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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy School near Derwood 20855

Derwood MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Derwood MD is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are thinking about to ensure they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered along with cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Derwood MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of settings, including Derwood MD hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help people that are struggling with a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Derwood MD health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

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

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapy training to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important preliminary step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an intregal element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not just for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer offered in the United States. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Derwood MD While not as common as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the curriculum may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Derwood MD home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition may be significantly less than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online option the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning some of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are numerous PT schools within the Derwood MD area and across Maryland, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to make certain that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have collected a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are considering. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As earlier 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 choose an online college, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy community. There are multiple 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 check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call some Derwood MD physical therapist clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your program selections. It may also be a good idea to contact the Maryland Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of important statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might indicate that students dropped out because of displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Derwood MD area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you enroll in provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Maryland or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy schools you are interested in have associations with Derwood MD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Derwood health care community and assist 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 undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will need to be within commuting distance of their Derwood MD home. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT schools supply some type of financial support to their potential students. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Derwood MD area, verify that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Derwood Maryland?

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

Derwood, Maryland

Derwood is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in east-central Montgomery County, Maryland. It lies just north of Rockville, southeast of Gaithersburg, southwest of Olney, and northwest of the greater Silver Spring, Maryland area.[1] Derwood, originally "Deer Park" then "Deer Wood," is home to approximately 15,600 people.

Derwood includes the neighborhoods of Derwood Heights, Derwood Station, Mill Creek Towne, Needwood Estates, Muncaster Manor, Muncaster View, Hollybrooke, Granby Woods, Park Overlook, Redland Crossing, Candlewood Park, Cashell Estates, Avery Forest, Avery Lodge, Avery Village, Bowie Mill Estates, Bowie Mill Park, Winters Run, Redland Station, Rolling Knolls, Emory Grove, and Shady Grove Crossing.

Derwood was first recognized in the 1880s as a train stop on the B&O Railroad, which is now the intersection of Indianola Drive and Maryland Route 355 in Derwood Station.[2] A second, larger railroad station was built in Derwood from 1886-1889. In the early 1900s, a small community grew up around the station.

Pick the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Derwood MD

Selecting the ideal physical therapy program is an important first decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are other important questions that you should ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that numerous factors will guide you toward your final decision. You might want to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Derwood MD.