A practical guide for physical therapists, designed to help you thrive in private practice.
The art and science of rehab
You don’t need more techniques or specialized courses.
Translate the knowledge you already have into a caseload full of patients who trust you, adhere to your plans, and recommend you to their friends and family.
Simplifying clinical education
After mentoring students from UBC’s physio program, and after struggling through the start of my career, I wanted to distill what I thought were the most important lessons about building a career in private practice.
Written with new grads in mind, this book contains simple visuals you can use in your sessions, thorough checklists to guide your process, and honest discussions about the complexities of physical therapy.
Section 1: The realities of private practice
An introduction that summarizes my experience as a new grad, my reasons for writing this book, and an outline of its contents.
Section 2: Subjective Assessment
Ask clinical questions that build rapport and authority with patients, gather useful information, and navigate complex topics.
Section 3: Objective Assessment
Perform detailed physical assessments that inform your clinical reasoning.
Section 4: Treatment Planning
Establish trust with your patients by translating your clinical findings into clear, actionable rehab plans.
Section 5: Interventions
How and when to deliver patient education, integrate breath work, guide visualization, perform passive techniques, and of course, prescribe therapeutic movement.
What you wish you learned in physio school about building a successful and sustainable career in private practice.
I struggled in my first few years as a physio. I wasn't exactly burnt out, but I was stuck in a vicious cycle of assessing new patients, designing evidence-based treatment plans, and then having my patients drop off my caseload after the first couple of sessions.
I thought taking specialized courses and upgrading my clinical skills would solve the problem, so for the first few years of my career I focused on "adding more tools to my toolkit." It gave me confidence and expanded my scope, but it never helped me fill my caseload or keep patients until they had reached their goals.
This book is what changed that. It won't teach you any new theories or fancy techniques, but it is packed with the practical frameworks I use every day to build trust with my patients, structure sessions that actually resonate with people, and grow a self-sustaining caseload of happy patients who recommend me to their teammates, friends, and family.
Physio 101: New Grad Manual
About me
Hi, I’m Renzo. I’m a physical therapist based in Port Coquitlam, BC. I believe physical therapy should be among the first line options for healthcare and disease prevention, and my work focuses on getting us there.
I treat patients in private practice, train MPT students through UBC’s clinical placement program, and create educational resources for clinicians.