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

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Training Program near Crofton 21114

Crofton MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Crofton MD is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate those you are looking at to make sure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is choose a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Crofton MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in varying locations, such as Crofton MD hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Crofton MD medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also supervise one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

Crofton MD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is available to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Crofton MD area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by junior or community colleges, and take about two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to ready students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to complete and commonly 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 three years to complete, making the total investment of time 7 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 required, not only 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 practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Crofton MD Although not as common as the on campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Crofton MD residence. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on-campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you probably have made a decision regarding some of your initial questions, like 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 invest in your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Crofton MD area and throughout Maryland, you’ll need to explore additional qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you enroll in the college that is ideal for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the programs 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 select an online program, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative 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 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 School’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have exceptional 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 place their graduates with. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call some Crofton MD physical therapist centers 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 college selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Maryland Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction 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 Crofton MD area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also affirms that the college has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose provides both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Maryland or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist programs you are evaluating have relationships with Crofton MD hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional relationships in the Crofton medical community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they choose will need to be within commuting distance of their Crofton MD residence. Those who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? Most DPT schools provide some form of financial support to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what type of assistance is available. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapist schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy school you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Crofton MD area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Crofton Maryland?

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

Crofton, Maryland

Crofton is a census-designated place and planned community in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States, located just west of the state capital Annapolis. Crofton is located 24 miles (39 km) south of Baltimore, 9.8 miles (15.8 km) west of Annapolis, and 24 miles (39 km) east-northeast of Washington, D.C. The community was established in 1964. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,348.[1]

In 1963, after the Crawford Corporation accumulated over 1,600 acres (650 ha) of land, it announced that it would build a new community called Crofton. This new town and planned community was founded at the same time as Reston, Virginia (April 17, 1964) and Columbia, Maryland (1967). Crofton would be anchored by a community golf course, which later became the Crofton Country Club. Crofton was officially founded in the fall of 1964. The company considered picking an English name for the new town that "sounds well and implies that this is a pleasant place to live." It ended up picking the name "Crofton", named after a small township in Cumberland County, England. The English town was originally called Croft-town, derived from the word "Croft", as the town standing upon the Crofts. Originally an exclusive gated community, Crofton's gates were opened and they now only serve as a symbol for the community.

In July 2007 Crofton was named by Money magazine as one of "100 Best Places to Live" in the United States. Crofton placed 72nd out of 100 cities on the list. It was selected for its relative anonymity while still boasting many major amenities, excellent schools, and sought-after location.[2]

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Crofton MD

Choosing the right physical therapist program is an important first decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the health care profession. As we have covered in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, keep in mind that many factors will guide you to your final decision. You might want to visit each of the schools to see their facilities and talk 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 following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal selection. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Crofton MD.