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

How to Choose a Physical Therapist Program near Mayo 21106

Mayo MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Mayo MD is a critical first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been debilitated as a result of injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they must get the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally be licensed in every state, a large number requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are considering 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 college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered besides cost and location. But before we discuss 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?

Mayo MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in a variety of locations, including Mayo MD hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain due to illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Mayo MD medical specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Mayo MD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degree options available for individuals to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these alternatives, the only degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either training 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 available in the Mayo MD area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as 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 be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy education to prepare candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to complete and commonly incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are required 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). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential element in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Schools

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

What to Ask Physical Therapy Colleges

By now you most likely have come to decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, including the type of physical therapist degree you intend to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are so many PT schools within the Mayo MD area and across Maryland, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to be sure that you pick the program that is right for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of essential questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are considering. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national organization. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctorate the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online college, it may also earn 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 just the school. Additionally, make sure that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Mayo MD physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any insight 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 filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might suggest that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the assistance of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Mayo MD area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also affirms that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students obtain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the college you enroll in furnishes both exceptional training and a curriculum that supports the licensing criteria for Maryland or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) as well as a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internships Offered? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are evaluating have associations with Mayo MD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Mayo health care community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you a chance to speak with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist school they pick will need to be within driving distance of their Mayo MD residence. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps 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 generally charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you might qualify for. Some physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapy college you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Mayo MD area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Mayo Maryland?

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

Mayo, Maryland

Mayo is a census-designated place (CDP) in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 8,298 at the 2010 census.[1] The Mayo CDP of 2010 includes all of the area that used to be counted as the Selby-on-the-Bay CDP. The beach in Mayo used to be a popular weekend resort.

Mayo is located at 38°53′36″N 76°30′16″W / 38.89333°N 76.50444°W / 38.89333; -76.50444,(38.893264, -76.504371)[2] south of Annapolis. It occupies a peninsula between the South River to the northeast and the Rhode River to the southwest, both of which are tidal arms of Chesapeake Bay. It is bordered by the CDP of Edgewater to the northwest, and (across the South River) by the CDP of Annapolis Neck to the northeast. Saunder's Point, Shoreham Beach, Beverly Beach, Cloverlea, Turkey Point, Holly Hill Harbor, Selby Beach, and Cape Loch Haven are some of the neighborhoods found in Mayo.[3]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 9.5 square miles (24.5 km2), of which 5.6 square miles (14.6 km2) is land and 3.8 square miles (9.9 km2), or 40.47%, is water.[1]

Select the Ideal Physical Therapy Degree Program near Mayo MD

Deciding on the ideal physical therapist school is an important first decision you need to make to start a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you select should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that many factors will lead you to your final decision. You may want to go to each of the schools to view their facilities and speak with active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me accomplish my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Mayo MD.