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

How to Select a Physical Therapy College near Lusby 20657

Lusby MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Lusby MD is an essential first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness regain mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are thinking about to make certain they will furnish a superior education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has cheapest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated along with location and cost. But before we cover what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Lusby MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, including Lusby 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 previously touched on, physical therapists help individuals that are suffering from a lack of mobility and frequently pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with 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 abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close association with other Lusby MD medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees

Lusby MD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only 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 advance to the doctoral level. Following are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Lusby MD area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often provided by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to prep students to advance to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally require 4 years to complete and often include an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 training is an essential element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, 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 holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Online Degrees

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lusby MD Although not as prevalent as the on-campus options, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Lusby MD home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat lower than comparable on campus options, and expenses for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, guaranteeing a quality education. These benefits may make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding some of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But because there are so many PT schools within the Lusby MD area and throughout Maryland, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of school options. Moreover, you need to make certain that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you must ask the physical therapy schools you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are looking at 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 enroll in an online college, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you pick have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for 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 also. Contact some Lusby MD physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your school options. It might also be prudent 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 Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the help of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Lusby MD area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare field is good or perhaps excellent. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the school you choose provides both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Maryland or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist program. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have partnerships with Lusby MD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a great way to receive practical experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates establish professional connections in the Lusby health care community and assist with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? 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 likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they select will have to be within driving distance of their Lusby MD home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear 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 may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance department and see what kind of aid is offered. They at least should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Lusby MD area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an option 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 might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lusby Maryland?

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

Lusby, Maryland

Lusby is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population of the CDP was 1,835 at the 2010 census.[1] Residents of the Chesapeake Ranch Estates and Drum Point communities also use the Lusby ZIP code designation.

Lusby is located near the southern end of Calvert County at 38°21′13″N 76°26′12″W / 38.35361°N 76.43667°W / 38.35361; -76.43667 (38.353555, -76.436615).[2] It is bordered to the southwest by Solomons, a tourist resort town, to the south by Drum Point (across tidal Mill Creek), and to the southeast by Chesapeake Ranch Estates, a large community governed by a homeowners' association.

Dominion Cove Point LNG, one of the nation's largest liquefied natural gas import facilities, is located just northeast of Lusby, and the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant is 5 miles (8 km) to the north. Maryland Routes 2 and 4 run along the western edge of Lusby, leading south to the Patuxent River Naval Air Station and north to Andrews Air Force Base and the Washington, D.C., and Annapolis areas.

Enroll in the Best Physical Therapist Degree Program near Lusby MD

Picking the right physical therapy school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a fulfilling career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are additional relevant questions that you should ask concerning your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your final decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me accomplish 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 best choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Lusby MD.