Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Byers CO

How to Choose a Physical Therapy School near Byers 80103

Byers CO physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Byers CO is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated besides 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 the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Byers CO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Byers CO hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Byers CO health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Byers CO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the only degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Byers CO area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually made available by community or junior colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in a number of 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 available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Byers CO Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Byers CO residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you probably have come to decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Byers CO area and throughout Colorado, you’ll have to look into other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you select the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online school, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call some Byers CO physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to check with the Colorado Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Byers CO area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Colorado 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 vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have associations with Byers CO clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Byers medical community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that prefers to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Byers CO residence. Students who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose 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 typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT schools supply some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have a financial aid office and find out what kind of help is offered. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy college you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Byers CO area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Byers Colorado?

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

Byers, Colorado

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 1,233 people, 436 households, and 327 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 288.3 people per square mile (111.2/km²). There were 460 housing units at an average density of 107.6 per square mile (41.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.94% White, 0.97% Native American, 1.30% from other races, and 1.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.89% of the population.

There were 436 households out of which 41.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 18.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the CDP, the population was spread out with 31.6% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.6 males.

Select the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Byers CO

Picking the ideal physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you must make to begin a gratifying career in the medical profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might decide to go to different campuses to view their facilities and talk with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Byers CO.