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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Program near Pine 80470

Pine CO physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Pine CO is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can 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 requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate those you are thinking about to ensure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. 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 considered in addition to cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Pine CO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, including Pine CO hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by 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 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.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Pine CO health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Pine 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 one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Pine CO area:

Associate Degrees educate 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 be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community or junior colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element in addition to the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Pine CO While not as prevalent as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Pine CO residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more affordable. Tuition might be significantly lower than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many 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 dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Pine CO area and throughout Colorado, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you pick the school that is right for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As previously 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 can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist school and program you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. 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 as well. Contact several Pine CO physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight 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 filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Pine CO area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the college you choose 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 required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have associations with Pine CO hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to obtain practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Pine medical community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely prefer a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy school they choose will need to be within travelling distance of their Pine CO residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically 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 Help Provided? The majority of DPT schools supply some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are examining 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 scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist college you finally select can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Pine 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 credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Pine Colorado?

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

Chris Pine

Christopher Whitelaw Pine (born August 26, 1980)[1][2] is an American actor who has starred in several action movies. He is known for playing James T. Kirk in the Star Trek reboot film series (2009–), Will in Unstoppable (2010), Cinderella's Prince in Into the Woods (2014), Toby Howard in Hell or High Water (2016), Bernie Webber in The Finest Hours, Steve Trevor in Wonder Woman (2017), and Dr. Alexander Murry in A Wrinkle in Time (2018).

Pine was born in Los Angeles. His father, Robert Pine, is an actor who co-starred on CHiPs as Sergeant Joseph Getraer, and his mother, Gwynne Gilford, is a former actress who became a practicing psychotherapist.[3] He has an older sister, Katie.[4] His maternal grandmother, Anne Gwynne (née Marguerite Gwynne Trice), was a Hollywood actress, and his maternal grandfather, Max M. Gilford (born Max Goldfarb), was an attorney who was elected president of the Hollywood Bar Association.[5] Pine's maternal grandfather was from a Russian Jewish family.[6]

Pine graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2002 with a B.A. in English.[7][8] When he got to Berkeley, Pine was initially scared of looking for a place to fit in and had a hard time making friends. As he was not interested in joining a fraternity, he got into theater.[9] As a member of the UC Berkeley Theater Department, Pine performed in a Caryl Churchill play in La Val's Pizza's Subterranean Theater and performed Orestes and Shakespeare at Zellerbach Hall.[10][11]

Choose the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Pine CO

Choosing the right physical therapy school is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many variables will guide you toward your final 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 additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Pine CO.