Physical Therapist resume template & examples

Resume guide for a physical therapist resume

Fitly here to assist. Our resume builder and proven resume examples for over 500 professions will give you a solid advantage in securing your ideal physical therapist role. This guide and the associated physical therapist resume example will address these topics:

• Selecting the appropriate resume format for physical therapy
• Including your professional contact details
• Effectively using a career summary
• Detailing your physical therapy experience
• Highlighting relevant skills
• Outlining your education and certifications
• Choosing the proper resume layout and design

Let's get started!

How to write a physical therapist resume

Before beginning, understand what your physical therapist resume must contain. Key sections include:

• Professional Profile
• Work Experience
• Education
• Skills

Your resume should reflect the unique value you bring as a physical therapist. Begin by researching the employer and role thoroughly. Understand their patient care philosophy and use your resume to demonstrate you are the ideal candidate who can promote optimal patient outcomes. Follow this approach:

• Emphasize your measurable achievements, not only your responsibilities. Highlight how your interventions improved patient mobility or reduced recovery times.
• Tailor your resume for each job application, adjusting tone and terminology to align with the employer’s expectations.
• Maintain a professional yet approachable style with a clear, polished resume template that reflects your clinical expertise.
• Incorporate relevant keywords to ensure your qualifications stand out both to recruiters and applicant tracking systems.

Choosing the right resume format for physical therapy

Your resume should be clear, professional, and easy to navigate — qualities that mirror effective patient care in physical therapy.

The reverse chronological format is typically best, presenting your most recent clinical experience first and tracing your career path backward.

If changing career paths or emphasizing specific clinical skills over job titles, a functional format focusing on competencies may be beneficial. Alternatively, a hybrid format blending chronological and functional styles can be effective.

Explore our available resume templates through the builder to select the format best suited to your professional background.

Use a clean, modern, or professional layout in your physical therapist resume to reinforce your professional brand.

Include your contact information

The resume header is a prime opportunity to clearly present your identity and how employers can reach you. Make this section accessible, concise, and professionally formatted.

Key contact details to include:

• Your full name
• Your professional email address
• Your phone number
• Your LinkedIn profile or professional online portfolio (if applicable)

Limit unnecessary personal details such as:

• Home address
• Irrelevant personal information

Utilize a professional summary

Physical therapy is a science-driven profession, but your resume summary is your opportunity to show the compassionate and motivational side of your practice. This section allows you to break the mold of dry clinical descriptions and communicate your unique approach to enhancing patient rehabilitation.

Think of your summary as a concise narrative of your expertise and clinical philosophy. It’s often the only resume section where you can engage in a more narrative style, contrasting with the bullet-point format used elsewhere.

Use dynamic language, action verbs, and positive assertions to convey your strengths and dedication. Avoid merely repeating your work history; instead, focus on overarching themes like patient-centered care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and measurable outcomes.

Below, find adaptable physical therapist resume summaries tailored to various experience levels.

Detail your physical therapy work experience

Following the reverse chronological format, begin this section with your current or most recent clinical role and proceed backward. Limit your focus to the past 10-15 years, ensuring relevance and avoiding potential age bias.

Include only experiences directly related to physical therapy roles. For unrelated positions, consider creating a separate "Additional Experience" section.

Under each employer and job title, succinctly describe your duties and accomplishments in bullet points. Avoid using first-person pronouns. Initiate each bullet with strong action verbs such as rehabilitated, evaluated, developed, administered, and supervised.

Highlight outcomes rather than mere tasks, quantifying your successes whenever possible. Without specifics, your resume risks appearing generic — an effect you want to avoid in this patient-centered profession.

For example, vague bullet points:

• Provided physical therapy care to patients
• Assessed patient progress and updated treatment plans
• Conducted therapy sessions following prescribed protocols

Revised with measurable outcomes:

• Delivered customized physical therapy interventions to over 50 patients weekly, improving mobility outcomes by 20% on average
• Developed and implemented individualized rehabilitation plans that reduced patient recovery time by 15%
• Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to optimize care for post-surgical patients, enhancing patient satisfaction scores by 10%

Review the physical therapist employment history sample below for further insight:

Highlight relevant key skills

Physical therapy requires a blend of technical expertise and interpersonal abilities. Your resume should predominantly feature hard skills — such as proficiency with therapeutic techniques, modalities, and documentation systems — complemented by essential soft skills like empathy, communication, and problem-solving.

Since your physical therapist resume must be concise and custom-tailored to each role, rely on your master list of competencies to determine the most pertinent skills for each application.

Our resume builder offers curated lists of key skills relevant for physical therapists, with options to add your own. Below is a model skill set as it might appear in your resume:

Outline your education & certifications

The education section highlights your academic foundation and professional credentials essential to physical therapy practice. A Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree is the standard credential, usually supplemented with relevant certifications and licenses.

Omit high school credentials if you hold a DPT or equivalent. Be sure to include:

• Degree(s) earned, including Doctor of Physical Therapy and any other relevant degrees
• Licenses required to practice, such as state-specific physical therapist license
• Certifications, including specialties like Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS), Neurologic Clinical Specialist (NCS), or Certified Manual Therapist (CMT)
• Continuing education courses and memberships in professional physical therapy organizations
• Clinical internships or residencies, especially for early-career therapists

Select the right resume layout and design

Effective layout, design, and formatting are critical to capturing attention and highlighting your professional journey as a physical therapist. These elements form the first impression hiring managers receive.

A clean, classic design best conveys the professionalism, compassion, and expertise expected in physical therapy. Your resume should reflect discipline and reliability, aligned with the expectations of clinical employers.

Consider how different templates communicate your professional image. For formal healthcare environments, keep your resume straightforward; for more progressive settings, a modern or creative approach might be appropriate.

Explore our tested resume templates where formatting challenges are expertly handled for you.

Physical Therapist job market and outlook

The demand for physical therapists continues to rise steadily. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in this profession is projected to grow approximately 18% from 2021 to 2031, much faster than average.

This growth is fueled by an aging population, increased focus on rehabilitative services, and greater awareness of physical therapy benefits.

The median annual salary for physical therapists is about $91,000, with the top earners exceeding $130,000.

Job prospects remain strong nationwide, offering numerous opportunities for entry-level and experienced professionals alike.

The outlook for physical therapists is positive, reflecting the vital role they play in improving patient quality of life and healthcare outcomes.

Key takeaways

Physical therapy is among the fastest-growing healthcare professions, with excellent job prospects expected through 2031, driven by demographic trends and healthcare demand.

The role requires a balance of clinical expertise and compassionate patient care, reflected in a resume that clearly communicates both.

Competitive salaries reflect the specialized skills physical therapists bring to diverse healthcare settings.

Crafting a tailored and well-structured resume highlighting relevant experience, skills, and qualifications will increase your chances of securing your ideal position.

Utilize available tools and examples to build a resume that effectively showcases your unique value as a physical therapist.