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

How to Find the Right Physical Therapy College near Lisbon 21765

Lisbon MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Earning a physical therapist degree near Lisbon MD is an essential first step to starting a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help individuals 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 must receive the necessary education and training. A PT must additionally be licensed in all states, a large number mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So before selecting a physical therapy school, it’s important to evaluate those you are considering to make certain they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing requirements. What you should not do is enroll in a school just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other relevant qualifications that need to be considered along with location and cost. But before we discuss 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 is a Physical Therapist?

Lisbon MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists practice in varying settings, including Lisbon MD private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and health clubs. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier touched on, physical therapists help patients that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain caused by illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to prevent any progression of the disability. While the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close partnerships with other Lisbon MD medical professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They may also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work for them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to bear in mind for anyone thinking about going into the physical therapy field, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and stand, crouch and kneel for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapy Degrees Offered

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

Associate Degrees educate students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The degrees are usually offered by junior or community colleges, and require two years for completion. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prepare candidates to progress to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to practicing as a PT. As with the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take 4 years to finish and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a practicing licensed 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 overall commitment seven years in the majority of cases. Practical or clinical training is an important element along with the substantial classroom and lab instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer available in the USA. A number of practicing physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Online Programs

woman attending physical therapy school online in Lisbon MD While not as common as the more traditional alternatives, there are a number of accredited online physical therapy degrees available, even more at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are combined with the online classes. This necessitates that the student live near the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the course of study can be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Lisbon MD residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in many instances more economical. Tuition might be somewhat less than comparable on campus options, and costs for commuting are minimized. And a number 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 dedicated enough to learn at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Colleges

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, such as the kind of physical therapy degree you want to attain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to spend for your education. But since there are so many PT schools within the Lisbon MD area and across Maryland, you’ll have to research other qualifications also so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you want to make sure that you choose the program that is right for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the programs you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national 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 school, it can also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapy program and school you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with ensuring that you receive a quality education, accreditation might be required for state licensing as well as for securing 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 excellent reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are multiple ways you can look into a PT school’s reputation, starting with asking for references from employers that they place their graduates with. You may also search for online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Call several Lisbon MD physical therapist centers or other health care facilities that you might be interested in working for and ask if they can give you any recommendations about your program options. It may also be prudent to contact 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 relevant statistics that you should know about all of the physical therapist programs you are considering. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students dropped out due to displeasure with the program, the instructors, or both. Once the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the assistance of the college’s job placement program, particularly in the Lisbon MD area? If a program has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care field is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the program has a broad network of contacts to help students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose furnishes both excellent training and a curriculum that supports the licensing requirements 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) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist college. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, a number of states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental exams.

Are Internship Programs Provided? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are assessing have relationships with Lisbon MD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Internships are not only a terrific way to obtain hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are also a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist graduates and students establish professional connections in the Lisbon medical community and help with job placement after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit far in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Smaller classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy tech program also.

Where is the Program Located? For many students, the physical therapy college they decide on will have to be within driving distance of their Lisbon MD residence. Individuals who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Assistance Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial aid to their potential students. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have a financial assistance office and find out what type of help is offered. At a minimum they should help in acquiring a student loan or any grants you might qualify for. A number of physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others offer work programs. So before you eliminate a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, ask what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapy college you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Lisbon MD area, make certain that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would have to enroll in. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Lisbon Maryland?

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

Lisbon, Maryland

Lisbon is an unincorporated community located in western Howard County in the state of Maryland in the United States, located roughly between Baltimore and Frederick and north of Washington, D.C..[1] It is roughly one square mile. Lisbon is located along Interstate 70 and Maryland Route 144 and is home to the first roundabout in Maryland (opened in 1993).[2][3]

Lisbon is situated on a land grant patented by Seth Warfield in 1794 as "Warfield's Forest". The town was founded by Caleb Pancoast in 1810.[4] Named "New Lisbon", followed by a shortened "Lisbon" name.[5] In 1820, Pancoast deeded land for the Union Church for Public Worship which would become a schoolhouse with gravesites remaining in 1880. Pancoast subdivided the town in 1822 with one hundred lots of a quarter acre in size, including roads and alleys. By 1835, eight scheduled daily stagecoaches ran through town.[6] The town built the single room Annapolis Rock School in 1894, which served the area until 1943.[7]

The photograph is the National Road, looking east toward Baltimore. The road between the two houses runs north for 2 miles (3.2 km) to Woodbine, where the Patapsco River and the B&O Railroad cross the road. About one mile north of Lisbon exists the original road that ran from Baltimore to Frederick. This road runs west toward Poplar Springs and east toward Sykesville. The exact route of this road is not discernible at this time.

Enroll in the Ideal Physical Therapist Training Program near Lisbon MD

Selecting the right physical therapist school is an important first decision you need to make to begin a fulfilling career in the healthcare profession. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you select should both have excellent reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you start your search for a physical therapist school, bear in mind that a number of factors will lead you toward your ultimate decision. You may want to visit different schools to view their facilities and speak with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me realize 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 ideal selection. And with the proper training and education, you can accomplish your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Lisbon MD.