Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Steamboat Springs CO

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy School near Steamboat Springs 80477

Steamboat Springs CO physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Steamboat Springs CO is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research those you are thinking about to make sure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be considered along with cost and location. But before we talk about 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 is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Steamboat Springs CO physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse locations, including Steamboat Springs CO hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility problems 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
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Steamboat Springs CO health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Steamboat Springs CO physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is offered to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degree levels that are offered in the Steamboat Springs CO area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The programs are typically made available by community colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy education to prepare students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and often incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement 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). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 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 considerable classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer available in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Colleges Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Steamboat Springs CO Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Steamboat Springs CO home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on-campus options, and expenditures for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the best choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But considering there are so many PT colleges within the Steamboat Springs CO area and throughout Colorado, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you want to be sure that you pick the school that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier 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 can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for 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 some Steamboat Springs CO physical therapist clinics or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your program options. It may also be prudent to check with the Colorado Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Steamboat Springs CO area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria 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) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. Although licensing requirements vary state by state for PT and PTA graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Provided? Find out if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have partnerships with Steamboat Springs CO hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Steamboat Springs healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Steamboat Springs CO home. Those who have decided to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and see what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the physical therapist college you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Steamboat Springs CO area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Steamboat Springs Colorado?

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

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Steamboat Springs, often shortened to Steamboat, is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Routt County, Colorado, United States.[9] As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,088.[6]

The city is an internationally known winter ski resort destination. The Steamboat Springs tourism industry is highlighted by Steamboat Ski Resort, which is on Mount Werner in the Park Range just east of the town. It also contains the much smaller Howelsen Hill Ski Area.

The area surrounding Steamboat Springs was originally inhabited by the Yampatika band of the Ute Tribe Utes, who hunted in the valley during the summer. Trappers began to move through the area during the first decades of the 19th century. James Harvey Crawford, the founder of Steamboat Springs, first arrived in the spring of 1874. The Crawford family moved there in 1876, and for the first five years were the sole permanent Anglo-Saxon residents of the town. The native Utes were forcibly removed from the area to a reservation in Utah by the U.S. Army starting in 1879. Milestones in the development of the pioneer town included the first sawmill in 1873, incorporation of the town in 1900, and the arrival of the railroad in 1909. The economy of the region was originally based on ranching and mining, which still have a large presence in the county.[10][11][12]

Pick the Right Physical Therapy School near Steamboat Springs CO

Deciding on the ideal physical therapy school is a necessary initial decision you have to make to start a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your college 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 visit different campuses to see 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 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 right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Steamboat Springs CO.