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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist College near Frisco 80443

Frisco CO physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Frisco CO is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to research the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Frisco CO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Frisco CO hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Frisco CO medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage 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 entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Frisco CO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Frisco CO area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by community colleges, and require 2 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 developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing also.

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 attainable in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Frisco CO While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Frisco CO residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding several of your initial questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Frisco CO area and across Colorado, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you enroll in the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate 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 therapy program and school you choose are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’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 several ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Contact several Frisco CO physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college options. It might also be prudent to contact the Colorado Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Frisco CO area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you select provides both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing requirements for Colorado or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have partnerships with Frisco CO hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional connections in the Frisco medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Frisco CO home. Those who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT schools provide some type of financial support to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance office and find out what type of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate 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 need to verify that the physical therapy school you ultimately select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Frisco CO area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Frisco Colorado?

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

Frisco, Colorado

The Town of Frisco is a Home Rule Municipality in Summit County, Colorado, United States. The population was 2,683 at the 2010 census. It is a popular town among skiers from around the world. Four major ski resorts are located in close proximity to Frisco: Copper Mountain, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Arapahoe Basin.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2), of which, 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (5.17%) is water.

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 2,443 people, 1,053 households, and 527 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,479.9 people per square mile (571.7/km²). There were 2,727 housing units at an average density of 1,652.0 per square mile (638.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.36% White, 0.08% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.61% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.48% of the population.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy School near Frisco CO

Picking the right physical therapist college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. However there are additional important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Frisco CO.