Physical Therapist

Physical Therapist qualifications to look for 

Physical therapists (PTs) are health care professionals who diagnose and treat patients with medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives.

Your top hire will have a graduate degree, an accredited PT certification, proof that they’ve passed their National Physical Therapy Examination, and a license for the state where they intend to practice.

Look for candidates who interact well with patients, and who think critically about their patient care plans. You also want a PT who keeps up to date with current medical findings and is constantly striving to better themselves in their practice. 

📌Don’t forget: Check local legislation as licensure requirements vary per location and job description. 

Keep an eye out for candidates who are:

• Critical thinkers  
• Strong communicators
• Detail-oriented
• Compassionate
• Observant
• Empathetic
  

Top tip: Hire candidates willing to grow by making sure their personal career goals align with your company's mission.

Physical Therapist interview questions

• What led you to pursue physical therapy as a career? What do you find most rewarding about this work? 
• What are your special interests in physical therapy, if any? Do you enjoy working with a specific population? 
• Talk about your experience with long-term care and the type of patients you provided it for. 
• Describe a typical day at your current/previous job. How many patients did you see and how hands-on were you? 
• What are some of the challenges of working with geriatric patients? What is also rewarding about it? 
• How do you handle movement disorders? What are some key considerations you make? 
• What would you do if one of your patients suddenly became agitated and aggressive? How do you calm them? 
• What would you do if one of your patients started refusing to work with you? How do you approach the situation? 
• How do you comfort patients who are fearful of the treatment plan? 
• What would you do if a colleague wasn’t upholding treatment standards? 
• What would you consider an inappropriate interaction with a patient? How do you handle it if you see it happening?  
• Recall a time you worked with a difficult case. How would you handle it?
• What’s stressful about being a physical therapist? What are some measures you take to handle stress?
• How would you handle a patient post-surgery? 
• How would you handle a patient with a diagnosis you haven’t worked with previously?
• Describe a situation where you felt you delivered excellent patient care. What was the outcome?