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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Fulton 20759

Fulton MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Fulton MD is a critical first step to beginning a rewarding career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the appropriate education and training. A PT must also become licensed in all states, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated besides 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 the options for education.

What Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Fulton MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, such as Fulton MD hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Fulton MD medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to bear in mind for anyone considering entering the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degree Options

Fulton MD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single 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. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Fulton MD area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take 4 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 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 commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential element along with the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some 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 USA. Some practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

woman attending physical therapy school online in Fulton MD While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the college campus or nearby a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the curriculum can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Fulton MD home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on campus options, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have made a decision regarding a few of your initial queries, including the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are numerous PT colleges within the Fulton MD area and throughout Maryland, you’ll need to research other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school options. Furthermore, you want to make certain that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are considering have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 enroll in an online college, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Ranking? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Fulton MD physical therapy centers or other health care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your college selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the Maryland Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two significant statistics that you need to find out about each of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Fulton MD area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care community is good or even excellent. It also affirms that the program has a large network of contacts to help students obtain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you enroll in provides both exceptional training and a course of study 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Find out if the physical therapy colleges you are interested in have associations with Fulton MD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to receive practical experience in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional relationships in the Fulton health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably prefer a smaller class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Fulton MD home. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT colleges offer some type of financial assistance to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and find out what type of aid is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide 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 College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapist school you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Fulton MD area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Fulton Maryland?

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

Fulton, Maryland

The land was first surveyed by Thomas Browne, known as the "Patuxent Ranger", in 1700.[3] In the mid 1700s Richard Snowden, the Quaker grandson of one of Maryland's first iron ore producers, purchased tracts of land up the Patuxent River valley. Fulton was then known as Queen Caroline Parish. In 1803 Rezin Hammond settled on a parcel of the land,[4] and by 1805 Fulton was known as Hammond Directions and Snowden Second Addition.[3] In 1855 German immigrants settled in the area.

By 1871, St Paul's Lutheran was founded to serve the German farming community and was expanded in 1933. By 1878 Fulton opened school house #3, a one-room school house for white children a half mile west of town that operated until 1939.[4] The area was referred to as "Water's Store", for Richard Waters' blacksmith operation and post office which opened on December 29, 1874.[5][6]

The name was changed to "Fulton", after the popular Baltimore Sun editor Charles C. Fulton on 28 March 1882.[7] Albert W. Bradey purchased the Fulton corner stores of his father and Smallwood, operating it until his death in a house fire at the age of 90.[8][9]

Choose the Best Physical Therapist Training Program near Fulton MD

Deciding on the best physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you have to make to start a fulfilling career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you pick should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you need to ask regarding your school of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that many factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the campuses to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to 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 education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Fulton MD.