Acute Care Physical Therapist PRN

Physical TherapistIncludes weekendsPer Diem

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

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

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Why UT Southwestern?

With over 75 years of excellence in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, UT Southwestern is committed to excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion. As a world-renowned medical and research center, we strive to provide the best possible care, resources, and benefits for our valued employees.

Ranked as the number 1 hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth according to U.S. News & World Report, we invest in you with opportunities for career growth and development to align with your future goals.

Our highly competitive benefits package offers healthcare, PTO and paid holidays, on-site childcare, wage, merit increases and so much more. We invite you to be a part of the UT Southwestern team where you'll discover a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and a rewarding career!

Shift/Job Requirements

As a PRN staff member, you are expected to work a minimum of three (3) shifts per month, including two (2) weekend shifts and one (1) weekday shift.

Current departmental needs includes two (2) weekend shifts and one (1) weekday shift, totaling three (3) shifts per month.

Please note: All shifts are not guaranteed and may be canceled based on patient volume fluctuations.

Holiday Shift Requirements

PRNs will select their holiday preference using a RedCap survey (first come, first served) and coordinate shift swaps through a shared Google Sheet to promote transparency, flexibility, and accountability.

Each PRN therapist is expected to work one winter holiday: either Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day.

PRNs are strongly encouraged to work one additional shift tied to their assigned holiday, either the day before or the day after (i. e., Thanksgiving Eve or the Friday after Thanksgiving; Christmas Eve or the day after Christmas).

To increase scheduling flexibility, PRNs may substitute that holiday-adjacent shift with a weekend shift (Saturday or Sunday) within the same holiday week. This alternative allows us to meet coverage needs while accommodating individual preferences.

This will be a two-week onboarding process to be completed consecutively. We request that you provide your availability up to three months in advance, as schedules are asked every quarter to help us plan accordingly based on patient volume and departmental needs.

Experience and Education

Required

Education

Bachelor's Degree Graduate from accredited physical therapy program at the Bachelor level and is eligible for licensure in the State of Texas.

Experience

  • No experience required
  • Licenses and Certifications
  • Active cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) Upon Hire or
  • (BLS) BASIC LIFE SUPPORT course accredited by the American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross (ARC) certification. Upon Hire
  • (LPT) LIC PHYSICAL THERAPIST Eligible for licensure in the State of Texas Upon Hire
  • Preferred

Experience

1 year

New graduates welcome (1 yr. Experience preferred).

Job Duties

Has knowledge of therapeutic principles and practices good clinical judgment. Does not compromise the patient's or another's safety, while at the same time maximizes the patient's treatment potential.

Identifies and records problems areas on evaluation. For each problem identified, projects reasonable goals with realistic time frames.

Analyzes and designs treatment plans based on patient problems and goals. Determines if planned treatment is effective and progresses patient in a timely fashion.

Prepares for patient discharge in an organized and efficient manner including timely and accurate submission of equipment needs. Displays good knowledge of patient's resources and needs.

Fosters teamwork by treating all staff fairly, facilitating 2-way communication and having a collaborative attitude.

  • Organizes patient treatment time efficiently.
  • Records patient's progress in a concise, accurate, and timely fashion.
  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Security and EEO Statement

Security

This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information.

EEO

UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.

Key Responsibilities

The physical therapist will evaluate patients, design and implement treatment plans, and monitor progress to maximize patient recovery. They are also responsible for preparing organized discharge plans and collaborating effectively with the healthcare team.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree from an accredited physical therapy program and be eligible for licensure in the State of Texas. Active CPR or BLS certification is required upon hire.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree

Key Skills

Acute carePatient evaluationTreatment planningPatient discharge planningDocumentation

Physical Therapist Career Context

Of the 50 active Physical Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 4% are remote, 46% have no call, 66% require no weekends.

In Texas, the Physical Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$88k (214 salary observations; 1,140 listings), vs ~$93k nationally (3,697 salary observations; 12,524 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

The cost-of-living index for Texas is 97.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 57.7% of Texas clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Physical Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is down 1.1% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Location & Logistics

Texas has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states.

Top contract/1099 Physical Therapist Jobs

46 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution45 jobs · 34 employers

16
<$105k
10
$105k-120k
5
$120k-135k
10
$135k-150k
4
$156k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks41 jobs · 34 employers

401k / retirement match
85% this job
CME allowance
80%
Sign-on bonus
59%
Loan repayment
34% this job
Relocation assistance
10%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Home Health Physical TherapistContract

Concierge Home Care · Tallahassee, Florida

$70-$75/hr
#2

Physical Therapist (PT) Acute Care TempForceContract

VUMC · Nashville, Tennessee

$75/hr
#3

Travel Physical Therapist

$75/hr
#4

Physical Therapist (PT)

$70-$75/hr
+ 44 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 3.0
Better work-life than 30% of Physical Therapy listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 22,587 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes weekends

Living in Dallas

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$286k
Typical market rent
$1,591/mo
Residents’ average commute
26 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
103.1
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

UT Southwestern Medical Center logo

About UT Southwestern Medical Center

Higher Education
Dallas, Texas
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

PPO medical plan at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage
100% coverage for preventive healthcare
Paid Time Off available day one
Retirement Programs through Teacher Retirement System of Texas
Paid Parental Leave Benefit
Wellness programs
Tuition Reimbursement
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Qualified Employer