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

How to Pick a Physical Therapy Degree Program near Edgewater 21037

Edgewater MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Getting a physical therapist degree near Edgewater MD is a critical first step to beginning a fulfilling career in the health care industry. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals who have been incapacitated due to injury or illness gain back function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must also be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are considering to make sure they will supply a quality education and satisfy your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is select a school just because it happens to be the closest to your home or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that must be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we discuss what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Edgewater MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, including Edgewater MD hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for the diagnosis and rehabilitation treatment of patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After diagnosing a patient, they develop a course of treatment to address the mobility issues and reduce or eradicate any pain. They also strive to stop any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Strokes.
Cardiac arrest.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Burn injuries.
Hip Replacement.
Fibromyalgia.
Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Edgewater MD medical professionals, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They may also manage several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone considering going into the physical therapy field, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely 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

Edgewater MD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is available to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees concentrate on either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or readying them to progress to the doctoral level. Following are short explanations of degree levels that are offered in the Edgewater MD area:

Associate Degrees educate students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is typically part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are developed as pre-physical therapy education to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. While they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential preliminary step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to complete and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want 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 complete, making the overall investment of time 7 years in most cases. Clinical or practical training is an essential component in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer attainable in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Edgewater MD While not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs available, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on nature 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 an available internship. However, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Edgewater MD residence. 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 many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapy Programs

At this point you undoubtedly have come to decision concerning several of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to earn, 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 Edgewater MD area and throughout Maryland, you’ll have to research other qualifications as well in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to make certain that you choose the program that is best for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are reviewing. Ask each of the potential colleges these questions prior to making a final selection.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Ask if the programs 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 can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you choose are accredited, not simply the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with guaranteeing that you receive an excellent education, accreditation may be required for state licensing and even for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the school and program you choose have excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are a number of ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Get in touch with some Edgewater MD physical therapy clinics or other medical care facilities that you may have an interest in working for and ask if they can offer any insight about your school selections. It might also be a good idea to contact the Maryland Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the College’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two significant statistics that you should find out about each of the physical therapy schools you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean 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 help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Edgewater MD area? If a school has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even outstanding. It also confirms that the program has a wide network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you select furnishes both superior training and a course of study 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 school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Inquire if the physical therapy colleges you are evaluating have associations with Edgewater MD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific way to get hands on training in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help students and graduates develop professional connections in the Edgewater medical community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are researching what the average teacher to student 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 some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist school they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Edgewater MD residence. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. One thing to keep in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often 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 Assistance Offered? The majority of DPT colleges supply some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are considering have a financial assistance department and find out what kind of assistance is available. At a minimum they should help in getting a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. Some physical therapy schools provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial aid might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the physical therapy school you finally pick can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Edgewater 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 credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Edgewater Maryland?

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

Maryland Route 214

Maryland Route 214 (MD 214) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as Central Avenue, the highway runs 24.97 miles (40.19 km) from Southern Avenue and East Capitol Street at the District of Columbia boundary in Capitol Heights east to Beverley Beach. MD 214 connects the central Prince George's County suburbs of Capitol Heights, Seat Pleasant, Largo, and Bowie with the southern Anne Arundel County communities of Davidsonville and Edgewater and several beach villages along the Chesapeake Bay. The highway connects Interstate 95 and I-495 (Capital Beltway) to FedExField, Six Flags America, and several stations of the Washington Metro's Blue and Silver lines, which the route parallels between Capitol Heights and Largo.

MD 214 was constructed as part of three state highways. MD 214 proper was constructed in the mid-1910s from Washington to Largo and extended east to what is now U.S. Route 301 (US 301) through the 1920s. MD 254 was built from MD 2 in Edgewater west to Davidsonville in the early to mid-1920s. MD 253 was constructed from the modern end of the highway southeast to Beverley Beach between the mid-1920s and early 1930s. The gap between Bowie and Davidsonville was filled in the mid-1930s; MD 214 was extended east across a new Patuxent River bridge and took over MD 254's route to Edgewater. In the late 1940s, MD 214 was relocated through Edgewater and extended along most of MD 253 to Beverley Beach. The state highway was widened in Prince George's County in the 1930s and again in the 1950s, and from US 301 to MD 2 in the 1940s and again in the 1950s. MD 214 was expanded to a divided highway at US 301 in the late 1950s, at its interchange with the Capital Beltway in the mid-1960s, and when it bypassed Capitol Heights in the late 1960s. The two-lane gaps between those three segments were filled in the 1980s and 1990s.

MD 214 begins at East Capitol Street's intersection with Southern Avenue at the District of Columbia boundary in Capitol Heights. This junction is a short distance southwest of the eastern corner of Washington and adjacent to the Capitol Heights Metro station. MD 214 heads east as a six-lane divided highway along the northern edge of the town of Capitol Heights and crosses Henson Creek. The highway begins to follow the southern city limit of Seat Pleasant at its intersection with unsigned MD 332A, which provides full access to MD 332 (Central Avenue). MD 214's name changes to Central Avenue where the eastbound lane of MD 332 (Old Central Avenue) merges into eastbound MD 214. Just east of MD 332, the highway intersects Addison Road and passes the eponymous Metro station.[1][2]

Choose the Right Physical Therapist Training Program near Edgewater MD

Picking the best physical therapist program is an important initial decision you need to make to begin a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you decide on should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. But there are additional critical questions that you should ask regarding your school of choice also. As you begin your search for a physical therapist program, keep in mind that numerous variables will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to go to different schools to view their facilities and talk to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical 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 be able to narrow down the field so you can make the ideal choice. And with the proper education and training, you can accomplish your dream to become a practicing physical therapist in Edgewater MD.