. Recently, an instructor shared a fun version of the Rated Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale, a way to subjectively measure the intensity of exercise, to celebrate our Scandinavian heritage and “Minnesota nice.”

After a quick Internet search (when I should’ve been studying for an exam) I couldn’t find any other regional RPE scales. Does your region have one? Or just for fun, what would be the descriptions based on your region’s heritage and culture?

Minnesota RPE Scale
6
7 Piece of cake
8
9 Not too bad
10
11 Hardly working at all
12
13 Can’t complain
14
15 It could be worse
16
17 A guy couldn’t go much harder than this
18
19 Uff da!
20

Why It’s Great to Live in Duluth – Clean Air

I grew up in Northwestern Wisconsin (Go Pack Go!), but I recently moved to Duluth, Minnesota from the Twin Cities metro area.

Other day, while out for a run, I thought to myself, “The air is better here…”

Better than the air on the busy streets of the Twin Cities? Definitely. Better than air in the beautiful countryside of rural Wisconsin? I hesitantly decided yes.

There is something refreshing about the air in Duluth. It feels good to breathe in Duluth. The air is fresh – I feel like I’m the first one to breathe this air as it rolls up the hills from Lake Superior.

I found an article to back up my own personal feeling of fresh air in Duluth: 10 U.S. Cities With the Cleanest Air on Health.com.

Small size, remote location, and cold weather conspire to make Duluth one of only seven cities in the U.S. to make it on the list for both lowest year-round particle pollution and ozone levels.

Other cities that make the list according to the American Lung Association’s 2011 annual State of the Air report? Cheyenne, WY; Santa Fe, NM; Bismarck, ND; Great Falls, MT; Honolulu, HI; Anchorage, AK; Amarillo, TX; Redding, CA; Duluth, MN; and Fargo, ND. They all sound like great places to me.

Why It’s Great to Live in Duluth – Introduction

I recently moved to Duluth, Minnesota to enroll in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at the College of St. Scholastica (CSS).

The CSS DPT program starts in June for first-year students and I think I know why: Despite being warned about the harsh winter months in the treacherous hills of Duluth, I have had the pleasure of discovering for myself that summer months in Duluth are absolutely beautiful.

And I mean BEAUTIFUL!

So to help myself through the long winter on Lake Superior, I am starting this series of blog posts to list reasons why it’s great to live in Duluth, Minnesota.

Minnesota Zumba Party Hearty – Sunday, May 22, 2011

Another Zumba Party Hearty is coming to Minnesota. Join your favorite instructors this Sunday, May 22, 2011 at Oak Grove Middle School in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Registration starts at 11:15am and the Zumbathon starts at 12:00pm. The cost is $10 for over 90 minutes of Zumba with 13 Zumba instructors from across the Twin Cities. 75% of the proceeds go to benefit the American Heart Association. Zumba has raised over $655,000 for the American Heart Association’s Go Red Por Tu Corazon Movement so far through Zumba events.

Photographer James Flint from Flint Images in Lakeville, MN will taking professional photos at the event. Zumbawear will be for sale at the event. There will also be door prizes including massages, t-shirts, and Minnesota Twins baseball tickets.

Oak Grove Middle School
1300 W 106th Street
Bloomington, MN 55431

For more information, visit the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=179042402148224

Upcoming Zumba® Events in Minnesota – April 2011

Zumbathon Fundraiser for Japan Disaster Victims (Farmington, MN)

All proceeds go to the American Red Cross for the Japan catastrophe victims. Bring your water bottle and dress for a workout. Join in the fun. Great Music. Great positive happy energy.

• Sunday, April 3, 2011 · 4:00pm – 5:30pm. Registration starts at 3:30pm
• Grand Hall Studio, 217 Oak St, Farmington, MN
• Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=205068429521088&index=1

Zumba Night-Life Class & Open House at Studio Cates! (Stillwater, MN)

Celebrate Studio Cates 1-year anniversary with instructor Sara Ross’ version of Zumba in the Club! Wear your fun Zumba/workout gear – anything goes! Shake it to awesome lights & music! Enjoy GUEST ZUMBA INSTRUCTOR…..LUPE BELMONTES!! Cost $10.

• Sunday, April 3, 2011 · 4:30pm – 5:30pm
• Studio Cates, 118.5 E. Chestnut Street, Stillwater, MN
• Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=155233931202165&index=1

Zumbathon Fundraiser for Japan Disaster Victims (St. Louis Park, MN)

More information coming soon! Hosted by Naseema Shidi.

• Friday, April 8, 2011 · 6:00pm – 7:30pm
• St. Louis Park, MN
• More information coming soon!

Zumba with a Purpose! (Andover, MN)

Very fun event – well worth the drive to Andover! All proceeds go to the Anoka County Sexual Assault Action Team to support their work in preventing sexual violence and improving access to services for victims. COST: Minimum suggested donation is $10 at the door. Free parking!

• Saturday, April 9, 2011 · 1:00pm – 3:00pm
• Andover Community Center Gym, 15200 Hanson BLVD, Andover, MN
• Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=158784817507223

One Hour Zumba Party with Ritzy (Shoreview, MN)

Fun, one-time Zumba event with instructor Ritzy Anderson! Bring a friend, water, and a towel. Children over age of 10 also welcome. Cost: $5.

• Saturday, April 9, 2011 · 2:00pm – 3:30pm
• Northwest Youth and Family Gym, 3940 Lexington Ave, Shoreview, MN
• Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=196641817024024&index=1

Interactive Zumba Fitness XBox Demo at the MOA Best Buy Rotunda (Bloomington, MN)

Come and play the XBox Zumba Fitness video game with your favorite ZIN Zumba instructors. Free!

• Saturday, April 9, 2011 · 1:00pm – 5:00pm
• Best Buy Rotunda, Mall of America, Bloomington, MN

Zumba in the Rotunda with Kristi Gess at the MOA Best Buy Rotunda (Bloomington, MN)

Hosted by lululemon athletica. lululemon ambassador, Kristi Gess will be leading this free Zumba class at the Mall of America! Free!

• Sunday, April 10, 2011 · 9:30am – 10:30am
• Best Buy Rotunda, Mall of America, Bloomington, MN
• Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=202592633101732