Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Hunt Valley MD

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy School near Hunt Valley 21031

Hunt Valley MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Hunt Valley MD is a critical first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to get the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are thinking about to make sure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we cover what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Hunt Valley MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Hunt Valley MD private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously touched on, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are numerous, 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 practice in close partnerships with other Hunt Valley MD medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, dentists and nurses. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Hunt Valley MD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapy degree options available for individuals to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these alternatives, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are available in the Hunt Valley MD area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually provided by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to prep candidates to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be qualified for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require 4 years to finish and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required in order to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must 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 complete, making the total investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an intregal element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in a number of states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Hunt Valley MD Although not as common as the on campus alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more 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 necessitates that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Hunt Valley MD home. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning several of your preliminary questions, such as the type of physical therapy degree you intend to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Hunt Valley MD area and across Maryland, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications also so as to further reduce your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you choose the college that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of important questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are thinking about. Ask each of the potential schools these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. 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 choose an online program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s important that the school and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT college’s reputation, beginning with requesting 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 as well. Call several Hunt Valley MD physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any advice about your school 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 filed against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Hunt Valley MD area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also verifies that the college has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you select provides both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies 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 vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapy programs you are assessing have associations with Hunt Valley MD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a great manner to get hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they may assist students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Hunt Valley healthcare community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? 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 probably prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are looking at what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. 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 some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the physical therapy school they pick will need to be within travelling distance of their Hunt Valley MD home. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges provide some type of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and see what kind of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in getting 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 program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy college you finally choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Hunt Valley MD area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Hunt Valley Maryland?

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

Hunt Valley, Maryland

Hunt Valley is an unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. Its traditional name was based on being just east of Maryland's traditional Horse Country (like the Kentucky Blue Grass region), and the site of the venerable Maryland Hunt Cup championship of steeplechase horse racing and jumping established 1894. It lies just north of the city of Baltimore, along the York Road (former old historic Baltimore-York Turnpike) which is now Maryland Route 45 off Interstate 83. The Loch Raven Reservoir nearby is an important drinking water resource and with its surrounding forested watershed is one of three reservoirs (Loch Raven, Prettyboy and Liberty) established for the City of Baltimore and its surrounding metropolitan areas in Baltimore County since the 1880s and expanded in the 1910s. Located at a latitude of 39.5° North and longitude 76.7° West.

Hunt Valley is the home of AmTote International, Inc., Systems Alliance, Inc., BreakAway Games, Atradius North America, Sinclair Broadcast Group, McCormick & Company, Textron Systems (formerly AAI Corporation), Dunbar (Armored Vehicles), TESSCO Technologies, ZeniMax Online Studios, and Drchrono. It was the former home of Noxell Corporation, makers of Noxzema, before Noxell was acquired by Procter & Gamble in the early 1990s. It was also the former home of KCI Technologies, Inc., PHH and Firaxis Games, all of which now reside in Sparks, Maryland which is a few miles to the north of Hunt Valley. MicroProse, a leading video game developer from the 1980s, was originally based in Hunt Valley. The Hunt Valley Inn is the most popular hotel in Maryland for annual regional Science fiction conventions for fans of the TV shows and feature movies Star Wars and the ever-popular Star Trek and their "Trekkers"/"Trekkies". Over the years it has hosted Balticon, ShoreLeave, Horrorfind, Monster Mania, Nostalgia Con, FaerieCon, ClipperCon and Farpoint.[citation needed]

Hunt Valley is served by the old Cockeysville, Maryland post office, which is also a neighbor of the burgeoning Timonium suburban community, and also is home to a satellite campus of the Community College of Baltimore County in this northern central area of Baltimore County (which has three regular full-size campuses - Catonsville in the southwest, Dundalk in the southeast and Essex in the east). Nearby is the Timonium Race Course which although not as active as in decades past, still has a small amount of horse racing in conjunction with better known local tracks such as northwest Baltimore City's Pimlico Race Course (home of the annual Preakness Stakes, run since 1873 as one of throughbred horse racing's Triple Crown) and Laurel Park Racecourse in the northeastern suburbs of Washington, D.C.'s Prince George's County, Maryland. The Timonium Fairgrounds however are still home to the over century-and-a-half Maryland State Fair held in late August and early September.

Select the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Hunt Valley MD

Selecting the ideal physical therapy program is an important first decision you must make to start a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you choose should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are additional relevant questions that you need to ask concerning your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous factors will guide you to your final decision. You may decide to go to different colleges to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the field so you can make the appropriate selection. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Hunt Valley MD.