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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Severn 21144

Severn MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapy degree near Severn MD is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to research the ones you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant 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 address what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Severn MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Severn MD private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they create a program of treatment to resolve the mobility issues and lessen or eliminate any pain. They also try to stop any progression of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Severn MD medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Severn MD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapy degrees available for students to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is offered to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degrees that are available in the Severn 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 most often provided by community colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is typically a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important initial step to practicing as a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically 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 3 years to finish, making the overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an important component in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in a number of 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 eliminated and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing mandate for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Severn MD Although not as common as the on-campus options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on nature of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. However, the online segment of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Severn MD home. Online schools are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on-campus alternatives, 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 ideal choice for those students that are motivated enough to learn at home.

What to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision regarding several of your initial questions, such as 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 Severn MD area and across Maryland, you’ll have to explore additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you choose the school that is best for you. That’s why we have compiled a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapist programs you are considering. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist School Accredited? Ask if the schools you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional agency. 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 select an online school, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s imperative that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides ensuring that you receive an excellent education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT college’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Get in touch with several Severn MD physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any advice about your program options. It may also be prudent 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 couple of significant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are looking at. First is their graduation rate. A lower rate may suggest that students left due to displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Severn 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 excellent. It also verifies that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the college you select furnishes both superior training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Maryland or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is required on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed and passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are reviewing have partnerships with Severn MD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent way to get hands on training in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist students and graduates form professional connections in the Severn healthcare community and help with obtaining employment once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher 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 talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Severn MD residence. Those 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 concern. Something 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 normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges often charge a higher tuition for those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Support Offered? The majority of DPT schools provide some form of financial assistance to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are examining have a financial aid office and see what kind of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the physical therapy program you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Severn MD area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Severn Maryland?

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

Severn, Maryland

Severn is a census-designated place (CDP) in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 44,231 at the 2010 census,[1] a 26% increase from its population of 35,076 at the 2000 census. The zip code is 21144.

Severn is located at 39°7′58″N 76°41′38″W / 39.13278°N 76.69389°W / 39.13278; -76.69389 (39.132841, -76.694002)[2] in northwestern Anne Arundel County. It is bordered by Hanover to the north, Glen Burnie to the east, Odenton and Millersville to the south, and Fort George G. Meade to the west. The Baltimore–Washington Parkway (Maryland Route 295) forms the northwestern edge of the CDP, Maryland Route 176 (Dorsey Road) forms the northern edge, and Interstate 97 forms the eastern edge. Part of the southern boundary of the CDP is formed by the non-tidal portion of the Severn River. The Maryland Route 100 freeway runs through the northern part of the CDP, connecting the B-W Parkway and I-97.

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 35,076 people, 12,003 households, and 9,506 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,511.3 people per square mile (969.4/km²). There were 12,362 housing units at an average density of 885.1 per square mile (341.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 56.25% White, 34.56% Black, 0.42% Native American, 4.29% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races, and 3.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.96% of the population.

Select the Best Physical Therapy College near Severn MD

Choosing the best physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you need to make to begin a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. However there are other relevant questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that numerous factors will lead you to your ultimate decision. You might want to go to each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this program help me reach my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the proper education and training, you can achieve your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Severn MD.