Physical Therapist Assistant Interview Questions & Answers


A Physical Therapist Assistant works under the supervision of Physical Therapists to help patients who are recovering from an injury or illness.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Physical Therapist Assistant or an employer preparing to interview candidates for Physical Therapist Assistant position, these Physical Therapist Assistant interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.

Physical Therapist Assistant Interview Questions

Below are a list of some skill-based Physical Therapist Assistant interview questions.

  1. How do you assess a patient’s condition? How do you track progress?
  2. Describe some of your most challenging cases. What therapies did you use?
  3. What case management software are you familiar with?
  4. What kind of equipment do you have experience working with?
  5. What has been your most difficult situation in your experience as a Physical Therapist Assistant and how did you handle it?
  6. How do you motivate patients? How do you deal with patients who refuse to cooperate?
  7. What was the most memorable patient you ever worked with?
  8. How do you resolve disagreements with Doctors/Physical Therapists?
  9. If a patient was struggling with a particular exercise, how would you approach the situation?
  10. What would you do if you noticed a coworker was not following proper safety procedures?
  11. Do you have any experience working with children?
  12. When is it appropriate to refer a patient to a physician?
  13. How do you plan, organize and prioritize your work?
  14. Describe your therapy philosophy.
  15. Describe your approach when meeting new patients.
  16. Describe your experience with billing and insurance processing.
  17. How often do you think a patient should come in for physical therapy sessions?
  18. Have you ever needed to work with a patient living with dementia or other mental health disorder?
  19. Have you ever needed to travel to a patient's home to perform your duties as a Physical Therapist Assistant?
  20. How do you ensure compliance with laws and regulations?
  21. How do you ensure compliance with company policies?
  22. How do you communicate with caregivers?
  23. How do you keep caregivers engaged?
  24. Are you comfortable working with all age groups?
  25. How do you set expectations for family members/caregivers and provide status updates? How do you keep them engaged throughout recovery?
  26. How would you describe the role of a physical therapy assistant in relation to a physical therapist?
  27. What is your experience with providing hands-on care to patients?
  28. Provide an example of a time when you had to help a patient with a challenging personality.

Physical Therapist Assistant Interview Questions and Answers

Every interview is different and the questions may vary. However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.

Below are some common questions you'd expect during Physical Therapist Assistant interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.

  1. Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
  2. What is Your Greatest Strength?
  3. Tell Me About Yourself
  4. Why Do You Want This Job?
  5. Are You a Leader or a Follower?
  6. What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?
  7. What is Your Salary Expectation?
  8. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
  9. Why Should We Hire You?
  10. What is Your Greatest Weakness?