How to write a physical therapy resume?

[Click here to directly go to the complete physical resume sample]

"Your speed does not matter, forward is forward"

Your physical therapist resume should catch the eyes of the recruiter at the very first glance, and for that, you need expert guidance.

Take a look at at our physical therapist resume sample to get an insight on how an ideal physical therapist resume is curated:

7+ years experienced licensed physical therapist well versed in broad range of treatment & care. Specialized in Aqua Therapy & Wound-care Treatment for enhancing patients' mobility and quality of life. Qualified in the arena of assisting the patients' usage of machines and equipment for therapeutic treatment.
  • Wound-Care Treatment
  • Diagnostic Equipment
  • Aquatic Therapy
  • Orthotic Devices
  • Dexterity
  • Medical Charts
  • Department Records
  • Care Service
  • Non-manual Exercise
  • Supportive Devices
  • Certified 'Physical Therapy Specialist' from Sunshine Internship Therapy Center Mar '13
  • Certified 'Aquatic Therapist' from Oasis Health Center Aug '12
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
    Therapeutic Equipment Management & Treatment
    • Operated medical diagnostic equipment for heat/ice/water/electrical/ light stimulation, ultrasound, & aquatic therapy
    • Participated in wound-care treatment & assisted usage of wheelchairs & prosthetic/orthotic devices of the patients
    Patient Care & Therapy
    • Conducted therapeutic exercise programs encompassing active & passive ranges of dexterity
    • Created plan of care for regular clients with 5-star ratings on daily basis for Health grade status of the center
    • Mobilized patients recovering from injuries to restore & improve their physical capabilities for daily activities
    Rehabilitation Treatment Planning
    • Augmented 85% success in rendering patients' satisfaction for their rehabilitation oriented goals
    • Monitored 40 patients on a daily basis to enable 30% increase in mobility & improvement in patients' muscle reeducation
    • Recommended by supervisor & patients for providing compassionate care to restore function & normal routine
    Interpersonal Relationships & Staff Coordination
    • Promoted a positive professional solution-oriented approach at all times with colleagues & ancillary staff
    • Interceded and coordinated with colleagues for extra shifts & duties whenever commended by management
    Key Achievements
    • Elevated the public image of the center on the official website by garnering 20+ new 5-star ratings
    • Supervised a batch of 60+ interns in a course of 3 years imparting the utmost skills & training of highest quality
      Therapy Sessions & Program Management
      • Facilitated the daily living activities of individual patients based on their therapeutic treatment program
      • Scheduled & organised special therapy sessions for patients with special needs & profound physical injuries
      • Rendered therapies only after initial interviews to accumulate details of the patient for processing suitable therapy
      Technical Assistance & Monitoring
      • Administered non-manual exercises with use of machines as well as ambulatory functional activities
      • Documented care services in individual medical charts for every patient to maintain department records
      • Demonstrated & monitored patients with the usage of supportive devices such as canes, crutches & prostheses
      Key Achievements
      • Expedited recovery of 100+ patients with traumatic injuries by conducting intensive treatment plan
      EDUCATION
        • Top 10 percentile of class
          • Top 10 percentile of class
          • Languages: English, Spanish, French

          A perfect resume will not only get you noticed by the recruiter, but it will also help you get more interviews.

          Read further to learn how to write a flawless physical therapist resume.

          Here is a quick summary of our physical therapist assistant resume 2022 Guide:

          • Ensure that your latest and most relevant job experience is noticeable by the recruiter by using the reverse-chronological format
          • The objective or summary of your resume should consist of only 3-4 lines
          • Document your roles & responsibilities in one-liner points in the professional experience section of your physical therapist resume & highlight the key achievements within each point to increase its effectiveness
          • Mention your awards and recognition (if any) under the key achievements section of your professional experience section.

          The job of a Physical Therapist is not meant to be easy on people, but to make them better. The whole course of treatment may take time but the result is for the long term.

          By the end of this blog, you will learn the following topics to create your physical therapy resume:

          Here at Hiration Online Resume Builder, you will find all the necessary guidance and physical therapist assistant resume examples to frame your perfect physical therapist resume.

          Read on to find the physical therapy assistant resume samples to help you write a professional therapist resume.

          This blog will cover the topics given below:

          Types of Jobs for a Physical Therapist

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          A physical therapist deals with a wide range of treatments. The list below shows some of the top practices of a physical therapist:

          • Pediatric therapy
          • Orthopedic therapy
          • Geriatric therapy
          • Neurological therapy
          • Cardiopulmonary therapy

          Some physical therapist resume titles you can also write are as follows:

          • Massage therapist
          • Assistant physical therapist
          • Physical therapy new grade
          • Entry-level physical therapist

          You can use Hiration's Online Resume Builder to find 25+ design templates for your physical therapist resume.

          You can also get your physical therapist resume reviewed by our experts:

          Resume writing is hard, but with our expert guidance, you will be able to write a job-winning resume.

          What is a Physical Therapy Resume & why do you need it?

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          A physical therapist resume describes your experience and skills to the recruiters. It highlights your potential as a physical therapist.

          Here are a few examples showing the importance of a physical therapist resume:

          • It is the first interaction between you and the recruiters
          • It highlights all your skills and achievements
          • It creates a chance for you to land more interviews

          Taking all the above points into account, we can say that a flawless physical therapist resume is the need of the day if you want the recruiters to notice you.

          40% of employers use ATS (Applicant tracking system) to pick the most eligible applicant as it saves them time and helps them filter the most suitable resume. When you rank high in the ATS, you get a better chance to grab the recruiter's attention.

          Make sure to highlight the relevant keywords that are related to the requirement for the physical therapy job that you are applying for.

          Treat your PTA resume or PT resume like that of doctor resumes. All you have to do is highlight your skills and achievements in your resume.

          Keep in mind that your massage therapist resume is a visual representation of your capabilities as a professional. It is a reflection of your professional skills and achievements.

          When recruiters see and read your physical therapist resume, they get to know your abilities as a physical therapist.

          So it is an important task for you to create a flawless physical therapist resume. You need it to go to the next level of job hunting.

          Read our Guide: How to write a resume, if you want to rank high on the ATS and get shortlisted by recruiters.

          Physical Therapy Resume Section

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          Arrange your physical therapist resume in the sections we have mentioned below:

          • Header
          • Personal Information
          • Profile Title
          • Summary/Objective
          • Key Skills
          • Professional Experience
          • Education
          • Certifications
          • Additional Information

          Read Hiration's Guide to sections in a resume for more details on the physical therapist resume section.

          You can also go to our Online Resume Builder for pre-filled and designed resumes for your perfect physical therapist resume.

          How to write a Physical Therapy Resume 2022?

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          Writing a physical therapy aide resume needs detailed planning to execute each aspect.

          There are three stages of drafting a physical therapist resume. You can master in it by following the simple steps given below:

          • Master Nursing Student Resume
          • First Draft Nursing Student Resume
          • Final Nursing Student Resume

          Master Physical Therapy Resume

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          Compiling all the relevant information for your massage therapist resume is very important.

          Collect all your pieces of information in one place so that you do not miss any relevant detail. It will help you in building your physical therapist resume.

          There are two uses of making a master physical therapist resume:

          • Resume writing in the present
          • Resume update in the future

          Since you have all the relevant career-related information in one place, it makes it easy to pick the points that are relevant for curating your resume in the present.

          It also has the added advantage of helping you update your resume in the future. Information that may not be relevant to your target profile today might prove to be a game-changer in the future.

          This is why storing your information in one place helps you revolutionize your resume-making process - not just in the present, but in the future too!

          First Draft of your Physical Therapy Resume

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          Always make sure to fill the following sections from the first draft stage of writing your physical therapy resume:

          • Header
          • Personal Information
          • Profile Title
          • Education
          • Certification
          • Awards & Recognition
          • Additional Information

          Make sure not to miss any relevant statements or points in any of these sections that can boost your chances of being shortlisted.

          The Final Draft of a Physical Therapy Resume

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          There are three important things that you need to focus on while writing your final stage of physical therapist resume. They are given below:

          • Create your key skills section: Scan through your professional experience section for relevant skills and fill your key skill section with them.
          • Create your summary/objective section: Write a summary of your physical therapist resume. Your physical therapy summary should highlight your relevant skills from your professional experience section and the key skills section. Pick reference from your certification sections as well.
          • Bold and highlight: Scan through your professional experience section and bold all the valid words and numbers that highlight your efficiency. This is to make you stand out among all the other applicants.

          The three steps listed above will help you to write a flawless physical therapist resume.

          You can use our simplified state-of-the-art Online Resume Builder which can help you write your massage therapist resume.

          Physical Therapy Resume: Header

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          Your resume header is the first thing that a recruiter notices in your resume at a glance. Your name should always be the default resume header of your physical therapy student resume.

          Make sure that you use the largest font to compose your resume header (16-20 font size).

          In case you have a middle name, you should write it like this:

          Example: Emily Tron Heartfill should be written as Emily T. Heartfill

          You can directly refer to Hiration Guide to writing the perfect resume header

          The sample physical therapy resume that we have attached below shows how your name should reflect in the header section of your physical therapist resume:

          Head Section in a Executive Assistant Resume

          Go to our online resume builder as it has a huge library of pre-written, ready-to-use use content templates for different profiles and 100+ content templates for you.

          Physical Therapy Resume: Personal Information

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          The personal information section comes right below your resume header.

          This section is important as it consists of contact details using which a recruiter gets in touch with you. Thus, you should be extra sure that you fill this section accurately.

          This section should consist of the following details:

          • Mobile number: make sure to provide an available number
          • Email ID: share only your official email ID
          • Location: provide only the current location

          Mobile Number

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          Make sure that you provide only your functional mobile number on which you are available 24x7. This will see to it that the recruiter can get in touch with you.

          Use the correct format for writing your phone number as mentioned below:

          • Place your country’s ISD code as a prefix before your phone number
          • Put a plus sign (+) before the ISD code
          • Eg: +1 13788 11311

          E-mail ID

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          Another way for the recruiter to get in touch with you apart from your phone number is your email ID.

          Always remember that you should provide only your professional email ID. Anything fancy like handsomeboy@abc.com or princess@abc.com would be seen as a sign of unprofessionalism.

          Create an official email ID if you are missing one as it is very important.

          In case your name is Tony Molly, your official email should look something like this:

          tonymolly@abc.com or tony@abc.com

          Location

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          One final piece of information that you need to provide is your location. Mention your accurate location as it plays an important part while applying for a job.

          Giving names of your hometown or previous place of residence can be inconvenient for you as well as the recruiter. Provide the current location to receive calls from recruiters who can provide you with jobs in your area.

          If you are looking for jobs in your own country, give your city and state. Else write your city and country if you are looking for a job outside your country.

          Make sure to read our Guide: Contact Information on Resume, for more details.

          Look at our physical therapy resume template for reference:

          Personal Information Section in a Physical Therapy Resume

          Physical therapy Resume: Profile Title

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          Another important feature of your experienced physical therapist resume is your profile title. It refers to the job position and industry that you are looking for and highlights the industry that you are interested in.

          Your profile title should be written in the second-largest text in your resume with a font size of 14-16 points.

          The below-mentioned sample physical therapy resume shows how your profile title should look in your physical therapist resume:

          Profile Title Section in a Executive Assistant Resume

          Physical Therapy Resume: Professional Experience

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          The professional experience section of your entry level physical therapist resume is a platform that you can use to provide all your skills and achievements.

          If perfectly composed, this section plays an important role in positively influencing a recruiter and making an impact.

          Articulating your work experience most effectively is a must. You can do so by following the rules that we have mentioned below:

          • STAR format
          • Framing points
          • Bolding & bucketing

          STAR Format

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          Star format is the method of writing your work experience and giving details about your responsibilities and roles to emphasize your achievements.

          With this format, your physical therapist assistant resume will highlight the required information of your previous or relevant job.

          Situation: the situation or background of your contributions

          Task: the task that you were assigned

          Action: the strategy you used to execute the task

          Results: the outcome of your actions

          By using the STAR format to write your physical therapist assistant resume, you have the opportunity to showcase the effective impact of your skills in your job.

          Adding numbers adds value to your entry level physical therapist resume. So, use performance figures to endorse your achievements and contributions wherever possible.

          Framing Points

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          You should remember that your resume is not an essay. Hence, using paragraphs is a big No. All it does is it unnecessarily make your resume more bulky and hard to read.

          Resumes that are composed using paragraphs are a big disadvantage because the recruiter is likely to not read it in its entirety.

          This is why using one-liner points can help.

          Framing one-liner points is a smart way of composing your physical therapy assistant resume as opposed to using bulky paragraphs.

          Let us look at the physical therapist resume sample to write your physical therapist resume the right way:

          Example 1:

          "I have worked for rehabilitation treatment planning and successfully augmented 75% success in rendering satisfaction to the patients for their rehabilitation oriented goals. I have also monitored 40 patients daily and successfully enabled a 30% increase in the improvement of patients' muscle reeducation. I was recommended by my supervisor and the patients for providing compassionate care even when I was assigned for normal routine for the patients. I have maintained interpersonal relationships and coordinated with the staff to promote a positive professional solution-oriented approach at all times with colleagues & ancillary staff. I have interceded and coordinated with my colleagues for extra shifts and duties without hesitation whenever I was commended by management."

          Example 2:

          • Augmented 75% success in rendering satisfaction for patients' rehabilitation oriented goals
          • Monitored 40 patients daily to enable a 30% increase in improvement in patients' muscle reeducation
          • Recommended by supervisor & patients for providing compassionate care in every routine
          • Promoted a positive solution-oriented approach at all times with colleagues & ancillary staff
          • Coordinated with colleagues for extra shifts & duties whenever commended by management

          Framing Points: Analysis

          Now when we compare the two examples, we can see that example 1 is a bulky paragraph, while example 2 is a well-framed list of crisp and reader-friendly one-liner points.

          Both examples are stating the same things, but if you closely observe the above-mentioned examples, you will find that example 2 is better organized and more readable.

          So you should always write your roles & responsibilities in the form of points. It makes it easier for your resume to outshine others.

          Bolding & Bucketing

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          After going through the steps mentioned above, its time to highlight your skills and achievements by bolding and bucketing them to enhance your chance of being noticed by the recruiter.

          Let us look at some physical therapy resume examples of professional experience to see how bolding and bucketing helps in increasing your chance of being shortlisted by a recruiter.

          Example 1:

          • Augmented 75% success in rendering satisfaction for patients' rehabilitation oriented goals
          • Monitored 40 patients daily to enable a 30% increase in improvement in patients' muscle reeducation
          • Promoted a positive solution-oriented approach at all times with colleagues & ancillary staff
          • Coordinated with colleagues for extra shifts & duties whenever commended by management

          Example 2:

          Rehabilitation Treatment Planning

          • Augmented 75% success in rendering satisfaction for patients' rehabilitation oriented goals
          • Monitored 40 patients on a daily basis to enable a 30% increase in improvement in patients' muscle reeducation

          Interpersonal Relationships & Staff Coordination

          • Promoted a positive solution-oriented approach at all times with colleagues & ancillary staff
          • Coordinated with colleagues for extra shifts & duties whenever commended by management

          Bolding & Bucketing: Analysis

          From these two examples, we can see that it is easier for a recruiter to notice your key skills and achievements when you use bolding & bucketing in your physical therapy resume.

          Grouping similar points under one unique subheading (bucketing) give the recruiter a clear picture of your key responsibilities.

          Moreover, when you use bolding, it has the added benefit of drawing the recruiter's attention to the candidate's key performance figures.

          Because these are highlighted in bold, it makes it stand out, which helps in creating a more visible impact on the recruiter.

          Thus, you should use bucketing & bolding.

          You can also get your existing resume professionally reviewed by our in-house team of resume experts at Hiration.

          To learn more about fashioning the perfect professional experience section, read Hiration's Blog on how to compose the work experience in your resume.

          Given below is a sample physical therapy resume showing what a perfectly composed professional experience section should ideally look like:

          Professional Experience Section in a Physcial Therapy Resume

          Physical Therapy Resume: Education

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          While applying for a job, you need to provide your educational qualification. The Physical Therapy Resume is no different and requires your educational records.

          Your education section requires the following details:

          • Name of the school/university you have attended
          • Name of the course/courses you have pursued
          • Location of your school/university
          • Date of enrollment and graduation from each course (month & year)

          Look at the sample physical therapy resume for a better understanding of how to write your education section:

          Education Section in a Physcial Therapy Resume

          Place your details as seen in the massage therapist resume sample given above and your physical therapy resume is set to go to the recruiters.

          For more details, you can refer to our Hiration's Guide on how to list education on your resume

          Physical Therapy Resume: Certifications

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          Your certifications are a bonus that plays an important role in displaying your abilities to the recruiters. It demonstrates your skills and professionalism.

          Follow the order listed below to write your certificate section:

          • Name of the Certification Course
          • Name of the Affiliating Institution
          • Location of the Institute
          • Dates of enrollment and completion of the course in month & year format

          In the meanwhile, you can read Hiration's Guide on listing certifications on a resume to learn the art of perfecting certifications.

          Given below is our massage therapist resume sample demonstrating the ideal certification section in your physical therapist resume:

          Certifications Section in a Physcial Therapy Resume

          Physical Therapy Resume: Additional Information

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          All your extra information falls under this category.

          Most of the people neglect this section but you should make sure that you fill this section in your physical therapy resume.

          You can add your hobbies that are relevant to your job as a physical therapist.

          For example, you can add the languages that you speak apart from English as it endorses your communication abilities. Alongside this, you can also add hobbies that are relevant to a physical therapist.

          You can look at the physical therapy resume sample given below for your reference:

          Additional Information Section in a Physcial Therapy Resume

          Physical Therapy Resume Key Sections

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          Physical Therapy Resume: Key Skills

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          Here is the chance to be noticed by a recruiter with just a glance itself. By now you are aware that a recruiter wastes no time in one resume alone, so make it count.

          The whole idea of having a separate key skills section is to attract the recruiter's attention to your abilities and create a connection between your skills and the job you are applying for.

          From the example, we can see that all the key skills are highlighted in a way that is hard to miss out by any recruiter.

          Meanwhile, you can also read Hiration's Guide on what skills to put on a resume to learn the tricks of writing this section with perfection.

          Always write your key skills in the end so that you do not miss any important potential you have in you for the job that you are applying to.

          Have a look at our physical therapy resume sample below to know what an ideal skills section should look like:

          Key Skills Section in a Physcial Therapy Resume

          Physical Therapy Resume: Summary

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          Give a total summary of your professional experience in this section in 3-5 lines.

          Writing a summary gives a clear impression of your career highlights and it also documents your roles & responsibilities in a crisp paragraph. It also speaks volumes about your experience and your achievements.

          Here is a physical therapy resume sample to know how your summary should be impeccably framed in physical therapy resume:

          Summary Section in a Physcial Therapy Resume

          From the example, we can see that the applicant has given an introduction along with enough information that is relevant to physical therapy. With a summary like this, you can increase your chance of being selected for an interview and land a job.

          In case you'd like to read a detailed guide on how the perfect resume summary is written, take a look at Hiration's Resume Summary Guide.

          Physical Therapy Resume: Objective

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          Unlike a summary, your physical therapy resume objective should be used only when you have minimal or zero work experience. It is not for professionals who have years of work experience in this field.

          You should write an objective in place of a summary in case you are writing an entry-level physical therapist resume.

          Your objective should be tailored around the job that you are applying for. It states your skills and what you are looking for.

          Read our Hiration's Guide on Resume Objectives for a better understanding of objectives in your physical therapy resume.

          Physical Therapy Resume Word Template

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          Use Hiration's Professional Resume Review Service for your physical therapy resume. Your resume will be reviewed in compliance with the below-given parameters:

          • Compliance with industry norms
          • Recruiter Friendliness
          • Global Compatibility
          • Job Title
          • Resume Formatting (font, margins, the order of sections, etc.)
          • Performance Assessment
          • Design Compatibility
          • Conversion Scope
          • ATS Compliance
          • Content Relevance

          You can also avail free word template of your resume after it is reviewed.

          Physical Therapy Resume Builder

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          The following resources are made available with the use of Hiration's Online Resume Builder:

          • Option to save unlimited resumes
          • 20+ resume designs
          • Full rich-text editor
          • Unlimited PDF downloads
          • 100+ content templates
          • 1-click design change
          • A sharable link
          • Live resume editor

          Here is your chance to create your perfect physical therapy resume. Click on the Hiration's Online Resume Builder for your flawless physical therapist resume.

          Key Takeaways

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          • Always start your resume by filling the professional experience section
          • Use a power verb to start each point in your work experience section.
          • Use the bold and bucket method to state your points
          • Write a resume summary when your work experience is 3 years and above.
          • Write objectives only when you have less or no work experience or in case of a change in career.
          • Always include both month and year wherever you mention the period of your education or work
          • Make sure to mention the experience of work as it helps a lot
          • Use the reverse chronology order to write your work experience section
          • Never write any of your key skills in phrases
          • Write only one-liner points
          • Use the appropriate tense of power verbs to write your points
          • Always provide the correct personal information

          Now that we have come to the end of our 2022 Guide on Physical Therapy Resume, you are now ready to write your perfect physical therapist resume.

          Go to Hiration resume builder and create a professional resume for yourself. Additionally, reach out to us at support@hiration.com and you can get 24/7 professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries.

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