Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Oak Creek CO

How to Pick a Physical Therapy College near Oak Creek 80467

Oak Creek CO physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Oak Creek CO is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the proper education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are looking at to ensure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Oak Creek CO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, including Oak Creek 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 diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Oak Creek CO health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Oak Creek CO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degree levels that are available in the Oak Creek CO area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and take about two years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in several 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 offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Oak Creek CO While not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Oak Creek CO residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have come to decision concerning a few of your initial queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Oak Creek CO area and across Colorado, you’ll have to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously 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 enroll in an online program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call several Oak Creek CO physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college options. 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 colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may indicate that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Oak Creek CO area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you select furnishes both exceptional 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 needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have associations with Oak Creek CO hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to obtain practical experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Oak Creek healthcare community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit far in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Oak Creek CO home. Those who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing 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 often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT schools provide some type of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what kind of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Oak Creek CO area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need 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 Oak Creek Colorado?

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

Oak Creek, Colorado

Oak Creek is a Statutory Town in Routt County, Colorado, United States. The population was 849 at the 2000 census. It was incorporated in 1907[2] as a coal mining town. The community was named for scrub oak near the original town site.[7]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 849 people, 366 households, and 217 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,937.2 people per square mile (1,130.3/km²). There were 441 housing units at an average density of 1,525.7 per square mile (587.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.40% White, 2.47% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.71% from other races, and 2.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.59% of the population.

There were 366 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.90.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy College near Oak Creek CO

Picking the right physical therapy program is an important first decision you need to make to start a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to different colleges to see their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Oak Creek CO.