The demand for physiotherapists is rising in many countries. For example, Australia is currently having a massive demand for physiotherapists. The Australian Physiotherapy Council has been actively inviting applications for physiotherapists abroad, especially from India. Meanwhile, system-level shortages are increasing pressure on clinics to hire skilled, resilient clinicians quickly, which means interviewers are looking beyond qualifications to adaptability and measurable outcomes. Hiring panels want clinicians who can demonstrate clinical competence, patient outcomes, teamwork, and continuous learning- all in one. In this blog, we will give you 20 Common Physiotherapy job interview questions with ready-to-use answers and the approach behind them.
Background & Motivation
1) Tell me about yourself.
What employers want: a concise professional summary tied to the role.
Sample answer:
“I’ve recently completed my Bachelor of Physiotherapy and have successfully cleared the Australian Physiotherapist Entry Pathway (APEP), which has prepared me well for practising safely and confidently in the Australian healthcare system. During my internship, I gained hands-on experience across MSK, neuro and cardiorespiratory departments, where I particularly enjoyed helping patients regain independence through personalised exercise programmes and patient education.
What motivates me most is seeing measurable progress, even small improvements in mobility or daily function. I’m confident in assessment, documentation, and using outcome-based approaches, and I’m keen to build my career in a setting that values evidence-based practice and patient-centred care.
I’m excited about starting my professional journey in Australia, learning from experienced clinicians, and contributing to a team where I can continue developing my clinical skills and deliver high-quality care.”
Expert Tip: Lead with your speciality, one achievement, and why the role fits.
2) Why did you become a physiotherapist?
What employers want: motivation, interest and patient-focused care.
Sample answer:
“I chose physiotherapy because I’ve always been drawn to a career where I could help people regain independence and confidence in their daily lives. During my BPT training and internship, I saw the significant impact physiotherapy can have, whether it's helping someone walk again after TKR or supporting a patient with long-term conditions, such as stroke, to manage their symptoms better.
I enjoy the combination of clinical reasoning, hands-on care and patient education, and I find it rewarding when small improvements translate into meaningful changes in someone’s quality of life. Clearing the APC assessment strengthened my commitment because it helped me understand the level of safe, evidence-based practice expected in Australia.
Overall, I became a physiotherapist because I want to make rehabilitation a positive, empowering experience for patients and be part of a team that genuinely improves health outcomes.”
3) What are your strongest clinical skills?
What employers want: specific, relevant skills.
Sample Answer:
“My strongest clinical skills are thorough assessment and clear clinical reasoning, especially in MSK and post-operative cases, which I developed during my internship. I’m confident with exercise prescription, goal-setting, and teaching patients how to perform movements safely. I also focus a lot on patient education, because I’ve seen how much it improves adherence.
During my APEP exam preparation, I became more structured with documentation and used outcome tools such as the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, ROM measures, and functional tests to monitor progress. Overall, I’m strong at building rapport, explaining treatment plans clearly, and making sure patients feel supported throughout their rehab.”
4) What’s your biggest weakness?
What employers want: self-awareness + improvement plan.
Sample answer:
“One area I’m working on is becoming faster and more efficient with documentation. As a new graduate, I sometimes spent too much time trying to make my notes perfect. To improve this, I’ve started using a structured SOAP format with timed writing blocks and reviewing templates used in Australian settings.
This has already helped me complete patient notes more efficiently without compromising clarity or safety. I’m still refining my speed, but it’s improving steadily with practice.”
5) Why do you want to work for us?
What employers want: cultural fit within the organisation.
Sample answer:
“I’m very interested in working with your organisation because I admire the emphasis you place on evidence-based, patient-centred care. Your clinic’s approach to structured assessments, clear treatment pathways, and multidisciplinary collaboration aligns strongly with how I developed my practice during the APC process.
As a new graduate, I’m also looking for a workplace where I can contribute meaningfully while continuing to grow under experienced clinicians. I appreciate that your team invests in mentoring and continuous professional development, and I feel this is the kind of environment where I can build a strong foundation for my physiotherapy career in Australia.”
Clinical reasoning & outcomes
6) How will you assess a new patient? (Walk me through your process.)
What employers want: structured clinical reasoning.
Sample answer:
“First, I will take a focused history (onset, aggravating/relieving factors, functional limitations) and observe the patient closely. Then a targeted physical exam that assesses: ROM, neurological screen as needed, followed by baseline outcome measures and a shared goal-setting conversation. I will end with an initial treatment plan and clear home instructions hilighting the Do’s and Don’ts for patient’s understanding.”
7) How do you measure the success of a therapy plan?
What employers want: outcomes and evidence-based practice.
Sample answer:
“I will set objective outcome measures (e.g., timed tests, pain scales, validated PROMs) and track them weekly. Success = patient achieving their functional goals + clinically significant change on measures. If progress stalls at two reviews, I will re-evaluate the treatment plan and accordingly modify the intervention.”
8) Tell me about a difficult assessment and how you handled it.
Expert tip: Use the STAR method (Situation → Task → Action → Result) for scenario questions.
Sample answer:
- Situation: Post-op knee patient with poor ROM and anxiety about movement.
- Task: Improve ROM and confidence.
- Action: Introduced graded exposure, combined manual techniques with an early active programme, and used pain education.
- Result: Achieved 0–110° ROM in 6 weeks and returned the patient to daily walking.
9) How do you keep up with clinical evidence?
What employers want: CPD habits.
Sample answer:
“I will schedule 2 hours weekly for reading, subscribe to journals, attend local CPD, and participate in case-based learning groups. I will also apply new protocols as pilot audits to test their impact.”
10) Describe your experience with outcome measures and documentation.
What employers want: competence with measurement and records.
Sample answer:
“I’ll routinely use Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) like EQ-5D and condition-specific scores, and document in SOAP format. In my last post, I introduced a simple dashboard that flagged patients not hitting milestones so we could intervene earlier.”
Scenario & Behavioural
11) A patient isn’t following their home programme. How do you respond?
What employers want: adherence strategy.
Sample answer:
“I see barriers (time, pain, understanding) and tailor exercises to the patient’s lifestyle, give written and video resources, set micro-goals, and schedule short check-ins. Often, small behaviour changes boost adherence more than more exercises.”
12) How will you handle a conflict with a colleague?
What employers want: teamwork & communication.
Sample answer:
Suppose I have a heated moment about discharge readiness. I would schedule a short meeting, express my clinical concerns, listen to their view, and propose a re-assessment and shared plan. Eventually, we will align on a safe discharge with community follow-up.
13) Give an example of a time you would lead a service improvement.
Sample answer:
“I’d audit waiting-list times, identify bottlenecks in triage, implement a stratified triage form and group education sessions. This will drop waiting time and increase first-visit satisfaction.”
14) How would you manage a patient with persistent pain who seems to be seeking passive treatments only?
What employers want: patient-centred education & boundaries.
Sample answer:
“I would validate their pain, explain pain science in simple terms, set collaborative goals and introduce active strategies alongside any appropriate passive modalities, emphasising self-management.”
15) Suppose there’s a time when the patient doesn’t improve. What would you do?
What employers want: humility and clinical governance.
Sample answer:
“I would review the case, seek second opinions, consider red flags, update the care plan, and refer appropriately. I would document the discussion and outcome thoroughly.”
Soft skills, ethics & logistics
16) How do you handle high workload and prioritisation?
What employers want: organisation and safety.
Sample answer:
“I will prioritise by clinical risk (red flags) and rehab potential, cluster similar tasks, use short breaks to reset, and escalate staffing concerns early. If necessary, I communicate realistic wait times to patients.”
17) Are you comfortable with telehealth?
What employers want: digital capability.
Sample answer:
“Yes, I’ve learnt using telehealth for initial triage, exercise supervision and follow-up. I’ll ensure privacy, use validated remote outcome tools, and choose telehealth when functionally appropriate.”
18) What would your patients say about you?
What employers want: patient-centred evidence.
Sample answer:
“They’d probably say I’m patient, clear with instructions, and focused on restoring independence. I can back that up with patient feedback scores averaging 4.7/5.”
19) Salary expectations?
What employers want: realistic range & flexibility.
Sample answer:
“Based on market rates for this region and my experience, I’m targeting (mention a salary range acc. to industry standards). I’m open to discussion, given the full package and development opportunities.”
20) Do you have questions for us?
Expert Tip: Always ask questions; this shows you’re genuinely interested in working in the company.
Good questions to ask:
- “What are the most immediate priorities for this role in the first 3 months?”
- “How is clinician performance measured here?”
- “What CPD and career progression pathways do you offer?”
What Interviewers Look for in a Physiotherapist
Enterprises, hospitals and clinics tend to evaluate physiotherapy candidates across five key dimensions:
1. Clinical Competence & Reasoning
They want to see that you:
- Can form a differential diagnosis
- Choose appropriate assessment tests and diagnose correctly.
- Form a treatment plan and justify treatment decisions
- Adapt when a patient does not progress.
Safe clinical judgment is more important than performing rare techniques.
2. Communication & Patient Education
Physiotherapists spend most of their time educating, reassuring and motivating patients.
Interviewers look for:
- Clear explanation style
- Ability to translate jargon/medical terms into everyday language
- A calm, confident tone when discussing sensitive topics
3. Outcome-Driven Practice
Modern services expect measured progress.
Hiring managers look for candidates who use:
- PROMs (e.g., Oswestry, NDI, DASH, EQ-5D)
- Functional tests
- Patient-reported goals
Being able to discuss patient results gets huge bonus points.
4. Teamwork & Interdisciplinary Collaboration
You’ll work closely with doctors, nurses, OTs, sports trainers, counsellors or exercise physiologists. Interviewers expect stories about:
- Joint care planning
- Coordinating referrals
- Managing disagreements respectfully
5. Professionalism, CPD & Clinical Governance
Clinics want therapists who stay up to date and practise safely.
Show:
- CPD courses you’ve completed
- Reflection habits
- How do you escalate red flags?
- Comfort with documentation systems
Our comprehensive APEP exam preparation course not only teaches you modules to ace the license exam but also makes you absolutely job-ready in Australia. Many of the healthcare professionals we have counselled so far are leading a high-quality lifestyle in Australia. You can also be a part of the Indian diaspora in Australia.
To Conclude With…
Preparing for a physiotherapy job interview becomes much easier when you know what employers expect and how to express your strengths confidently. By understanding common questions, practising structured answers and showcasing your clinical reasoning, communication skills and commitment to patient-centred care, you can stand out in any international setting. Use these sample responses as a foundation, personalise them with your own experiences, and walk into your interview knowing you’re ready to make a strong, professional impression.
We wish you all the best for your interview!