Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Shady Side MD

How to Select a Physical Therapist Training Program near Shady Side 20764

Shady Side MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapy degree near Shady Side MD is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled as a result of injury or illness regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must acquire the necessary training and education. A PT must also become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to choosing a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate those you are looking at to make sure they will deliver a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing standards. What you do not want to do is choose a college just because it happens to be the nearest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to 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 Does a Physical Therapist Do?

Shady Side MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Shady Side MD private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier stated, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and often pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Shady Side MD medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists regularly lift patients and heavy equipment, and stand, crouch and kneel for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

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

Associate Degrees prepare students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically provided by junior or community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is normally a portion of the program.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an essential initial step to becoming a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and usually include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated 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 three years to finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the considerable lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is required, not only for graduation but in several 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 offered in the United States. A number of licensed 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 Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Shady Side MD Although not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs available, more so 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 requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Shady Side MD home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on-campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the best choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

At this point you most likely have made a decision regarding several of your preliminary queries, such as 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 colleges within the Shady Side MD area and throughout Maryland, you’ll need to look into other qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you need to make certain that you enroll in the program that is right 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 thinking about. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making a final decision.

Is the Physical Therapist Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering 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 may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s important that the college and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Call some Shady Side MD physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your college selections. It might also be a good idea to check with the Maryland Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the School’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two useful statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students dropped out because of 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 school’s job placement program, particularly in the Shady Side MD area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students obtain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you choose furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing requirements for Maryland or the state where you will be working. 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 school. While licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Find out if the physical therapist schools you are interested in have partnerships with Shady Side MD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical setting, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Shady Side healthcare community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy school they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Shady Side 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. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically 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? Most DPT schools offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office and find out what type of aid is available. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is too expensive, ask what financial aid may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Shady Side MD area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Shady Side Maryland?

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

Shady Side, Maryland

Shady Side is located at 38°50′6″N 76°31′2″W / 38.83500°N 76.51722°W / 38.83500; -76.51722 (38.834965, -76.517326)[6] in southern Anne Arundel County, on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay. It is bordered to the north and west by the West River, a wide tidal inlet of the bay. To the south is the CDP of Deale, and to the west, across the West River, is Galesville. The community is served by Maryland Route 468 (Shady Side Road), which runs south, then west, then north, towards the Annapolis area. The center of Annapolis is 20 miles (32 km) north by road and 14 miles (23 km) north by water.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.0 square miles (20.7 km2), of which 6.8 square miles (17.5 km2) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.2 km2), or 15.57%, is water.[1]

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 5,559 people, 2,064 households, and 1,537 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 757.8 people per square mile (292.4/km²). There were 2,306 housing units at an average density of 314.3/sq mi (121.3/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 86.18% White, 11.21% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.40% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.26% of the population.

Choose the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Shady Side MD

Choosing the best physical therapist college is a necessary first decision you must make to begin a rewarding career in the medical field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have excellent reputations and accreditation. But there are additional critical questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that numerous variables will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to visit different campuses to view their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By following our list of supplemental questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right selection. And with the necessary education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Shady Side MD.