Physical Therapist resume examples
This page has 7 one-page physical therapist resume examples, from a new-grad Physical Therapist I in acute care to licensed, outpatient, home health and pediatric physical therapists and a senior pelvic health PT. Each one is checked against 29,853 US postings from 3,345 employers, and the note under each sample explains how it shows the degree, the state license, caseload and patient outcomes.
Physical Therapist I Resume Example
The physical therapy degree that 290 employers require and the state license 202 of them ask for are listed in education and certificates, with the BLS card many postings also name. Both roles show patient evaluations, individualized treatment plans, home exercise teaching and timely documentation, the duties PT employers write most, along with the teamwork and problem solving Physical Therapist I postings mention.
Why this resume works:
- Complete 4 to 6 new patient evaluations a day on orthopedic, cardiac and neurology units, with clear discharge recommendations.
- Deliver gait training, transfer practice and therapeutic exercise to a daily caseload of 12 patients.
- Coordinate discharge plans with nurses and case managers at daily rounds for about 20 patients on the joint unit.
Physical Therapist Resume Example
Physical therapist postings most often name individualized treatment plans, manual therapy, therapeutic exercise and clinical reasoning, and each of those appears in a bullet with a caseload or outcome. The DPT degree, Tennessee license and CPR card cover the top three requirements, and the PTA supervision and team meeting bullets match duties more than 50 employers list.
Why this resume works:
- Evaluate and treat 14 patients a day with spine, shoulder, knee and post-surgical conditions.
- Write individualized treatment plans with manual therapy and therapeutic exercise, reaching 88% goal achievement at discharge.
- Oversee 2 physical therapist assistants and 3 rehab aides, reviewing their notes and patient progress every week.
Licensed Physical Therapist Resume Example
Licensed physical therapist postings put the current state license first, so the California license sits at the top of the certificates beside the DPT degree that 290 PT employers require. The bullets show patient evaluations, individualized treatment plans, family education and team conferences with numbers, matching the duties and the compassion and collaboration these postings name.
Why this resume works:
- Complete 3 patient evaluations a week and manage a caseload of 9 inpatients receiving 3 hours of daily therapy.
- Lead gait training with body-weight support and robotic devices, raising average walking speed by 0.3 meters per second.
- Teach patients and families transfers, wheelchair skills and home exercise plans; 78% of patients discharge home.
Home Health Physical Therapist Resume Example
Home health postings ask for at least a year of PT experience with home health preferred, plus a valid driver's license and the ability to work independently, and this resume shows 5 years with over 3 in the field and a 30-visit week. OASIS, comprehensive patient evaluations, infection control and EMR documentation, the skills these employers name most, each appear in a bullet backed by a number or a credential.
Why this resume works:
- Complete 28 to 32 home visits a week, including OASIS start-of-care, recertification and discharge assessments.
- Perform comprehensive patient evaluations and write individualized treatment plans for older adults after surgery or falls.
- Teach safe mobility strategies, home safety changes and therapeutic exercises, holding 30-day rehospitalizations to 9%.
Outpatient Physical Therapist Resume Example
Outpatient PT postings name manual therapy, dry needling, comprehensive physical therapy evaluations, evidence-based practice and time management, and each of those appears in a bullet with a visit count or result. The DPT degree, Colorado license and dry needling certification sit up front, covering the education and license 290 and 202 PT employers require.
Why this resume works:
- Complete 3 comprehensive physical therapy evaluations and about 15 follow-up visits a day in a busy sports clinic.
- Combine manual therapy, dry needling and therapeutic exercise in evidence-based plans for neck, back and knee pain.
- Lifted plan-of-care completion from 68% to 84% by setting clear goals at the first visit and checking them monthly.
Pediatric Physical Therapist Resume Example
Pediatric PT postings name pediatric physical therapy services, clinical judgment, HIPAA and team collaboration, and the bullets show each one with caseload sizes, assessment volumes and goal rates. The DPT degree, Pennsylvania license and pediatric board certification answer the education and license asks, and the parent coaching bullets cover the family education 95 PT employers list.
Why this resume works:
- Deliver pediatric physical therapy services to a caseload of 32 children aged 1 to 17 with neurological and orthopedic needs.
- Complete standardized developmental assessments such as the PDMS-2 and GMFM for about 8 new referrals a month.
- Design individualized treatment plans built around play; 80% of children meet 6-month gross motor goals.
Pelvic Health Physical Therapist Resume Example
Pelvic health postings ask for evidence-based care plans and strong interpersonal skills, and this resume shows 6 years of pelvic floor caseloads with goal rates, referral growth and mentoring. The DPT degree, Utah license and two pelvic health credentials answer the education and license requirements that most PT employers list first.
Why this resume works:
- Evaluate and treat 13 patients a day with incontinence, pelvic pain, prolapse and pregnancy-related back pain.
- Write evidence-based care plans using biofeedback, manual therapy and exercise; 81% of patients meet goals in 10 visits.
- Built a postpartum return-to-exercise program with 3 OB-GYN practices that drew 140 referrals in its first year.
What employers ask for in physical therapist job postings
Physical Therapist job postings in the US, October 2026
- 29,853
- active US job postings
- 3,345
- employers hiring
- 1 yr
- median experience asked
- 60%
- ask for 1 year or less
Make sure your resume shows
- Physical therapy degree from an accredited program (57% of employers)
- Current state physical therapist license (40% of employers)
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills (24% of employers)
- Current CPR certification (17% of employers)
- At least 1 year as a PT, home health preferred (9% of employers)
- Valid driver's license and insured, reliable vehicle (8% of employers)
- Works well on a collaborative team (8% of employers)
- Strong clinical assessment and critical thinking (6% of employers)
Duties to build your bullet points around
What employers write most often under responsibilities. Show each one with a result (numbers, scale, outcome), not a copy of the duty.
- Evaluate patients and write individualized treatment plans (26%)
- Work with the interdisciplinary team on coordinated care (22%)
- Teach patients and families the plan, safety and home exercises (19%)
- Keep accurate, timely documentation of progress and plans (18%)
- Provide therapeutic exercise, manual therapy and other interventions (11%)
- Supervise physical therapist assistants and rehab aides (10%)
The examples on this page, in job postings
| Example | US postings | Median years asked | Skills that set this role apart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Therapist I | 119 | 1 | – |
| Physical Therapist | 15,952 | 1 | – |
| Licensed Physical Therapist | 297 | 1 | – |
| Home Health Physical Therapist | 655 | 1 | work independently, therapeutic exercises |
| Outpatient Physical Therapist | 352 | 1 | – |
| Pediatric Physical Therapist | 277 | 1 | – |
| Pelvic Health Physical Therapist | 79 | 1 | – |
Which job title to put on your resume: the titles employers use most, so recruiters and applicant tracking systems search for them: Physical Therapist (2,399 employers), Physical Therapist (PT) (367 employers), Home Health Physical Therapist (121 employers), Physical Therapist PRN (114 employers), Pediatric Physical Therapist (114 employers).
Source: Owlapply analysis of active US job postings, October 2026. Requirements and duties are grouped by meaning from the postings' own bullet lists and counted once per employer.
Advertised pay, experience and the skills employers ask for: Physical Therapist pay and requirements.
Check your physical therapist resume against a real job posting
- Paste a physical therapist job posting into the job match score tool to see which of its skills your resume is missing.
- Upload your resume to the ATS resume checker to read the text an applicant tracking system gets from it.
Physical Therapist resume sample (text you can copy)
This is the text of the Physical Therapist example above. Paste it into the resume builder and replace the details with your own.
Physical Therapist resume sample
BRANDON ELLIS
Physical Therapist
Nashville, TN · (615) 555-0149 · [email protected] · linkedin.com/in/brandonellis
SUMMARY
Physical Therapist with 5 years of outpatient and skilled nursing practice and an active Tennessee license. Evaluates 14 patients a day, writes individualized treatment plans and combines manual therapy with therapeutic exercise to restore function. Supervises PTAs and aides and applies clinical reasoning that patients and referring doctors trust.
EXPERIENCE
Physical Therapist, Music City Physical Therapy & Sports Rehab, Nashville, TN | 08/2023 - Present
- Evaluate and treat 14 patients a day with spine, shoulder, knee and post-surgical conditions.
- Write individualized treatment plans with manual therapy and therapeutic exercise, reaching 88% goal achievement at discharge.
- Oversee 2 physical therapist assistants and 3 rehab aides, reviewing their notes and patient progress every week.
- Teach home exercise programs through an app, raising patient-reported adherence from 55% to 78% in one year.
Staff Physical Therapist, Cumberland Skilled Nursing & Rehab, Nashville, TN | 07/2021 - 07/2023
- Completed 6 evaluations a week for residents after hip fracture, stroke and joint replacement surgery.
- Reduced falls on the short-stay unit by 22% with balance training and a nurse-led walking program.
- Coordinated care with nursing, occupational and speech therapy at weekly team meetings for 40 residents.
- Documented daily notes and progress reports in the EMR to Medicare standards, passing every compliance audit.
EDUCATION
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Physical Therapy, Belmont University, Nashville, TN | 05/2021
SKILLS
Physical Therapy, Individualized Treatment Plans, Manual Therapy, Therapeutic Exercise, Clinical Reasoning, Patient Evaluations, Home Exercise Programs, EMR Documentation, Communication Skills, Interpersonal Skills
CERTIFICATIONS
Tennessee Physical Therapist License, Tennessee Board of Physical Therapy (06/2021)
APTA Credentialed Clinical Instructor, American Physical Therapy Association (03/2024)
BLS for Healthcare Providers, American Heart Association (01/2026)
How to write a physical therapist resume
Write a physical therapist resume summary
- Open with DPT, years in practice and your state license, then the setting: acute care, inpatient rehab, outpatient orthopedics, home health, pediatrics or skilled nursing.
- Give your daily caseload or weekly visits, such as 14 patients a day or a 30-visit week.
- Name the populations and methods you know best, such as post-surgical orthopedics, stroke rehab, manual therapy, dry needling or pelvic floor care.
- Mention board certification or extra credentials, such as OCS, PCS or dry needling, in the first two lines if you hold them.
Physical Therapist I summary (entry level)
Physical Therapist I with a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Texas Woman's University and 15 months of acute care practice in a 400-bed hospital. Evaluates new inpatients after surgery, stroke and falls, and builds individualized treatment plans for safe mobility and discharge. Brings teamwork and steady problem solving to busy hospital units.
Physical Therapist summary (mid level)
Physical Therapist with 5 years of outpatient and skilled nursing practice and an active Tennessee license. Evaluates 14 patients a day, writes individualized treatment plans and combines manual therapy with therapeutic exercise to restore function. Supervises PTAs and aides and applies clinical reasoning that patients and referring doctors trust.
Pelvic Health Physical Therapist summary (senior level)
Pelvic Health Physical Therapist with 9 years of outpatient practice, including 6 years focused on pelvic floor rehabilitation for women and men. Builds evidence-based care plans for incontinence, pelvic pain, prolapse and prenatal and postpartum care using biofeedback, manual therapy and exercise. Mentors newer therapists and partners closely with OB-GYN and urology practices.
Write physical therapist experience bullets
- Count evaluations per day or week and the caseload you carry, so the reader can judge your pace.
- Show outcomes: goal achievement at discharge, plan-of-care completion, discharge-home rate, rehospitalization rate or walking speed gains.
- Prove documentation with a time limit and an audit result, such as notes in Epic within 24 hours and 100% on chart audits.
- Add supervision and teamwork: PTAs and aides you oversee, team conferences, and the physicians or other therapists you work with.
Physical Therapist experience bullets
- Evaluate and treat 14 patients a day with spine, shoulder, knee and post-surgical conditions.
- Write individualized treatment plans with manual therapy and therapeutic exercise, reaching 88% goal achievement at discharge.
- Oversee 2 physical therapist assistants and 3 rehab aides, reviewing their notes and patient progress every week.
- Teach home exercise programs through an app, raising patient-reported adherence from 55% to 78% in one year.
Pick the skills for a physical therapist resume
- Communication (about 31% of postings) and interpersonal skills (about 18%) lead the list, then compassion (about 10%) and organizational skills (about 9%).
- List the clinical skills employers name: manual therapy and individualized treatment plans (about 4% each), plus your treatment methods and standardized tests.
- Add your EMR system and setting-specific skills, such as OASIS for home health or the PDMS-2 for pediatrics.
Do's and don'ts
Do this
- List the DPT and school first in education; about 57% of employers ask for an accredited physical therapy degree.
- Put your state license, CPR or BLS card and any board certification in a certificates section that is easy to find.
- Show clinical rotations with setting and caseload if you are a new graduate.
- Match the resume to the setting: OASIS and driving for home health, sports and dry needling for outpatient, family coaching for pediatrics.
Avoid this
- Don't list treatment methods without the patients or results they served.
- Don't leave out PTA and aide supervision; about 10% of employers list it as a duty.
- Don't skip documentation; about 18% of employers name timely, accurate notes.
- Don't include patient names or details that could identify a patient.
Related resume examples
- Occupational Therapist
- Speech Language Pathologist
- Physical Therapist Assistant
- Occupational Therapy Assistant
- Physician
- Nurse Practitioner
- Registered Nurse
- Medical Assistant
Physical Therapist resume questions
What should a physical therapist resume include?
Your degree, state license and CPR card, a summary with years, setting and caseload, jobs with evaluation counts, outcomes and documentation results, and a skills list with your methods and EMR. About 57% of employers ask for a physical therapy degree from an accredited program, about 40% for a current state license and about 17% for CPR certification. The duty they write most is evaluating patients and writing individualized treatment plans.
How much experience do physical therapist jobs ask for?
Of the 3,191 postings that state experience, the median ask is 1 year, and about 60% ask for a year or less. The general physical therapist role in the examples asks for about 1 year, and so do the other roles, including home health and pediatrics. Some home health employers ask for 1 to 2 years with home health preferred.
How do I write a new grad physical therapist resume?
Put the DPT, graduation date, state license or exam date and CPR card at the top. List each clinical rotation with its setting, caseload and the conditions you treated, then any first job with evaluations per day and documentation results. Since about 60% of postings that state experience ask for a year or less, many roles are open to new graduates.
What should a home health physical therapist resume show?
Show weekly visits, OASIS assessments, the patients you treat and outcomes such as 30-day rehospitalization rate. Mention that you work independently and keep EMR notes current from the field. About 8% of employers ask for a valid driver's license and an insured, reliable vehicle, so list it.
How do I write an outpatient or orthopedic physical therapist resume?
Give patients per day, new evaluations and the conditions you treat, such as spine, shoulder and knee or post-surgical cases. Name your methods, such as manual therapy, dry needling and therapeutic exercise, and show results such as plan-of-care completion or home exercise adherence. Add certifications such as dry needling or OCS where screeners see them.
What skills should I list on a physical therapist resume?
List your treatment methods and assessments first, such as manual therapy, gait training, therapeutic exercise, detailed assessments and evidence-based care plans, then your EMR system. Communication and interpersonal skills appear in about 31% and 18% of postings, so show them through patient and family teaching. Add setting-specific skills such as OASIS, standardized pediatric tests or biofeedback.