Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Glen Haven CO

How to Choose a Physical Therapist College near Glen Haven 80532

Glen Haven CO physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Glen Haven CO is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are looking at to make sure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is select a school simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Glen Haven CO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Glen Haven CO private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Glen Haven CO health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather 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

Glen Haven CO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is offered to become 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 short summaries of degrees that are offered in the Glen Haven CO area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically made available by community or junior colleges, and require two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and often incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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 overall investment of time seven years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only 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 phased out and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Glen Haven CO While not as prevalent as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Glen Haven CO home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition can be somewhat lower than similar on campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you most likely have come to decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Glen Haven CO area and throughout Colorado, you’ll have to explore other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college options. Also, you want to make sure that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier stated, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you select an online college, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even 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 choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are several ways you can research a PT college’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call some Glen Haven CO physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your school selections. It may also be a good idea 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 Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Glen Haven CO area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the program has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you choose furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Colorado or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are interested in have relationships with Glen Haven CO clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific means to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Glen Haven health care community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Glen Haven CO home. Students who have chosen 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 keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what kind of aid is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance might be available.

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

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Glen Haven Colorado?

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

Glen Haven, Colorado

Glen Haven is located at 40°27′13″N 105°26′56″W / 40.45361°N 105.44889°W / 40.45361; -105.44889 (40.453740,-105.448837). Situated in Roosevelt National Forest east of Rocky Mountain National Park, Fox Creek and West Creek join the North Fork Big Thompson River near downtown Glen Haven, which then flows through Devil's Gulch, receiving Miller Fork, and joins the Big Thompson River at Drake. Larimer County Road 43, the only road access to Glen Haven, takes a northeasterly route out of Estes Park, turning to the southeast near Glen Haven and then follows the North Fork downstream to Drake, where it terminates at US Highway 34. Many of the roads off County Road 43, called Devil's Gulch Road, are privately owned.[3]

In the early 1890s, the Knapp family from Illinois built a sawmill near Harding Heights, then moved it first to Miller Fork and then to the point now known as Glen Haven in 1897. The Boulder Presbytery, with assistance from the Knapp family, formed an association in 1903 and sold lots for a summer resort called Glen Haven. The association built the Glen Haven General Store in 1921.[4] Under the direction of Ira Knapp, a lodge-style hotel was built called The Homestead, and opened in 1938. The Homestead became known as the Inn at Glen Haven and was mentioned in a Los Angeles Times travel article in 1986.[5] The Trail's End camps of Cheley Colorado Camps are also located near Glen Haven.[6]

Glen Haven's location in a narrow valley puts the area at risk for flooding. The Big Thompson Flood of 1976 moved the town hall several feet off its foundation.[7] In September 2013, approximately 80 percent of Glen Haven's downtown was destroyed in the 2013 Colorado floods.[8][9] Access to the town was cut off by the destruction of Larimer County Road 43 on both sides of town; the section connecting to the town of Drake and US 34 was reopened on December 6, 2013.[10]

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist School near Glen Haven CO

Choosing the right physical therapist college is an important first decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that a number of variables will lead you to your final decision. You may want to visit different campuses to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical 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 field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Glen Haven CO.