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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Evergreen 80437

Evergreen CO physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Evergreen CO is an important first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate the ones you are looking at to ensure they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Evergreen CO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Evergreen CO hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Evergreen CO health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Evergreen CO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degrees that are available in the Evergreen CO area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is normally part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an essential component in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently 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 replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Evergreen CO Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Evergreen CO residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition may be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you want to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Evergreen CO area and across Colorado, you’ll need to research other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you enroll in 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 therapy colleges you are considering. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact some Evergreen CO physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your school options. It might also be prudent to check with the Colorado Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest 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 placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Evergreen CO area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you enroll in provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Colorado or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have associations with Evergreen CO clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional relationships in the Evergreen medical community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they choose will have to be within commuting distance of their Evergreen CO residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some type of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of help is available. They at least should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Evergreen CO area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Evergreen Colorado?

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

Evergreen, Colorado

Evergreen is a census-designated place (CDP) and a U.S. Post Office in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Evergreen is roughly 29 miles (47 km) west from Denver. The population was 9,038 at the 2010 census.[3][4]

Since Evergreen is an unincorporated area, services usually provided by a city's government are provided by multiple agencies. The county maintains the roads (less State Highway 74), oversees planning and zoning, provides primary and secondary education through its school district and provides law enforcement through its sheriff's office. Evergreen Fire/Rescue provides fire protection and emergency medical response service. Water and sewer services operate under the administration of the Evergreen Metropolitan District.

Evergreen sits at an elevation of 7,220 feet (2,200 m) in the Rocky Mountains, 19 miles west of Denver, Colorado. Evergreen is located at 39°38′20″N 105°20′11″W / 39.63889°N 105.33639°W / 39.63889; -105.33639 (39.638905, -105.336318).[7]

Pick the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Evergreen CO

Deciding on the best physical therapist school is a necessary first decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that many variables will guide you toward your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit each of the schools to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me realize 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 options so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Evergreen CO.