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Physical therapy internship vs director of physical therapy

The differences between physical therapy interns and directors of physical therapy can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a director of physical therapy has an average salary of $107,759, which is higher than the $71,624 average annual salary of a physical therapy internship.

The top three skills for a physical therapy internship include patients, physical therapy assistants and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a director of physical therapy are patients, rehabilitation, and physical therapy.

Physical therapy internship vs director of physical therapy overview

Physical Therapy InternshipDirector Of Physical Therapy
Yearly salary$71,624$107,759
Hourly rate$34.43$51.81
Growth rate17%17%
Number of jobs127,06465,423
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 77%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age4141
Years of experience--

What does a physical therapy internship do?

Physical therapist interns work with patients to determine and improve their function and movement. The interns assist in the rehabilitation process through body system development and storage. They promote the wellbeing and health of the patients through internship programs. Through the physical therapy internship, interns learn about nutrition, treatment, and the general rehabilitation procedure of patients. It also provides support not just for the patients but also with the staff.

What does a director of physical therapy do?

A Director of Physical Therapy manages physical therapy services through developing strategies, policies, and procedures for a hospital, clinic, managed care organization, or similar organization. They supervise and assess the activities of medical, nursing, technical, and other personnel.

Physical therapy internship vs director of physical therapy salary

Physical therapy interns and directors of physical therapy have different pay scales, as shown below.

Physical Therapy InternshipDirector Of Physical Therapy
Average salary$71,624$107,759
Salary rangeBetween $52,000 And $96,000Between $63,000 And $183,000
Highest paying CityPasadena, CAWalnut Creek, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaMassachusetts
Best paying companyOraclePrime Healthcare
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between physical therapy internship and director of physical therapy education

There are a few differences between a physical therapy internship and a director of physical therapy in terms of educational background:

Physical Therapy InternshipDirector Of Physical Therapy
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 77%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common majorKinesiologyPhysical Therapy
Most common collegeUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillDuke University

Physical therapy internship vs director of physical therapy demographics

Here are the differences between physical therapy interns' and directors of physical therapy' demographics:

Physical Therapy InternshipDirector Of Physical Therapy
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 42.6% Female, 57.4%Male, 43.5% Female, 56.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 14.7% White, 69.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 11.3% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage12%12%

Differences between physical therapy internship and director of physical therapy duties and responsibilities

Physical therapy internship example responsibilities.

  • Achieve high level of patients satisfaction due to sound clinical management, quality of care and compassion.
  • Monitor vital signs of all patients and devise physical therapy sessions commensurate with patient stability.
  • Evaluate and treat CVA and TBI patients in the inpatient setting.
  • Observe and assist in measuring patients for range of motion limitations following a CVA.
  • Perform evaluations and co-treatments with OT's and delegate treatment plans to PTA's.
  • Assist in putting patients on and off of 2 war traction machines and the decompression machine.
    • Show more

Director of physical therapy example responsibilities.

  • Develop department budgets and manage QA adherence.
  • Manage PPS details efficiently to ensure high quality clinical care while maximizing reimbursement for the facility.
  • Attend all daily meetings including stand up, IDT, PPS, and direct and lead weekly rehab meetings.
  • Develop and improve the documentation system with the use of early EMR documentation software.
  • Direct the provision of patient care, clinical duties, and development of COTA.
  • Provide OT treatment for high volume caseloads in rehab, outpatient, SNF, and acute settings.
    • Show more

Physical therapy internship vs director of physical therapy skills

Common physical therapy internship skills
  • Patients, 40%
  • Physical Therapy Assistants, 12%
  • Rehabilitation, 7%
  • Ultrasound, 4%
  • Patient Care, 3%
  • Occupational Therapy, 2%
Common director of physical therapy skills
  • Patients, 39%
  • Rehabilitation, 17%
  • Physical Therapy, 6%
  • Treatment Programs, 5%
  • Occupational Therapy, 5%
  • Outpatient Clinic, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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