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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapy College near Ashton 20861

Ashton MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Receiving a physical therapist degree near Ashton MD is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been disabled due to injury or illness gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are thinking about to make sure they will deliver a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a college simply because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that must be evaluated in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and what the educational options are.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Ashton MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying locations, such as Ashton MD private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help individuals that are experiencing a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to prevent any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are numerous, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Car or motor cycle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Sports injuries.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Ashton MD health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degree Options

Ashton MD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degrees available for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees focus on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Ashton MD area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by community colleges, and require 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a portion of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapist education to ready candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to practicing as a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally require four years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement in order to become a licensed practicing physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to finish, making the total commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an essential component in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not only 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 attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Programs Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Ashton MD While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are many accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online segment of the program can be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Ashton MD home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in many instances more affordable. Tuition may be somewhat lower than similar 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 option the right choice for those students that are disciplined enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you probably have come to decision regarding several of your initial queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you intend to obtain, 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 Ashton MD area and across Maryland, you’ll have to look into additional qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you select the program that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist schools you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the schools you are reviewing 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 select an online program, it may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial assistance.

What is the School’s Standing? In addition to accreditation, it’s imperative that the school and program you choose have outstanding reputations within the physical therapist community. There are several ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Ashton MD physical therapy centers or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any recommendations about your college options. It might also be prudent to check with the Maryland Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two important statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy colleges you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate might suggest that students dropped out due to dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Ashton MD area? If a school has a high job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the health care community is good or perhaps exceptional. It also confirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the Program Support Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the school you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements for Maryland or the state where you will be practicing. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. While licensing requirements vary 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 additional exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have associations with Ashton MD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific manner to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Ashton healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit way in the back of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy schools you are researching what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Ashton MD home. Individuals who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges generally charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Help Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial aid to their potential students. Inquire if the schools you are considering have a financial aid office and find out what kind of aid is offered. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the physical therapist program you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Ashton MD area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Ashton Maryland?

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

Jennifer Ashton

Jennifer Lee Ashton (born April 23, 1969) is a physician, author, and television correspondent. She is chief health and medical editor and chief medical correspondent for ABC News and Good Morning America, chief women's health correspondent for The Dr. Oz Show, and a columnist for Cosmopolitan Magazine. She is also a frequent guest speaker and moderator for events raising awareness of women's health issues.[citation needed]

Ashton was born in California to Oscar Garfein, a New York City cardiologist, and Dorothy Garfein, a registered nurse. Her brother, Evan Garfein, is chief of plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery at Montefiore Hospital in New York City.[1]

Ashton has authored numerous magazine articles and contributed to a health blog for The Record of Bergen, New Jersey.[citation needed] In addition, she has written three books: The Body Scoop for Girls (2009), which educates teenage girls on the topic of puberty; Your Body Beautiful (2012), which addresses health and wellness issues in middle-aged women; and Eat This When You're Expecting, Not That (2016), in which she outlines a diet designed specifically for pregnant women.[citation needed]

Enroll in the Right Physical Therapy School near Ashton MD

Choosing the ideal physical therapist school is a necessary initial decision you need to make to start a rewarding career in the health care profession. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you select should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you need to ask pertaining to your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapist school, keep in mind that numerous variables will guide you toward your final decision. You may want to visit different schools to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By following our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the field so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Ashton MD.