Michael Milnes of Rochester, MN has been a licensed physical therapist since 1996. He says that now that he has a lot of experience under his belt, he has a very clear idea on what makes a good physical therapist.

"You need to be smart," he says. "That sounds kind of obvious – but I don't mean smart in the sense of studying and getting good grades, and becoming certified and all that. I mean smart like astute. The ability to notice what it is in a patient that needs your attention. And believe me, I've known as few P-TS over the years who...let's just say they probably didn't make a good career choice."

At the same time, says Michael Milnes of Rochester, MN, a good physical therapist doesn't get too confident in his or her abilities. "You need to stay humble. You should always be learning – never think that you've reached a point where you know it all. In my opinion, there are three ways to keep learning. You should learn from yourself, which means learning how to do things better. You should learn from your colleagues, just as they learn from you, because we all benefit from shared information. And finally, you should be learning from your patients. And I think that may be the most important."

It's also important, as a physical therapist, to be patient. Michael Milnes of Rochester, MN says that you don't need to view the world through rose-tinted glasses, but a good P-T should always accentuate the positive and focus on what is working. He say that if you believe in yourself and the treatments you prescribe, then the patient will, too.

It's really important to be a well-rounded person, too, says Michael Milnes of Rochester, MN. The more you know about the world in general, he says, will allow you to apply that to your patients and their worlds. As a well-rounded physical therapist, he says that he is able to design programs of therapy that connect to the meaningful goals of his patients. And as a bonus, he says that it makes him a more interesting person.

Finally, Michael Milnes of Rochester, MN says that it is important to be realistic, flexible, and above all caring. A caring physical therapist is far more likely to be effective in treating patients and helping them get better. And that, he says, is what it's all about.