Finding the school physical therapist who best fits your culture, your students’ needs, your educational goals and your budget is never an easy task. But when you are looking for the very best physical therapy talent in Illinois and Texas, there are certain characteristics that stand out and set some PTs ahead of their peers.

Which Skills Should Your School PTs Have?

• Time Management – Because school PTs may have a varying caseload, or have to visit multiple schools a day, and treat different degrees and levels of physical therapy needs, being able to manage time is a critical skill. Knowing where and when you need to be somewhere, and making sure your students still get your full attention in the moment, can set a skilled PT apart.
• Communication – Not all students are open and easy to communicate with. And with so many fun and exciting classroom distractions, there are plenty of reasons for them totune out a teacher or therapist. Being able to cut through the noise and communicate clearly with students – as well as with parents and other admin and educational professionals – is a skill all school PTs need to master.
• Positivity – While positivity may not seem like a job skill, bringing it into a classroom every day certainly is.There are difficult days and frustrating days, but a skilled PT is able to keep the negativity (whether it comes from life outside the classroom or from a challenging moment with a student) from affecting their overall job performance is a mark of a truly good physical therapist.
• Credentialed – Making sure any new PT has all the necessary credentials is par for the course, but standout PTs can put in the time and energy to achieve extra credits, trainings, or certifications to make sure they are at the very top of their discipline and can do the absolute most for the students in their care.
• Compassion – Perhaps the most important skill for all school physical therapists is compassion. Students may be scared or anxious about their treatments, reluctant to learn or try, or even difficult to work with. Having compassion towards them helps not only improve the outcome of their physical therapy, but alsocan help assess their true concerns, questions, and issues – and get closer to building a foundation of trust and understanding that improves their quality of life inside and out of the classroom.

Looking to Hire a School Physical Therapist?

If your school or district is looking to hire a physical therapist (or a social worker, speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, or special education teacher), the team of expert recruiters at Spotter Staffing can help! Click here for a free staffing consultation today.