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Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Physical Therapist - Acute Care

Physical TherapistFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not disclosed

Listing transparency0 of 6 stated

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting and call expectations.

Employment & setting
Full-Time
Call expectations
Not specified
Weekends
Not specified
Posted 1 day ago · Verified live

Job Description

At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together.

  • medical, surgical, and diagnostic services, including orthopedics, weight-loss surgery, women's services, and heart and vascular services. Occ Summary Provide physical therapy services to patients/clients who have impairments, functional limitations, disabilities, or changes in physical function and health status resulting from injury, disease, or other causes; provide prevention and wellness services, including screenings and health promotion. The senior serves as a resource person for the team and the department: participates in orientation of new staff therapists, physicians and other health personnel. The senior participates in teaching activities for physical therapy and other health related students. The physical therapist works within practice guidelines as defined by North Carolina state law. Work Performed Duties and Responsibilities of this Level: See Departmental criteria for each duty listed, and Departmental criteria for clinical ladder. Physical Therapist Demonstrate & articulate sound clinical reasoning in synthesizing complex evaluation data identifying diagnosis and developing a comprehensive plan of care. Develop and update appropriate plan of care in collaboration with the patient/family and related to the person's age and lifestyle with measurable long and short term goals and a defined D/C plan Understandthe role of physical therapy in the context of the patient's age, total needs perspective and environment Perform age appropriate competency skills in area of practice and with respect to individual patient's problems. Follow intervention protocols and alter plan of care appropriately. Discharge patient when goals have been met or medical necessity is no longer warrants intervention. Establish pro
  • visions for continuing services/follow up as needed. Meet competency skills for evaluations in area of practice. Consistently meet patient care productivity standard as established for job classification. Work cooperatively with supervisors and peers to contribute to the overall productivity of the team. Utilize support personnel (aides, sr aides, assistants) asappropriate and available. Actively support and participate in patient coverage efforts across all di
  • visions within the department as necessary. Assess the learning needs and capabilities of patients and caregivers. Initiate patient and family education in a timely manner relative to age, LOS, readiness to learn, and emotional status. Utilize appropriate methods and materials for effective learning, monitoring response to education, and adapting program appropriately. Ensure that patient/family understands when and how to access further intervention. Patient care documentation is timely, legible, and efficient. Documentation is concise, pertinent and meets the professions and departments documentation standards. Oral reporting is clear, concise, relevant, and timely. Perform all required data collection for the department accurately and within expected time frame. Peer review standards are consistently met. Provide clinical education experiences for students as requested by supervisor and established by CCCE Take 1-2 students for long term clinical rotation (Therapist of > 1yr experience). Adjust supervisory techniques for individual student's needs. Provide outreach and learning activities as requested which may include: in-services on related topics, generating referrals, interacting with volunteers or visitors. Participate in data collection for research activities to enhance clinical outcomes. Perform other related duties inci
  • dental to the work described herein. Knowledge, Skills andAbilities Ability to push-pull, lift-carry, and transfer patients. Level Characteristics See Clinical Ladder administration document Minimum Qualifications Education Bachelor's degree or certification in physical therapy, with Master's or Clinical Doctorate in physical therapy preferred. Experience None beyond required education, although more experience may be preferred at times. Degrees, Licensures, Certifications Must have a current Physical Therapist license. A Compact Physical Therapist license may be accepted, but a NC Physical Therapist license must be obtained within 6 months of the start date, or before the expiration of Compact Privileges, whichever comes first. Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, dis
  • ability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status. Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values. Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and pro
  • vision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Key Responsibilities

Provide physical therapy services to patients with impairments or functional limitations, including developing and updating comprehensive plans of care. Act as a resource for the team, participate in student teaching, and ensure accurate, timely clinical documentation.

Requirements

Requires a Bachelor's degree or certification in physical therapy, with a Master's or Clinical Doctorate preferred. Must hold a current Physical Therapist license, with the ability to obtain a North Carolina license within six months.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Patient evaluationPlan of care developmentPatient educationClinical supervisionAcute careInterdisciplinary collaborationPatient assessmentRehabilitationSafety protocols

Physical Therapist Career Context

Of the 50 active Physical Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 2% are remote, 42% have no call, 76% require no weekends.

Physical Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is down 1.6% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for North Carolina is 94.3 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 59.2% of North Carolina clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Physical Therapist Jobs

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution50 jobs · 40 employers

27
<$115k
10
$115k-130k
8
$130k-145k
5
$145k-160k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks43 jobs · 40 employers

401k / retirement match
84%
CME allowance
60%
Sign-on bonus
37%
Loan repayment
28%
Relocation assistance
9%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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$68-$73/hr
#2

Travel Physical Therapist Outpatient JobContract

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$141k-$151k
#3

Physical Therapist (PT) – Flexible Schedule

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#4

Physical Therapist (PT) – Flexible Schedule *Relocation BONUS*

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+ 48 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

3.0/ 10
Listing-based score

Living in Durham

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$363k
Typical market rent
$1,659/mo
Residents’ average commute
22 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
97.6
State income tax
Up to 4.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.