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

How to Enroll In a Physical Therapist Degree Program near Owings 20736

Owings MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Owings MD is an important first step to launching a fulfilling career in the healthcare industry. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been debilitated as a result of illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must receive the appropriate training and education. A PT must additionally become licensed in all states, many requiring that the licensee earn a physical therapy degree from an accredited college. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s necessary to evaluate the ones you are looking at to ensure they will provide a quality education and comply with your state’s licensing requirements. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college just because it happens to be the closest to your residence or it has the lowest tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered along with 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 Do Physical Therapists Do?

Owings MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in a variety of settings, including Owings MD hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers 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 people that are suffering from a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they develop a program of treatment to deal with the mobility problems and lessen or eradicate any pain. They also try to stop any advancement of the disability. While the causes of disability requiring physical therapy are abundant, they include:

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

Licensed physical therapists practice in close affiliation with other Owings MD health specialists, including doctors, chiropractors, registered nurses and dentists. They can also supervise several physical therapy assistants who work under them in diagnosing and treating their patients. One thing to take note of for anyone considering entering the physical therapy profession, it is quite 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

Owings MD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are three physical therapist degree options offered for individuals to enroll in at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these choices, the only degree that is attainable to practice as a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees emphasize either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Below are short summaries of degree levels that are offered in the Owings MD area:

Associate Degrees train students to practice as physical therapy assistants, or may be used as a stepping stone to a more advanced degree. Applicants must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually made available by community colleges, and require two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually part of the course of study.
Bachelor’s Degrees are designed as pre-physical therapy training to ready candidates to advance to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an important first step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they typically require four years to finish and usually incorporate an internship program of a minimum of 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 overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal element along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Therefor the fulfillment of an internship is mandated, not only for graduation but in some 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 phased out and is no longer available in the USA. Some licensed physical therapists having a master’s or in some cases a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the current licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Owings MD While not as prevalent as the more traditional options, there are a number of accredited online physical therapist programs offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live close to the school campus or nearby an available internship. Fortunately, the online portion of the curriculum may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Owings MD residence. Online programs are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of instances more affordable. Tuition may be significantly less than comparable on campus alternatives, and expenditures for commuting are reduced. And many of the online programs are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online alternative the right choice for those students that are dedicated enough to learn at home.

Topics to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

At this point you most likely have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, such as the kind of physical therapist degree you intend to earn, where you want 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 Owings MD area and across Maryland, you’ll have to research other qualifications also in order to further narrow your list of school choices. Furthermore, you need to be sure that you enroll in the program that is best for you. That’s why we have collected a list of essential questions that you must ask the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. Ask each of the competing schools these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy Program Accredited? Find out if the colleges you are considering have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. 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 choose an online college, it can also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapy school and program you enroll in are accredited, not simply the school. Also, check that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting agency. In addition to guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation may be mandated for state licensing as well as for getting student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Ranking? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are multiple ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online rating services and reviews and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Call a few Owings MD physical therapist centers or other medical care facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your school selections. It may also be prudent to check with the Maryland Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the schools.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a two relevant statistics that you should know about each of the physical therapist schools you are looking at. One is their graduation rate. A low rate might mean that students dropped out because of dissatisfaction with the program, the instructors, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being hired with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Owings MD area? If a college has a high job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the health care field is good or perhaps excellent. It also verifies that the school has a wide network of contacts to assist students get internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the Program Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the school you choose furnishes both superior 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 therapy school. Although licensing requirements fluctuate 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 additional exams.

Are Internships Provided? Ask if the physical therapy programs you are evaluating have associations with Owings MD hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships a great way to get hands on training in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for the majority of PT programs and state licensing. As a supplemental benefit, they may assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Owings healthcare community and assist with job placement after licensing.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapist schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program as well.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapy college they select will have to be within commuting distance of their Owings MD home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges typically charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that don’t reside within their districts.

Is Financial Aid Provided? Most DPT colleges provide some form of financial support to their prospective students. Inquire if the colleges you are looking at have a financial aid office and see what kind of help is obtainable. They at least should help in securing a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. A number of physical therapy schools offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a college because the tuition is too expensive, find out what financial assistance may be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the physical therapy school you finally select can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the Owings 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, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Owings Maryland?

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

Owings Mills, Maryland

Owings Mills is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Baltimore. The population was 30,622 at the 2010 census.[1] Owings Mills is home to the northern terminus of the Baltimore Metro Subway, and previously housed the Owings Mills Mall until its closure in 2015.[2] It is also home to the Baltimore Ravens' headquarters facility. In 2008, CNNMoney.com named Owings Mills number 49 of the "100 Best Places to Live and Launch." [3]

As of the census[5] of 2010, there were 30,622 people and 12,525 households in the CDP. The population density was 3,189.8 people per square mile (1,229.8/km²). There were 13,282 housing units, at an average density of 1,383.5 per square mile (533.4/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 34.3% White, 51.0% African American, 0.3% Native American, 7.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 3.3% some other race, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.0% of the population.

There were 12,525 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.5% were headed by married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34, and the average family size was 3.01.

Choose the Ideal Physical Therapy Training Program near Owings MD

Deciding on the right physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you must make to launch a gratifying career in the medical field. As we have covered in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and college you pick should both have outstanding reputations and accreditation. But there are additional important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice also. As you start your search for a physical therapy school, bear in mind that a number of factors will guide you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to visit different colleges to see their facilities and talk to current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this college help me achieve my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will have the ability to narrow down the options so you can make the right choice. And with the necessary training and education, you can achieve your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Owings MD.