Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Chesapeake Beach MD

How to Pick a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Chesapeake Beach 20732

Chesapeake Beach MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Chesapeake Beach MD is an essential first step to launching a rewarding career in the health care field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to acquire the proper training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to investigate the ones you are considering to make sure they will furnish a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be evaluated 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 the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Chesapeake Beach MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of locations, including Chesapeake Beach 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 patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and often pain caused by injury or illness. After diagnosing a patient, they design a program of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Arthritis or Osteoporosis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Chesapeake Beach MD medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work under them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for long periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Available

Chesapeake Beach MD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees available for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the single degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief descriptions of degree levels that are available in the Chesapeake Beach MD area:

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or can be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or equivalent to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are typically offered by community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically a component of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an integral preliminary step to becoming a PT. As with most bachelor’s degrees, they typically take four years to finish and usually include 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 must also be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). After earning the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the total investment of time seven years in most cases. Clinical training is an important component in addition to the substantial lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some 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. Some licensed 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 instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Chesapeake Beach MD While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy degrees offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of an available internship. Fortunately, the online part of the course of study may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Chesapeake Beach MD home. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of instances more economical. Tuition may be significantly lower than similar on campus alternatives, and expenses for commuting are minimized. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These benefits can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Schools

At this point you probably have made a decision regarding some of your initial queries, including the type of physical therapy degree you intend to earn, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT colleges within the Chesapeake Beach MD area and throughout Maryland, you’ll have to explore other qualifications as well so as to further reduce your list of college options. Furthermore, you need to make sure that you enroll in the school that is best for you. That’s why we have put together a list of critical questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are thinking about. Ask all of the competing colleges these questions before making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the programs you are looking at have received accreditation from a national or a regional organization. As earlier stated, 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 program, it may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. In addition to ensuring that you obtain an excellent education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the School’s Reputation? In addition to accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have exceptional reputations within the physical therapy profession. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT school’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 organizations for their reviews also. Contact some Chesapeake Beach MD physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can offer any recommendations about your program options. It might also be prudent 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 Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist programs you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A lower rate may mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Chesapeake Beach MD area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or even outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to assist students gain internships or employment upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you select furnishes both excellent training and a course of study that satisfies the licensing criteria for Maryland or the state where you will be working. In every state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy program. While licensing requirements differ state by state for PTA and PT graduates, many states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be performed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have relationships with Chesapeake Beach MD hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific manner to get practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional relationships in the Chesapeake Beach healthcare community and help with job placement after licensing.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the physical therapist college they select will have to be within travelling distance of their Chesapeake Beach MD residence. Students who have decided 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 importance. Something to keep 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 be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT schools offer some form of financial aid to their prospective students. Find out if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid department and find out what type of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any scholarships you may be eligible for. Some physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a school because the tuition is beyond your budget, find out what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the physical therapist school you ultimately select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Chesapeake Beach MD area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to carry. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Chesapeake Beach Maryland?

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

Chesapeake Beach, Maryland

Chesapeake Beach is a town in Calvert County, Maryland. Its major attractions include the Chesapeake Beach Railway Station, the Chesapeake Beach Rail Trail, a water park, marinas, piers, and charter boat fishing. The town's population was recorded as 5,753 in the 2010 census.

The city has grown out from the intersection of Fishing Creek and the Chesapeake Bay. The creek has been dredged to allow pleasure craft, commercial fisherman and a few small US Navy vessels to dock in the city.

The southern end of the city remains heavily wooded and is distinguished by the large sandstone cliffs called the Randle Cliffs. These cliffs, and others along the Western Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, tower as high as 180 feet above the water and are constantly eroding due to freeze/thaw and wave action. The debris from these cliffs has formed a number of shallow sand bars which makes navigation by boat near the cliffs very difficult and the water very shallow for hundreds of yards into the Bay.

Select the Right Physical Therapist School near Chesapeake Beach MD

Selecting the best physical therapist college is an important initial decision you have to make to launch a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and school you enroll in should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are other relevant questions that you should ask pertaining to your college of choice also. As you commence your search for a physical therapist college, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You might want to go to different colleges to view their facilities and speak to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this school help me realize 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 best choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Chesapeake Beach MD.