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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy School near Beltsville 20704

Beltsville MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Beltsville MD is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled due to injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are thinking about to make sure they will deliver a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is choose a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to 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 what the educational options are.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Beltsville MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Beltsville MD private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they create a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Beltsville MD health professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Beltsville MD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degree options available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Beltsville MD area:

Associate Degrees train students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by community or junior colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapist education to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to finish and often incorporate 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 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 finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the extensive classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in some states for licensing as well.

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 even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Beltsville MD Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Beltsville MD home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more economical. Tuition may be somewhat less than similar on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools 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 attend classes at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

By now you probably have come to decision regarding some of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT colleges within the Beltsville MD area and throughout Maryland, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Furthermore, you want to be sure that you enroll in the school that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As previously 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 choose an online college, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial assistance.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with some Beltsville MD physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your college selections. It may also be a good idea to check with 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 Rate? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students left because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Beltsville MD area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that satisfies the licensing criteria for Maryland or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are interested in have partnerships with Beltsville MD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only an excellent means to get hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can assist students and graduates develop professional connections in the Beltsville healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to speak with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Beltsville MD home. Students who have opted to attend online classes obviously 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 bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some type of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial assistance office and find out what type of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy college you ultimately choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Beltsville MD area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Beltsville Maryland?

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

Beltsville, Maryland

Beltsville is a census-designated place (CDP) in northern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States.[1] The community was named for Truman Belt, a local landowner. The population was 16,772 at the 2010 census.[2] Beltsville includes the unincorporated community of Vansville.[3]

Beltsville is located at 39°2′15″N 76°55′4″W / 39.03750°N 76.91778°W / 39.03750; -76.91778 (39.037509, −76.917847),[4] adjacent to the Montgomery County – Prince George's County line. It is about 7 miles (11 km) northeast of the Maryland border with Washington, D.C.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Beltsville has a total area of 7.2 square miles (18.6 km2), of which 7.1 square miles (18.5 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.38%, is water.[5]

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist College near Beltsville MD

Choosing the best physical therapist program is a necessary first decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that many variables will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to different schools to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the best choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Beltsville MD.