PTT EXTERNSHIP GUIDE
Physical Therapy Technician Externship in Massachusetts
Your complete guide to gaining hands-on clinical experience in Massachusetts. Work alongside licensed Physical Therapists at top rehabilitation facilities. Massachusetts has 1720+ job openings with $38K average salary.
40-80
Hours Recommended
172+
PT Facilities
1720+
MA Job Openings
$38K
Avg MA 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 Massachusetts paying 9% above average at $38,450. 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 Massachusetts
Follow this step-by-step process to secure a clinical externship at a Massachusetts rehabilitation facility.
Identify Potential Sites
Look for facilities with PT departments:
- ✓ Outpatient PT clinics — Spaulding Rehabilitation, ATI, Athletico
- ✓ Rehabilitation hospitals — Mass General Brigham
- ✓ Hospital PT departments — Beth Israel Lahey Health, UMass Memorial Health
- ✓ 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 Massachusetts
These healthcare systems and facilities have PT departments that may accept extern volunteers. Contact them directly to inquire about externship opportunities.
Mass General Brigham
Top Employer📍 Boston
📞 617-726-2000
Harvard-affiliated, MGH #2 nationally
View Opportunities →Beth Israel Lahey Health
Major System📍 Boston/Eastern MA
📞 617-667-7000
Major academic system
View Opportunities →UMass Memorial Health
Regional Leader📍 Worcester
📞 508-334-1000
Central MA academic center
View Opportunities →Spaulding Rehabilitation
Tuition Aid📍 Boston/Statewide
📞 617-573-7000
#4 ranked rehab nationally
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.
Massachusetts PT Tech Market
Massachusetts offers unique advantages for PT Technicians:
Healthcare's World Capital
Boston is healthcare's global epicenter. Mass General Hospital (#2 nationally), Brigham and Women's (#8), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Boston Children's cluster within a few miles, all Harvard-affiliated. Add MIT's biomedical research and dozens of biotech companies, and Boston produces more healthcare innovation than any city on Earth. PT Techs here work where treatments are invented, not just implemented.
Spaulding Rehabilitation Network
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital ranks #4 nationally and serves as official hospital of the Boston Marathon. The network's response to the 2013 Marathon bombing demonstrated world-class trauma rehab capabilities. PT Techs at Spaulding work with elite athletes returning from injury, complex neurological cases, and cutting-edge technologies. This specialized experience opens doors throughout healthcare.
| Region | Salary Range | Externship Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Boston Metro | $40K-$50K | Highest wages, extreme COL |
| Worcester/Central MA | $35K-$44K | UMass Memorial, more affordable |
| Springfield/Western MA | $33K-$42K | Baystate Health, lowest COL |
| Cape Cod/Islands | $36K-$46K | Seasonal variation |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about PTT externships in Massachusetts
Why is Boston considered a global healthcare capital?
What makes Spaulding Rehabilitation special?
Can PT Techs afford to live in Boston?
Is there opportunity outside Boston?
What PTA programs are in Massachusetts?
How many hours should a PTT externship be in Massachusetts?
Ready to Start Your PTT Career in Massachusetts?
Complete your free training with EHired, then secure an externship at one of Massachusetts's top rehabilitation facilities. Many externs convert their experience into full-time positions.