Physical therapy internship vs physical therapist

The differences between physical therapy interns and physical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a physical therapist has an average salary of $73,070, 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 physical therapist are patients, rehabilitation, and home health.

Physical therapy internship vs physical therapist overview

	Physical Therapy Internship	Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$71,624	$73,070
Hourly rate	$34.43	$35.13
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	127,064	86,697
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 77%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	41	41
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 physical therapist do?

Physical therapists are health care professionals who diagnose and treat patients with health conditions and limited ability to move and perform daily activities. They help in restoring physical function and mobility and teach how to properly use therapeutic exercise techniques. They also help promote overall wellness and encourage healthier and more active lifestyles. They design a recovery plan unique for every patient, provide treatment and therapy to help improve and manage their condition. They provide care to all kinds of individuals, from newborns to people at the end of their life.

Physical therapy internship vs physical therapist salary

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

	Physical Therapy Internship	Physical Therapist
Average salary	$71,624	$73,070
Salary range	Between $52,000 And $96,000	Between $56,000 And $94,000
Highest paying City	Pasadena, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Oracle	Parkway
Best paying industry	Health Care	Professional

Differences between physical therapy internship and physical therapist education

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

	Physical Therapy Internship	Physical Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 77%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Kinesiology	Physical Therapy
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Duke University

Physical therapy internship vs physical therapist demographics

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

	Physical Therapy Internship	Physical Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4%	Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7%
Race ratio	Black 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, 3.7% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 14.3% White, 70.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between physical therapy internship and physical therapist 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.

Physical therapist example responsibilities.

Conduct in-services and train colleagues in effective techniques for safely managing the CVA patient.
Achieve high level of patients satisfaction due to sound clinical management, quality of care and compassion.
Perform physical therapy evaluation and treatment of orthopedic patients and supervise PTAs.
Progress patients' functional mobility during treatment sessions by modifying task, intensity, and adaptive equipment utilize.
Motivate patients to participate in treatment sessions by educating them on the benefits of early mobility following cardiac and thoracic surgery.
Experience include IFSP and IEP writing and implementation

Physical therapy internship vs physical therapist skills

Common physical therapy internship skills

Patients, 40%
Physical Therapy Assistants, 12%
Rehabilitation, 7%
Ultrasound, 4%
Patient Care, 3%
Occupational Therapy, 2%

Common physical therapist skills

Patients, 30%
Rehabilitation, 15%
Home Health, 13%
Quality Care, 5%
Physical Therapy, 3%
Treatment Programs, 3%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Physical Therapy Internship
Physical Therapy Internship vs Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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