How to hire an outpatient physical therapist assistant

How to hire an outpatient physical therapist assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step outpatient physical therapist assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an outpatient physical therapist assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new outpatient physical therapist assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your outpatient physical therapist assistant job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an outpatient physical therapist assistant for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an outpatient physical therapist assistant to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an outpatient physical therapist assistant that fits the bill.

   This list presents outpatient physical therapist assistant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Outpatient Physical Therapist Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Outpatient Physical Therapist Assistant	Physical therapist assistants, sometimes called PTAs, and physical therapist aides work under the direction and supervision of physical therapists. They help patients who are recovering from injuries and illnesses regain movement and manage pain.	$19-34
   Rehabilitation Aide	A rehabilitation aide is responsible for assisting patients with injuries, mental disorders, and illnesses in their treatment plans and medications. Rehabilitation aides monitor the patients' progress and update attending physicians regarding their conditions... Show more	$10-16
   Rehab Technician	A rehab technician's role is to assist physical therapists and patients in a hospital or similar facility. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around gathering a patient's personal information and medical history, escorting them to corresponding rooms, and conducting initial tests and assessments... Show more	$10-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Rehabilitation
   • PTA
   • Home Health
   • Physical Therapy
   • Quality Patient Care
   • Treatment Programs
   • Outpatient Clinic
   • Patient Treatment
   • Traction
   • Physical Therapy Treatment
   • Body Mechanics
   • Therapeutic Exercises
   • Discharge Planning

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage a diverse caseload including, but not limit to CVA's, cardiac care, Alzheimer's and sub acute orthopedics
   • Work as PTA in outpatient clinic and home health.
   • Work as PTA as part of team to execute proper care of body mechanics and safety of patient.
   • Prepare garments and accessories for processing through ALM's for contamination detection.
   • Focus on spinal cord injuries, strokes, orthopedic, dementia, functional training in ADL's.
   • Perform maintenance on various types of wheelchair, walkers, and physical therapy equipment requiring repair and/or modification.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your outpatient physical therapist assistant job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An outpatient physical therapist assistant can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, outpatient physical therapist assistants' average salary in oklahoma is 35% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level outpatient physical therapist assistants 44% less than senior-level outpatient physical therapist assistants.
   • Certifications. An outpatient physical therapist assistant with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an outpatient physical therapist assistant's salary.

   Average outpatient physical therapist assistant salary

   $54,009yearly

   $25.97 hourly rate

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   Entry-level outpatient physical therapist assistant salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

4. Writing an outpatient physical therapist assistant job description

   A good outpatient physical therapist assistant job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an outpatient physical therapist assistant job description:

   Outpatient physical therapist assistant job description example

   Physical Therapist Assistant - Outpatient Orthopedic Rehab - (220001U5) Description Facility Profile
   
   TGH is the area's only level I trauma center and one of just two ABA-verified adult & pediatric burn centers in Florida. With five medical helicopters*, we transport critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. The hospital is home to one of the busiest solid organ transplant centers in the country. TGH is a nationally designated comprehensive stroke center, and has a 32-bed Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit. Other outstanding centers include cardiovascular, orthopedics, high-risk and normal obstetrics, urology, ENT, endocrinology, and the Children's Medical Center, which features a nine-bed pediatric intensive care unit and pediatric kidney transplant services. As the region's leading safety net hospital, Tampa General is committed to providing area residents with world-class and compassionate health care ranging from the simplest to the most complex medical services.Tampa General Hospital was named the #1 hospital in Tampa Bay by U.S. News & World Report, 2019-2020, and recognized as one of America's Best Hospital's in five medical specialties: Diabetes & Endocrinology, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Nephrology, Orthopedics, and Urology. Tampa General Hospital has been designated a Magnet Hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the highest recognition for nursing excellence, for the fourth consecutive time - an accomplishment that fewer than one percent of hospitals nationwide have earned. TGH is accredited by The Joint Commission and was awarded disease-specific certification in five medical specialties. TGH is also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
   
   Department Profile
   
   TGH rehabilitation services are provided on the main hospital campus, Inpatient Rehabilitation (IP Rehab) Center and numerous on- and off-campus Outpatient Rehabilitation Clinics. The services include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathology, rehabilitation nursing, recreational therapy and Ortho Tech / Orthotics/ Prosthetics services. Psychologist, Neuropsychologist and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM& R) physicians are also primary partners of the rehabilitation team. A team of these professionals provides daily services to more than 450 patients in the hospital. Patients may have a variety of diagnoses including but not limited to, stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, orthopedic injuries, transplants, burns, chronic pain, as well as numerous cardiac and neurology-related conditions. The TGH IP Rehab Center, a nationally CARF-accredited 59-bed acute rehabilitation unit, serves almost 1000 patients annually. The aim of rehabilitation services in this setting is to increase the functional independence of our patients, whether it is an activity as simple as brushing their teeth, swallowing food, or walking; or as complex as balancing a check book, climbing stairs, or driving. A specialized team of rehabilitation professionals provides similar rehabilitation services to our pediatric patients in new born nursery, NICU, Pediatric ICUs as well as the Progressive Pediatric nursing unit. The pediatric rehab professionals also provide similar state-of-the-art, evidence-based services to our pediatric outpatients. Our Psychology & Neuropsychology team members also offer their professional services to the outpatients in the community. The PM & R physicians see rehabilitation patients for follow up in the Rehabilitation Medical Clinics (RMC), which also house physician offices for other specialties like neurologic pain, burn, epilepsy and sleep disorders.
   
   Job Summary
   Under general supervision of the Physical Therapist and according to established policies and procedures, assists in providing Physical Therapy services, including but not limited to the implementation of treatment based on the plans and goals established by the Therapists. Also responsible for performing job duties in accordance with the mission, vision and values of Tampa General Hospital.
   Qualifications Education: Graduate of an accredited Associate program for Physical Therapy Assistants.Licensure/Registration: Licensure or eligibility for licensure by the state of Florida.
   
   Primary Location: TampaWork Locations: TGH Main Campus 1 Tampa General Circle Tampa 33606Job: Rehabilitative ServicesOrganization: TGH - HospitalSchedule: Full-time Scheduled Days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, FridayShift: Day JobShift Hours: 9:00am - 6:00pmJob Posting: May 31, 2022, 11:20:13 AM

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right outpatient physical therapist assistant for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your outpatient physical therapist assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit outpatient physical therapist assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit outpatient physical therapist assistants, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new outpatient physical therapist assistant

   Once you've selected the best outpatient physical therapist assistant candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new outpatient physical therapist assistant. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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