If you are applying for a position as a physical therapist, you should focus on your preferred methods and specific training during your interview. The following physical therapist interview questions and answers will help you prioritize and appear more confident.
What Do You Enjoy the Most about Your Career? The Least?
With this question, your interviewer hopes to learn more about how well you will fit in with the company or facility that provides a service to patients. A great answer would sound like “I enjoy helping people and teaching them how to help themselves despite injuries or disabilities the most. However, I dislike the notion that physical therapy is something that we ‘do to’ patients. Those patients who take an active role in their therapy are more likely to succeed; those who do not often experience a worsening of their condition or seek litigation.” This shows that you are not afraid to speak out about the issues that concern you.
Which Equipment Will You Use Most Often?
As a physical therapist, you will use your hands more than any other equipment. Despite this, there are some things with which you should be familiar in order to be desirable to your potential employer. You should answer with something like “Although my hands are the best and most proficient equipment available to me, I can also use ultrasound and electrical stimulation machines with precision. I am also knowledgeable about how things like balls, bands and other devices can be of use.” This shows that while you understand the fundamentals of your job, you are also comfortable using the various tools at your disposal—and that you can do so correctly.
Which Physical and Personal Qualities Do You Possess?
Your job as a physical therapist can be very challenging both physically and mentally. Your employer will want to know that you are capable of handling these stresses, so your answer should be methodical and honest. “I understand that I will be responsible for lifting upwards of 50 pounds repeatedly on a day to day basis and that much of my day will be spent on my feet. I am compassionate and patient, but I am also determined so I strive to motivate my patients with positive reinforcement” is one of the best answers you can give.
What Special Traits Will You Bring to the PT Department?
Here, your interviewer is hoping to learn the things about you that may bring a new perspective to the department or facility. Although you may be fresh out of school, your knowledge can help to enlighten everyone. You should answer with something similar to “During my training, I learned that listening to patients very carefully is one of the most important traits a physical therapist can learn. Doing so can help us learn our patients’ physical limitations and create better therapy programs for them.”
A physical therapist’s career is one that can be very exciting, particularly since no two cases are ever the same. Excelling at your interview will prove to your potential employer that you have what it takes to help patients, be successful and maintain a good working relationship with your coworkers as well as your superiors.
