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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Kiowa 80117

Kiowa CO physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Kiowa CO is an important first step to starting a rewarding career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to research those you are considering to ensure they will deliver a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that must be evaluated besides 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 what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Kiowa CO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, including Kiowa CO hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Kiowa CO health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Kiowa CO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only 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 preparing them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degree levels that are available in the Kiowa CO area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often offered by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 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 designed as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and commonly include an internship program of a minimum of 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to complete, making the total commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal component along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor 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 taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Kiowa CO Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs available, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Kiowa CO residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you probably have come to decision regarding a few of your preliminary questions, including the type 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 colleges within the Kiowa CO area and throughout Colorado, you’ll have to look into other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to make sure that you choose the college that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapist College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As previously stated, 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 program, 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. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Contact several Kiowa CO physical therapy centers or other healthcare facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college selections. It might also be a good idea to contact 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 Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. One 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, how many of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Kiowa CO area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or employment after graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you enroll in provides both superior training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Colorado or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing have associations with Kiowa CO hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to get practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students develop professional connections in the Kiowa healthcare community and help with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Kiowa CO residence. 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 local internships will be of concern. Something 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 be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT colleges supply some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance department and see what type of help is obtainable. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid might be available.

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

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Kiowa Colorado?

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

Kiowa, Colorado

The town of Kiowa is a home rule municipality and the county seat of Elbert County, Colorado, United States.[7] The town population was 723 at the 2010 United States Census,[8] up from 581 at the 2000 census.

The town was named for the Kiowa people.[9] Settled in 1859, it was originally named "Wendling" after an early settler.[10] It was called "Middle Kiowa" from the 1860s until 1912,[10] when it was incorporated and the word "Middle" was dropped.[11] It became the county seat of Elbert County in 1874.[10] Kiowa suffered from major flooding in 1935.[10]

Kiowa is located in western Elbert County at 39°20′39″N 104°27′46″W / 39.34417°N 104.46278°W / 39.34417; -104.46278 (39.344207, −104.462714),[12] on the east side of Kiowa Creek, a north-flowing tributary of the South Platte River. Colorado State Highway 86 passes through the town, leading east 44 miles (71 km) to Limon and west 23 miles (37 km) to Castle Rock. The town of Elizabeth is 7 miles (11 km) west on SH 86.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy College near Kiowa CO

Choosing the best physical therapy program is an important first decision you must make to launch a rewarding career in the medical profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Kiowa CO.