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How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Winter Park 80482

Winter Park CO physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Winter Park CO is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are thinking about to make sure they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with 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 the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Winter Park CO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, including Winter Park CO hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes 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 experiencing a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Winter Park CO medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees

Winter Park CO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options offered for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these options, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Winter Park CO area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The programs are usually offered by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prep candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically require 4 years to finish and commonly incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in a number of 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 available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Winter Park CO Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. However, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Winter Park CO home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition might be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Winter Park CO area and across Colorado, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you choose the college that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously 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 can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with a few Winter Park CO physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Colorado Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to find out about all of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Winter Park CO area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even exceptional. It also confirms that the college has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

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

Are Internships Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist programs you are interested in have partnerships with Winter Park CO hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional relationships in the Winter Park healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are considering 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 final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Winter Park CO home. Those who have opted 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 concern. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might 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 for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of aid is obtainable. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy college you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Winter Park CO area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Winter Park Colorado?

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

Winter Park, Colorado

Winter Park is a home rule municipality in Grand County, Colorado, United States. The permanent population was 999 at the 2010 census,[7] although with 2,572 housing units within the town limits[7] the seasonal population can be much higher.

Although the town center is at about 9,000 feet (2,700 m) above sea level,[8] Winter Park, using administrative boundaries as a measure, became the highest incorporated town in the United States after the July 2006 annexation of 5,214 acres (21.10 km2) of Winter Park Resort to allow new on-mountain improvements. This claim is disputed since Winter Park has no residences above 9,550 feet (2,910 m), while contiguous residential neighborhoods in Leadville, Colorado, extend to 10,360 feet (3,160 m) and in Alma, Colorado, to 11,680 feet (3,560 m), and Alma's town center is at 10,361 feet (3,158 m).

Winter Park is located in southeastern Grand County at 39°54′15″N 105°46′45″W / 39.904071°N 105.779198°W / 39.904071; -105.779198,[9] at the southern end of the Fraser Valley. It is bordered to the north by the town of Fraser. U.S. Route 40 passes through the town, leading south and east over Berthoud Pass 66 miles (106 km) to Denver and northwest 20 miles (32 km) to Granby.

Select the Best Physical Therapy College near Winter Park CO

Deciding on the best physical therapy college is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you choose should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me realize 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 options so you can make the ideal selection. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Winter Park CO.