Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Abingdon MD

How to Select a Physical Therapist College near Abingdon 21009

Abingdon MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapy degree near Abingdon MD is an essential first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to evaluate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will furnish a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. 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 lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated besides cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Abingdon MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in diverse settings, such as Abingdon MD hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. 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 suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Abingdon MD health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Abingdon MD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the single degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short explanations of degrees that are offered in the Abingdon MD area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and usually include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). In addition to 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 intregal element along with the considerable classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only 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 phased out and is no longer offered 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 existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Abingdon MD Although not as common as the more traditional options, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, more so 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 necessitates that the student live close to the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Abingdon MD residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition might be somewhat less than comparable on-campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you probably have made a decision concerning a few of your preliminary questions, like the type of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But since there are numerous PT colleges within the Abingdon MD area and throughout Maryland, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you choose the college that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy School Accredited? Find out if the schools you are considering have received accreditation from a regional or a national 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 program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Contact some Abingdon MD physical therapy clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your program options. It may also be a good idea to contact the Maryland Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may indicate that students left because of displeasure 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 Abingdon MD area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the school has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Maryland or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed 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, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are assessing have relationships with Abingdon MD hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to get hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates establish professional connections in the Abingdon healthcare community and assist with job placement once licensed.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Abingdon MD residence. Students 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 importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide 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 commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what type of assistance is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist schools provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, learn what financial assistance may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Abingdon MD area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Abingdon Maryland?

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

Abingdon, Maryland

Abingdon is an unincorporated community in Harford County, Maryland, United States.[1] It lies 25 miles northeast of Baltimore on Maryland Route 7, near the Bush River, between Exits 77 (MD 24) and 80 (MD 543) of Interstate 95.

Abingdon was named after Abingdon, England.[2] The town was founded by and is the birthplace of William Paca, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the third Governor of Maryland. Abingdon was the site of Cokesbury College, the first Methodist college in the United States.[3]

Woodside was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.[4] The Nelson-Reardon-Kennard House was listed in 1991.[4] Abingdon is also home to Jaxon Dane, who is a former professional wrestler who helped redefine the wrestling industry in NC.

Choose the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Abingdon MD

Choosing the best physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you must make to launch a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other critical questions that you need to ask concerning your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many variables will lead you toward your final decision. You may decide to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Abingdon MD.