Maryland Archives - Physical Therapy Schools

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Program near Vienna 21869

Vienna MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Vienna MD is an important first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been disabled as a result of illness or injury regain mobility and function. But before they can practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to research the ones you are looking at to make sure they will provide a quality education and meet your state’s licensing standards. What you should not do is enroll in a school simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and the questions you should be asking, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist’s Job Description?

Vienna MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse locations, such as Vienna MD hospitals, health clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they develop a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close partnerships with other Vienna MD medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind 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 kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Vienna MD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are brief explanations of degree levels that are available in the Vienna MD area:

Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are most often made available by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. Clinical training, which may be in the form of an internship is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy training to prepare students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and commonly 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 finish, making the total investment of time 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the completion of an internship is mandated, not solely for graduation but in a number of 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 available in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the present licensing mandate for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Vienna MD Although not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are many accredited online physical therapist degrees available, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online segment of the course of study may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Vienna MD home. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many cases more economical. Tuition might be significantly lower than similar on campus options, and costs for commuting are reduced. 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 dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you undoubtedly have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you want to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Vienna MD area and across Maryland, you’ll need to explore other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of college choices. Moreover, you want to make sure that you pick the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have compiled a list of important 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 decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are reviewing have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier stated, 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 program, it may 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 just the school. Additionally, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing and even for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are multiple ways you can research a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You can also search for online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Vienna MD physical therapist centers or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your school selections. It might also be prudent to contact the Maryland Attorney General and school licensing authority to find out if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a couple of useful statistics that you should find out about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might indicate that students left due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, 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 Vienna MD area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even outstanding. It also verifies that the program has a large network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment after graduation.

Does the School Support Licensing Requirements? It’s important that the program you select furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Maryland or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be performed and passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internship Programs Offered? Inquire if the physical therapist schools you are reviewing have relationships with Vienna MD hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Internships are not only a great means to get practical 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 help students and graduates form professional connections in the Vienna health care community and assist with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Vienna MD home. Students who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually 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 Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid office and find out what kind of assistance is offered. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may be eligible for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial aid may be available.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapist school you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Vienna MD area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Vienna Maryland?

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

Vienna, Maryland

Vienna was founded in 1706. It thrived on trade, shipbuilding and tobacco farming. The wreck of a 45-foot cargo ship that was likely built at a small shipyard or plantation in Maryland was found in 2015 under the US 50 Bridge over the Nanticoke River. Charring suggests it was torched by British sympathizers in the 1780s.[5] The British raided the town repeatedly during the American Revolutionary War, and again during the War of 1812. This led to the building of a wall across the city's waterfront on the Nanticoke River. This wall is in ruins today.[6]Handsell was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.[7]

As of the census[3] of 2010, there were 271 people, 115 households, and 71 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,426.3 inhabitants per square mile (550.7/km2). There were 143 housing units at an average density of 752.6 per square mile (290.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 90.8% White, 7.0% African American, 0.7% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.7% of the population.

There were 115 households of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.3% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.87.

Pick the Right Physical Therapy Training Program near Vienna MD

Picking the right physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you need to make to launch a fulfilling career in the health care field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have exceptional reputations and accreditation. However there are other important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, keep in mind that a number of factors will guide you toward your final decision. You may decide to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize 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 ideal choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can accomplish your dream to become a licensed physical therapist in Vienna MD.