Physical therapy internship vs registered physical therapist

The differences between physical therapy interns and registered physical therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a registered physical therapist has an average salary of $72,910, 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 registered physical therapist are patients, respiratory care, and healthcare.

Physical therapy internship vs registered physical therapist overview

	Physical Therapy Internship	Registered Physical Therapist
Yearly salary	$71,624	$72,910
Hourly rate	$34.43	$35.05
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	127,064	85,771
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 registered physical therapist do?

A registered physical therapist restores a patient's function, alleviates pain, and prevents disabilities by planning and administering medically prescribed physical therapy. Their main job is to diagnose and treat patients who have health conditions that limit their ability to move and perform everyday activities. Their responsibilities include consulting with patients to learn and understand their physical conditions and administering massages to help in the healing process.

Physical therapy internship vs registered physical therapist salary

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

	Physical Therapy Internship	Registered Physical Therapist
Average salary	$71,624	$72,910
Salary range	Between $52,000 And $96,000	Between $49,000 And $107,000
Highest paying City	Pasadena, CA	Richmond, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Oracle	Functional Pathways
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between physical therapy internship and registered physical therapist education

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

	Physical Therapy Internship	Registered 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 registered physical therapist demographics

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

	Physical Therapy Internship	Registered Physical Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4%	Male, 33.8% Female, 66.2%
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, 3.6% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.3% Asian, 15.0% White, 69.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between physical therapy internship and registered 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.

Registered physical therapist example responsibilities.

Manage rehabilitation department and coordinate the rehabilitation program to the facility.
Excel in ability to customize/adapt conventional physical therapy techniques to meet the specific needs of patients.
Place orders for appropriate assistive devices, orthotics and prosthetics as per patient need.
Administer rehabilitation therapies, which improve patient's mobility and movement.
Operate and supervise oscillating traction for patients depending on insurance qualification.
Evaluate patients and work closely with other clinicians for determining need for and obtaining specialize equipment and/or orthotic devices.

Physical therapy internship vs registered 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 registered physical therapist skills

Patients, 47%
Respiratory Care, 12%
Healthcare, 8%
PTA, 7%
Rehabilitation, 6%
Home Health, 6%

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Physical Therapy Internship
Physical Therapy Internship vs Registered Physical Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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