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What is a per diem physical therapist and how to become one
A per diem physical therapist provides physical therapy services to patients on an as-needed basis, often filling in for full-time staff during absences or high-volume periods. They work on a temporary or part-time basis, without a long-term contract. A per diem physical therapist assesses patients, creates treatment plans, and administers physical therapy to help patients improve mobility, manage pain, and regain strength. They may work in settings including hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, and nursing homes.
What general advice would you give to a per diem physical therapist?
Dr. Todd Roach D.C.
Assistant Professor of Biology, Aurora University
Avg. Salary $74,590
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 17%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.47%
Asian 11.27%
Black or African American 3.95%
Hispanic or Latino 7.87%
Unknown 3.79%
White 72.64%
Genderfemale 69.80%
male 30.20%
Age - 40American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 40Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a per diem physical therapist?
Pros
Potential for higher hourly pay
Exposure to different patient populations and diagnoses
Ability to choose which shifts to work
No long-term commitments to a specific facility
Ability to gain exposure to various treatment techniques and modalities
Cons
Lack of job security
Difficulty in maintaining consistent patient caseloads
No health benefits or paid time off
May have to travel farther distances for work
Potential for less stable income due to inconsistent hours worked
Per diem physical therapist career paths
Key steps to become a per diem physical therapist
Explore per diem physical therapist education requirements
Start to develop specific per diem physical therapist skills
Skills Percentages Patients 25.50% Rehabilitation 16.12% Per Diem 13.84% Home Health 10.29% Treatment Programs 6.00% Complete relevant per diem physical therapist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New per diem physical therapists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a per diem physical therapist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real per diem physical therapist resumes.Research per diem physical therapist duties and responsibilities
- Achieve high level of patients satisfaction due to sound clinical management, quality of care and compassion.
- Help patients adapt to the use of braces, canes, crutches and prosthetic/orthotic devices as needed.
- Assist patients to adapt to the use of wheelchairs, braces, canes, crutches and prosthetic/orthotic devises.
- Provide patient care in a SNF setting with the primary emphasis on transitioning patients from hospital to home.
Prepare your per diem physical therapist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your per diem physical therapist resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a per diem physical therapist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable per diem physical therapist resume templates
Build a professional per diem physical therapist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your per diem physical therapist resume.
Apply for per diem physical therapist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a per diem physical therapist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first per diem physical therapist job
Are you a per diem physical therapist?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average per diem physical therapist salary
The average per diem physical therapist salary in the United States is $74,590 per year or $36 per hour. Per diem physical therapist salaries range between $51,000 and $108,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do per diem physical therapists rate their job?
Updated January 8, 2025
