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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy College near Basalt 81621

Basalt CO physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Basalt CO is an important first step to beginning a rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate those you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we discuss 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Basalt CO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, such as Basalt CO private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Basalt CO medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, 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 Therapy Degrees Offered

Basalt CO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degrees available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degrees that are offered in the Basalt 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 a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community colleges, and require 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated in order to become a practicing licensed 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 3 years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not solely 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 United States. Some practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Basalt CO While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more 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 school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Basalt CO residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat less than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you want to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are numerous PT schools within the Basalt CO area and across Colorado, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you enroll in the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have earned 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 select an online school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Basalt CO physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations 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 schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Basalt CO area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides both superior 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 required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have partnerships with Basalt CO hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great means to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Basalt health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person 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. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Basalt CO residence. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? Most DPT schools supply some type of financial support to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid department and see what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy program you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Basalt CO area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Basalt Colorado?

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

Basalt, Colorado

Basalt was first named Ute Junction, after the Junction it served known at that time as Ute City that served present day Aspen Colorado. Colorado was a territory serving Aspen to Leadville Mining towns, was a well known Railroad Junction, going West and South to Carbondale and Glenwood Springs. Served first by the Midland Railroad, a narrow Gauge Railroad in 1901 bought out by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad.

Basalt is located at 39°22′6″N 107°2′18″W / 39.36833°N 107.03833°W / 39.36833; -107.03833 (39.368382, -107.038263),[10] along State Highway 82, and at the confluence of the Fryingpan and Roaring Fork rivers. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2), of which 1.9 square miles (4.9 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (1.03%) is water.

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 2,681 people, 1,052 households, and 637 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,394.8 people per square mile (539.1/km²). There were 1,218 housing units at an average density of 633.7 per square mile (244.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.53% White, 0.48% African American, 0.52% Native American, 1.27% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 4.77% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.75% of the population.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy College near Basalt CO

Choosing the ideal physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you have to make to launch a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional critical questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, keep in mind that many variables will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to visit different schools to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional 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 achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Basalt CO.