PTT EXTERNSHIP GUIDE
Physical Therapy Technician Externship in Delaware
Your complete guide to gaining hands-on clinical experience in Delaware. Work alongside licensed Physical Therapists at top rehabilitation facilities. Delaware has 250+ job openings with $34K average salary.
40-80
Hours Recommended
50+
PT Facilities
250+
DE Job Openings
$34K
Avg DE Salary
$0
Externship Cost
Why Get a PTT Externship?
A Physical Therapy Technician externship gives you real-world clinical experience that employers value. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical therapist aides earn a median salary of $35,330 nationally, with Delaware paying 2% below average at $34,680. Hands-on experience sets you apart from other candidates.
An externship helps you:
- ✓ Practice patient transfers, therapeutic exercises, and equipment operation in a real clinical environment
- ✓ Build professional references from licensed Physical Therapists and PTAs
- ✓ Discover which PT setting fits you best (inpatient rehab, outpatient clinic, sports medicine, SNF)
- ✓ Convert your externship into a job offer — many facilities hire their externs
- ✓ Gain confidence working with patients recovering from injuries, surgeries, and neurological conditions
New to physical therapy? EHired offers free training to prepare you for AMCA certification. An externship is optional but highly recommended for building clinical skills and professional connections.
⚠️ Important: EHired does NOT place, arrange, or supervise externships. You contact rehabilitation facilities and PT clinics directly to arrange your own placement. This self-managed approach gives you flexibility to choose sites near your home and build direct relationships with potential employers.
How to Find a PTT Externship in Delaware
Follow this step-by-step process to secure a clinical externship at a Delaware rehabilitation facility.
Identify Potential Sites
Look for facilities with PT departments:
- ✓ Outpatient PT clinics — Ivy Rehab Network, ATI, Athletico
- ✓ Rehabilitation hospitals — ChristianaCare
- ✓ Hospital PT departments — Bayhealth, Beebe Healthcare
- ✓ Sports medicine centers — Athletic training facilities, team clinics
- ✓ Skilled nursing facilities — Genesis, ManorCare, local SNFs
- ✓ Home health agencies — Bayada, Amedisys, LHC Group
Prepare Your Approach
Get ready before contacting sites:
- ✓ Update your resume — Include EHired training, any fitness/healthcare experience
- ✓ Prepare a pitch — "I'm completing PTT training and seeking hands-on clinical experience"
- ✓ Highlight relevant skills — Physical fitness, patient interaction, attention to detail
- ✓ Be flexible — Offer to work their schedule, early mornings or evenings
- ✓ Dress professionally — Scrubs or business casual for in-person visits
Make Contact
Reach out to PT facilities directly:
- ✓ Call first — Ask for the clinic manager or rehab director
- ✓ Visit in person — Drop off resume during non-peak hours (early AM or 2-4 PM)
- ✓ Email if provided — Brief, professional, attach resume
- ✓ Explain the arrangement — Unpaid, flexible hours, eager to learn PT skills
- ✓ Follow up — If no response in 1 week, call again politely
Complete Your Externship
Make the most of your experience:
- ✓ Arrive early — Show reliability and eagerness to learn
- ✓ Ask questions — PTs appreciate engaged learners
- ✓ Take initiative — Help with equipment setup, cleaning, patient prep
- ✓ Document your hours — Keep a log for your records
- ✓ Request feedback — Ask for a reference letter before you leave
PTT Externship Sites in Delaware
These healthcare systems and facilities have PT departments that may accept extern volunteers. Contact them directly to inquire about externship opportunities.
ChristianaCare
Top Employer📍 Newark/Wilmington
📞 302-733-1000
State's largest health system
View Opportunities →Bayhealth
Major System📍 Dover/Milford
📞 302-744-7001
Central/Southern Delaware
View Opportunities →Beebe Healthcare
Regional Leader📍 Lewes
📞 302-645-3300
Beach communities, seasonal variation
View Opportunities →Nemours Children's Health
Growing📍 Wilmington
📞 302-651-4000
Major pediatric system
View Opportunities →Ivy Rehab Network
Tuition Aid📍 Statewide
📞 Contact local
Growing outpatient presence
View Opportunities →ATI Physical Therapy
National Chain📍 Multiple locations
📞 Contact local clinic
National outpatient PT network with locations across the state
View Opportunities →🏃 Sports Medicine & Orthopedic
- • ATI Physical Therapy — National chain with local presence
- • Athletico Physical Therapy — Sports rehab focus
- • CORA Physical Therapy — Growing regional network
- • Pivot Physical Therapy — Orthopedic specialization
- • Local university athletics — College sports medicine
🏠 SNF & Home Health
- • Genesis Healthcare — Skilled nursing facilities statewide
- • Kindred Healthcare — Post-acute care and rehab
- • ManorCare/ProMedica — Rehabilitation and skilled nursing
- • Bayada Home Health — Home health PT services
- • Amedisys — Home health and hospice
Skills You'll Learn During Your PTT Externship
A clinical externship provides hands-on experience with core PT Tech competencies that classroom training alone cannot replicate.
Patient Mobility
Safe patient transfers, gait training assistance, wheelchair mobility, and use of assistive devices (walkers, canes, crutches).
Therapeutic Exercise
Setting up exercise equipment, assisting with stretching protocols, monitoring exercise form, and tracking repetitions.
Modality Application
Hot/cold pack application, ultrasound preparation, electrical stimulation setup, and paraffin bath treatments.
Equipment Management
Treatment table preparation, equipment maintenance, supply inventory, and ensuring clean treatment areas.
Documentation Support
Recording patient attendance, tracking exercise completion, scheduling follow-up appointments, and basic EHR navigation.
Patient Communication
Professional interaction with patients, explaining exercises, providing encouragement, and reporting concerns to supervising PT.
Delaware PT Tech Market
Delaware offers unique advantages for PT Technicians:
ChristianaCare's Dominance
In Delaware's small market, ChristianaCare is the 800-pound gorilla—operating the state's largest hospital, Level 1 trauma center, and extensive outpatient network. Roughly 40% of Delaware's PT professionals work for ChristianaCare, making it the de facto standard-setter for wages, benefits, and working conditions. For PT Techs, this concentration offers stability and career growth potential within one system, but limits alternatives if ChristianaCare isn't the right fit.
The Philadelphia Factor
Northern Delaware is functionally part of the Philadelphia metro area, and this geography shapes the PT job market. Delaware employers must compete with Philadelphia's massive healthcare systems for workers, which pushes wages above what the state's size would otherwise support. Many Delaware PT Techs live in lower-cost DE communities while working in higher-paying Philadelphia hospitals—a reverse commute pattern that offers the best of both markets.
| Region | Salary Range | Externship Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wilmington/Newark | $35K-$44K | Most jobs, Philly competition |
| Dover/Central DE | $32K-$40K | State capital, Bayhealth |
| Beach Communities | $33K-$42K | Seasonal variation, Beebe Healthcare |
| Delaware Region 4 | $32K-$40K | Local healthcare market |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about PTT externships in Delaware
How does Delaware's small size affect PT career options?
What's unique about PT opportunities at Delaware beaches?
Does Delaware's proximity to Philadelphia affect PT careers?
Is ChristianaCare a good employer for PT Techs?
What PTA programs are available in Delaware?
How many hours should a PTT externship be in Delaware?
Ready to Start Your PTT Career in Delaware?
Complete your free training with EHired, then secure an externship at one of Delaware's top rehabilitation facilities. Many externs convert their experience into full-time positions.