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Physical therapy internship skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted experts
Ozan Atalağ Ph.D.,
Ozan Atalağ Ph.D.
Physical therapy internship example skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical physical therapy internship skills. We ranked the top skills for physical therapy interns based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 40.1% of physical therapy internship resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a physical therapy internship needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 physical therapy internship skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how physical therapy interns use patients:
  • Provide individualized care and rehab to patients with neurological, orthopedic, and generalized diagnosis.
  • Learned patient communication skills, insurance verification of patients, exercise therapies, athletic training skills

2. Physical Therapy Assistants

Here's how physical therapy interns use physical therapy assistants:
  • Determined necessity of physical therapy services and delegated patient care to physical therapy assistants when appropriate.
  • Collaborated with occupational therapy, physical therapy assistants, and nursing to provide comprehensive care.

3. Rehabilitation

Here's how physical therapy interns use rehabilitation:
  • Observed and participated in the rehabilitation of 6-8 patients daily in this skilled nursing facility with supervision of a licensed physical therapist
  • Engaged in effective orthopedic outpatient rehabilitation services, focusing on a variety of different diagnoses, but mostly issues involving back pain

4. Ultrasound

Ultrasound refers to an imaging method that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of structures within your body.

Here's how physical therapy interns use ultrasound:
  • Operated ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and mechanical retraction.
  • Utilized physical agents focusing on ultrasound and electrical stimulation.

5. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how physical therapy interns use patient care:
  • Accommodate therapist with patient intake* Directed patient care and therapy instructions* Learned proper therapy techniques and guidelines for administration
  • Corresponded with medical doctors and orthopedic surgeons for enhanced patient care and provide updates on functional capability.

6. Occupational Therapy

Here's how physical therapy interns use occupational therapy:
  • Observed musical and occupational therapy sessions and wheelchair fitting sessions for children with complex orthopedic and neurological conditions.
  • Observed occupational therapy and speech therapy for enhanced ability to detect need for referral to additional therapy services.

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7. Acute Care

The branch of secondary healthcare which is responsible for giving short-term care to patients recovering from severe injuries or urgent medical problems is known as acute care. Acute care comprises multiple domains like; emergency care, urgent care, short-term stabilization, pre-hospital care, critical care, and trauma care.

Here's how physical therapy interns use acute care:
  • Participated in evaluation and individual treatment in an acute care program.
  • Weekend inpatient coverage for acute care

8. Gait Training

Here's how physical therapy interns use gait training:
  • Performed prosthetic gait training as well as prosthesis modification.
  • Assisted patients perform different therapeutic exercise and gait training.

9. In-Service

Here's how physical therapy interns use in-service:
  • Reviewed the current literature regarding Body Weight Support Systems and presented an in-service regarding its use with particular patient populations.
  • Prepared and presented 30-minute in-service to fellow clinicians on examination and management of individuals with altered mental status.

10. Surgery

Here's how physical therapy interns use surgery:
  • Motivated patients to participate in treatment sessions by educating them on the benefits of early mobility following cardiac and thoracic surgery.
  • Lead preoperative information sessions for patients scheduled to have joint replacement surgery.

11. Traumatic Brain Injury

Here's how physical therapy interns use traumatic brain injury:
  • Focused on patients with traumatic brain injury and stroke during an eight-week, full-time experience in a sub-acute setting.
  • Rehabilitated patients suffering from neurological disorders such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury.

12. Therapeutic Exercises

Patients who have experienced physical injuries through accidents or medical conditions are assigned therapeutic activities to regain their physical health and body functions. E.g., If a person has had knee injuries, the therapist will suggest specific knee exercises to bring the knee back to normal. These exercises can be as simple as walking, stretching, lifting, or balancing.

Here's how physical therapy interns use therapeutic exercises:
  • Administered active and passive manual therapeutic exercises and massages.
  • Developed and implemented plan of care and therapeutic exercises.

13. Electrical Stimulation

Electrical stimulation, also known as ESTIM, is a painless procedure that a physical therapy technician facilitates in order to help patients recover faster from different injuries, stroke, and any soft tissue conditions. This kind of physical treatment sends electric pulses into a patient's body to mimic signals from the nervous system, helping train the muscles to perform actions and relieve pain in the process. Electrical stimulation is widely used in many rehabilitation programs all over the world.

Here's how physical therapy interns use electrical stimulation:
  • Planned and administered treatment interventions encompassing active and passive range of motion, muscle re-education, massage and heat/electrical stimulation.
  • Provided exercise instruction using therapeutic methods like electrical stimulation.

14. ICU

ICU means intensive care units. It also has a name known as the critical care unit or intensive therapy unit. The ICU handles patients experiencing acute diseases or severe injuries that need specialized treatment procedures by specific professionals.

Here's how physical therapy interns use icu:
  • Provided therapeutic interventions for orthopedic, cardiac, neurological and ICU patients.
  • Experienced ICU and psychiatric department procedures

15. Traction

Here's how physical therapy interns use traction:
  • Assisted in putting patients on and off of 2 war traction machines and the decompression machine.
  • Learned the mechanics of the physical therapy machines including traction and STEM.
top-skills

What skills help Physical Therapy Interns find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on physical therapy internship resumes?

Ozan Atalağ Ph.D.

Associate Professor, and Chair Kinesiology & Exercise Science, University of Hawai'i at Hilo

Experience in the field takes the first place by far. Whether it be shadowing a coach, a personal trainer, a physical therapist, or joining a research team as a research assistant, collecting data (or being a subject in a study even), or doing practicums. Hands-on, real-life experience is the most important skill in an exercise science/Kinesiology-related resume.

What hard/technical skills are most important for physical therapy internships?

Ozan Atalağ Ph.D.

Associate Professor, and Chair Kinesiology & Exercise Science, University of Hawai'i at Hilo

Having certifications from respected institutions can make a big difference as the competition for positions gets fiercer every day with the increasing number of people. However, hard skills are arguably less important than soft skills, depending on the profession one chooses within the exercise science field. Skills such as being analytical and being able to think critically when designing training/therapy programs or being able to conduct measurements/ assessments or testing sessions can be considered essential.

What soft skills should all physical therapy internships possess?

Jan Kretzschmar

Professor, King's College

The ability to empathize with patients and make them feel special.

What physical therapy internship skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Christie , M. González-Toro Ph.D.Christie , M. González-Toro Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Assistant Professor, Manhattan College

Opting for a gap year is a choice that can be taken into consideration but should be carefully analyzed from different perspectives. Input from a professor, family member, counselor, or friend can be helpful. One benefit from taking a gap year is that the graduate can gain life experiences and professional growth by becoming active in the field. A disadvantage can be that the graduate can lose momentum or motivation to achieve previously established goals.

It will be a good opportunity for the graduate to explore career paths such as teaching and coaching in public or private elementary, middle, and high schools, fitness facilities, athletic programs, municipal recreation, camp settings, boys and girls clubs, and community programs. Some of these career options require additional licenses or certifications; graduates can work toward the completion of these requirements. Additionally, the graduate can explore and apply to different graduate programs, study and take any entrance exams, and work on any graduate program requirements.

What type of skills will young physical therapy internships need?

Dr. Ryan Conners Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, The University of Alabama in Huntsville

I believe that young graduates are going to need to be able to adapt and modify the way they currently operate and market in the field of Kinesiology moving forward. As federal and state mandates occur, young graduates are going to have to rely more on technology in the field of Kinesiology because of social distancing and business closures. Graduates are going to have to use email, online platforms, and social media to communicate with their clients/athletes and to be run a successful business. Students in the field of Kinesiology are taught the importance of sanitation, proper cleaning, and using personal protective equipment when necessary. These skills will be even more important in the workforce, as a result of COVID-19.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about physical therapy internship

List of physical therapy internship skills to add to your resume

Physical therapy internship skills

The most important skills for a physical therapy internship resume and required skills for a physical therapy internship to have include:

  • Patients
  • Physical Therapy Assistants
  • Rehabilitation
  • Ultrasound
  • Patient Care
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Acute Care
  • Gait Training
  • In-Service
  • Surgery
  • Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Therapeutic Exercises
  • Electrical Stimulation
  • ICU
  • Traction
  • CVA
  • Patient Education
  • Treatment Sessions
  • Discharge Planning
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Therapy Sessions
  • Functional Mobility
  • Patient Treatment
  • Physical Therapy
  • Outpatient Clinic
  • Cervical
  • Assistive Devices
  • Joint Mobilization
  • Chronic Pain
  • Patient Evaluations
  • Vital Signs
  • Treatment Programs
  • Cold Packs
  • Physical Therapy Treatment
  • Therapeutic Modalities
  • Bed Mobility
  • Discharge Summaries
  • Patient Charts
  • CI
  • Therapy Equipment
  • Direct Supervision
  • Rehabilitation Exercises
  • Individual Treatment
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • ROM
  • Cryotherapy
  • NDT
  • Sports Injuries
  • DPT

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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