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Physical Therapy Technician Resume Templates
Physical therapist resume examples for outpatient, acute care and new grads, plus a free PDF template. Get skills lists, summary examples and job duties.
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Physical Therapist Resume: Examples, Skills & Free Template (2026)
SEO Title: Job Securing Free Physical Therapist Resume ATS Template
Description: Physical therapist resume examples for outpatient, acute care and new grads, plus a free PDF template. Get skills lists, summary examples and job duties.
A clinic director screens a PT resume for four things: license status in their state, setting experience, EMR familiarity, and whether you can carry their caseload. So put your DPT, license number, and state in the header, name the setting and patients per day under every job, name your EMR, and quantify outcomes. One page for new grads, two once you have specialty certifications and a few settings behind you.
What Clinic Directors Screen For First
Before the writing advice, here's the actual filter:
| They check | Where they look | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed in their state (or eligible) | Header | Not mentioned |
| Setting match | Job titles and context lines | "Physical therapist" with no setting |
| Caseload capacity | Bullets | No patients-per-day figure |
| EMR | Skills block | "EMR documentation" with no name |
| Specialty fit | Certifications | Buried at the bottom |
If those five aren't visible in 30 seconds, the rest doesn't get read.
Physical Therapist Resume Examples
Three full samples below: outpatient, acute care, and new grad. Copy the structure and swap in your setting, caseload, and numbers.
Outpatient Physical Therapist Resume
ELENA VARGAS, PT, DPT, OCS
Physical Therapist | Outpatient Orthopedics · Manual Therapy · Dry Needling
Austin, TX · (512) 555-0164 · [email protected]
TX PT License #XXXXXX, active · NPI #XXXXXXXXXX · BLS certified
Summary: Board-certified orthopedic physical therapist with 6 years in outpatient clinics, managing 13–15 patients per day at a 92% productivity rate. Reduced average episode length from 14 visits to 11 while improving FOTO functional outcome scores, and holds a patient cancellation rate under 6%.
Experience
Physical Therapist — Lakeline Sports & Spine, Austin, TX | 2021 – Present
Outpatient orthopedic clinic, 13–15 patients/day, WebPT
- Managed a caseload of 13–15 patients daily across post-operative, spine, and sports rehab, sustaining 92% productivity.
- Cut the average episode of care from 14 visits to 11 by front-loading manual therapy and standardizing home exercise progression in MedBridge.
- Improved FOTO functional outcome scores above clinic benchmark across four consecutive quarters.
- Maintained a patient cancellation and no-show rate under 6%, well below the 12% clinic average.
- Completed documentation within 24 hours on 99% of visits, with zero payer denials for documentation deficiency.
- Supervised 4 PT students on full-time clinical rotations and mentored 2 new-grad clinicians.
Physical Therapist — Hill Country Rehab, San Marcos, TX | 2019 – 2021
- Treated 12 patients daily in a mixed ortho and post-op caseload using Raintree EMR.
- Built the clinic's return-to-sport testing protocol, adopted across three locations.
Skills
Manual therapy · Joint mobilization and manipulation · Dry needling · IASTM/Graston · Therapeutic exercise prescription · Post-operative rehabilitation · Spine rehabilitation · Return-to-sport testing · Gait analysis · Outcome measures (FOTO, LEFS, NDI) · WebPT · Raintree · MedBridge HEP · Patient education · Plan of care development · Insurance authorization and documentation compliance
Certifications
Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS), ABPTS, 2023 · Dry Needling Certified, 2021 · Certified in Manual Therapy (COMT), 2022 · BLS/CPR, AHA
Education
Doctor of Physical Therapy — University of Texas Medical Branch, 2019
BS, Kinesiology — Texas State University, 2016
Acute Care Physical Therapist Resume
DEREK NWOSU, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist | Acute Care · ICU Early Mobility · Epic
Chicago, IL · (312) 555-0188 · [email protected]
IL PT License #XXXXXX, active · BLS + ACLS certified
Summary: Acute care physical therapist with 5 years in a 600-bed Level I trauma center, evaluating 10–12 patients daily across ICU, med-surg, and neuro floors. Supported an early mobility program associated with a reduced average length of stay on the surgical ICU, and holds a 97% discharge recommendation concordance rate.
Experience
Physical Therapist — Northshore Medical Center, Chicago, IL | 2021 – Present
600-bed Level I trauma center — ICU, med-surg, neuro; 10–12 patients/day; Epic
- Evaluated and treated 10–12 acute patients daily including ventilated ICU, post-surgical, stroke, and trauma cases.
- Mobilized ICU patients with lines, drains, and ventilator support in coordination with nursing and respiratory therapy as part of an early mobility initiative.
- Delivered discharge disposition recommendations with 97% concordance to actual placement, supporting case management planning.
- Documented all evaluations and daily notes in Epic within shift, maintaining 100% same-day compliance.
- Served on the falls prevention committee, contributing to a unit-level reduction in patient falls.
- Precepted 6 DPT students on acute care rotations and oriented 3 new hires.
Physical Therapist — Midway Community Hospital, Chicago, IL | 2020 – 2021
- Covered acute, inpatient rehab, and SNF caseloads averaging 9 patients daily.
- Performed bedside evaluations and equipment recommendations for safe discharge home.
Skills
Acute care evaluation · ICU early mobility · Lines, drains, and ventilator management · Neurologic rehabilitation · Post-surgical mobilization · Discharge planning and disposition · Gait and transfer training · Assistive device fitting · Fall risk assessment · Interdisciplinary rounds · Epic · Cerner · BLS/ACLS
Certifications
BLS and ACLS, AHA · Vestibular Rehabilitation Competency, 2023
Education
Doctor of Physical Therapy — Northwestern University, 2020
New Grad Physical Therapist Resume
Your clinical rotations are your experience. Format them exactly like jobs — setting, bed count or clinic type, weeks, and caseload.
PRIYA SHANKAR, PT, DPT
Physical Therapist | New Graduate · Outpatient Ortho & Acute Care
Denver, CO · (303) 555-0142 · [email protected]
CO PT License pending (NPTE scheduled July 2026) · BLS certified
Objective: Recent Doctor of Physical Therapy graduate seeking an outpatient orthopedic position. Completed 36 weeks of full-time clinical rotations across outpatient ortho, acute care, and skilled nursing, carrying up to 11 patients per day independently by final rotation. Trained in WebPT and Epic.
Clinical Rotations
Outpatient Orthopedics — Front Range Sports Medicine, Denver, CO | 12 weeks, 2026
- Managed an independent caseload of up to 11 patients per day by week 6, including post-operative ACL, rotator cuff, and lumbar cases.
- Documented all evaluations and daily notes in WebPT with same-day completion.
- Designed and progressed home exercise programs for 60+ patients using MedBridge.
Acute Care — Denver Regional Hospital | 10 weeks, 2025
- Evaluated and treated 7–9 patients daily across med-surg and ortho floors, including post-op total joints.
- Completed discharge disposition recommendations under supervision; charted in Epic.
Skilled Nursing — Cherry Creek Post-Acute | 8 weeks, 2025
- Treated 8 residents daily on gait training, transfers, and functional mobility.
- Contributed to interdisciplinary care conferences and progress reporting.
Outpatient Pediatrics — Mile High Children's Therapy | 6 weeks, 2024
- Delivered play-based interventions for developmental delay and torticollis under supervision.
Skills
Therapeutic exercise · Manual therapy fundamentals · Gait and transfer training · Post-operative protocols · Outcome measures · Patient and family education · Home exercise programming · WebPT · Epic · MedBridge · BLS
Education
Doctor of Physical Therapy — Regis University, 2026
BS, Health and Exercise Science — Colorado State University, 2023
Additional
Research: Poster presentation, "Return-to-Run Criteria After ACL Reconstruction," CSM 2026
APTA Student Member · Volunteer PT aide, 300+ hours
Physical Therapist Resume Summary
Lead with credentials, setting, and caseload — not adjectives.
Outpatient
Board-certified orthopedic physical therapist with 6 years in outpatient clinics, managing 13–15 patients per day at 92% productivity. Cut the average episode of care from 14 visits to 11 and hold a cancellation rate under 6%.
Acute care
Acute care physical therapist with 5 years in a 600-bed Level I trauma center, evaluating 10–12 patients daily across ICU and med-surg. Holds a 97% discharge recommendation concordance rate and 100% same-day Epic documentation.
Home health
Home health physical therapist with 4 years covering a 30-mile territory at 6–7 visits per day. Maintains 100% OASIS documentation compliance and supports a measurable reduction in 30-day readmissions across the caseload.
Pediatrics
Pediatric physical therapist with 7 years in early intervention and outpatient peds, treating 9 children daily from birth to 18. Wrote and progressed 200+ IEP and IFSP goals in coordination with families and school teams.
New grad
Recent DPT graduates with 36 weeks of full-time clinical rotations across outpatient ortho, acute care, and SNF. Carried an independent caseload of up to 11 patients per day by final rotation. Trained in WebPT and Epic; NPTE scheduled July 2026.
Keep it under 50 words with at least one number.
Physical Therapist Resume Skills
Pick 12–16 that match the posting. Every one should show up in a bullet too.
Clinical
Patient evaluation and assessment · Differential screening · Manual therapy · Joint mobilization and manipulation · Therapeutic exercise prescription · Gait and transfer training · Neuromuscular re-education · Post-operative rehabilitation · Modalities (ultrasound, e-stim, traction) · Dry needling · IASTM/Graston · Kinesio taping · Balance and vestibular rehabilitation · Wound care · Lymphedema management · Assistive device fitting and training
Assessment and documentation
Plan of care development · Outcome measures (FOTO, LEFS, NDI, DASH, Berg, TUG) · Goal writing · Progress notes and re-certifications · Discharge planning · OASIS documentation (home health) · Insurance authorization and appeals · Documentation compliance and audit readiness
EMR and technology
Epic · Cerner · WebPT · Raintree · Prompt · Net Health / Casamba · TheraOffice · PointClickCare · MedBridge HEP
Interpersonal
Patient education · Motivational interviewing · Family and caregiver training · Interdisciplinary collaboration · Student supervision and mentoring · Time management across a full caseload · Cultural competence · Bilingual ability
💡 Pro Tip: Name your EMR. "Electronic documentation" doesn't match an ATS string; "WebPT" does.
Physical Therapist Resume Description: Duties and Bullet Points
Don't paste a job description. Take what you did and attach a number.
Bullet points you can adapt
Caseload and productivity
Managed a caseload of [X] patients per day in [setting] at [Y]% productivity. Evaluated [X] new patients weekly and developed individualized plans of care. Sustained [X]% billable unit efficiency while maintaining documentation compliance.
Outcomes
Reduced average episode of care from [X] to [Y] visits without affecting outcome scores. Improved [FOTO/LEFS/Berg] scores above clinic benchmark across [X] quarters. Achieved a [X]% goal attainment rate at discharge across [Y] patients annually. Returned [X]% of post-operative patients to prior level of function within protocol timelines.
Documentation and compliance
Completed documentation within [X] hours on [Y]% of visits, with zero denials for documentation deficiency. Maintained 100% OASIS compliance across [X] home health episodes. Passed [X] consecutive chart audits with no deficiencies.
Patient experience
Held a cancellation and no-show rate of [X]%, below the [Y]% clinic average. Achieved a patient satisfaction score of [X] across [Y] surveys.
Teaching and leadership
Supervised [X] DPT students on full-time clinical rotations. Mentored [X] new-grad clinicians through onboarding to independent caseload. Developed a [protocol/program] adopted across [X] clinic locations.
New Grad and Entry Level Physical Therapist Resume
If you've just graduated, three things carry the resume: your rotations, your license status, and your EMR exposure.
Do this:
- Give rotations their own section, formatted like jobs — setting, facility type, weeks, caseload by end of rotation.
- State your license status honestly. "License pending, NPTE scheduled July 2026" is completely normal and directors expect it.
- Name every EMR you charted in, even briefly. New grads underestimate how much this matters.
- Say what caseload you reached independently. "Carried 11 patients/day by week 6" tells a director exactly what they need to know.
- Add research, posters, APTA membership, and CSM presentations if you have them — they differentiate you from other new grads.
- Skip PT aide work as a headline unless it's your only clinical exposure. Rotations outrank it.
Student Physical Therapist Resume
Still in the program and applying for rotations, aide roles, or residencies? Same structure, shorter.
Lead with your program, expected graduation date, completed coursework, and any rotations finished so far. Add volunteer PT aide hours, research involvement, and undergraduate healthcare experience. List coursework only if you have fewer than two rotations behind you.
Physical Therapist Resume by Setting
Same structure, different vocabulary and metrics.
Orthopedic Physical Therapist Resume
Lead with post-op protocols, manual therapy, and return-to-sport work. Metrics: episode length, outcome scores, cancellation rate, return-to-function rates. Certifications that carry weight: OCS, SCS, dry needling, COMT, CSCS.
Pediatric Physical Therapist Resume
Lead with age ranges and diagnoses — developmental delay, cerebral palsy, torticollis, gross motor delay. Emphasize IEP and IFSP goal writing, early intervention, family and school coordination, and play-based intervention. PCS certification is the differentiator.
Home Health Physical Therapist Resume
Lead with visits per day, territory size, and independence in the field. Emphasize OASIS documentation, point-of-care charting, fall prevention, caregiver training, and readmission reduction. Include your driver's licence and reliable transport.
Travel Physical Therapist Resume
Recruiters read this differently. Lead with licensure in every state you hold, plus compact eligibility, then list assignments in reverse order with facility type, setting, and length. Emphasize how fast you ramp: "Reached full caseload within 3 days at each assignment." List every EMR you've used; adaptability is the product you're selling.
Physical Therapist Resume Format
- One page for new grads and under 5 years. Two pages once you have multiple settings, specialty certifications, or teaching and research.
- Credentials in your name line: Name, PT, DPT, OCS. This is standard in the profession and expected.
- License number and state in the header — with status. Write "license pending, NPTE scheduled [date]" if that's where you are; leaving it blank raises questions.
- A one-line context under every job title: setting, facility size, patients per day, EMR. Almost nobody does this, and it's the fastest way to answer a director's real questions.
- Reverse-chronological. Single column, plain headings, no graphics.
- Certifications go above education if they're specialty credentials.
Physical Therapist Resume Template Free Outline
[FULL NAME], PT, DPT, [Specialty credential]
Physical Therapist | [Setting] · [Specialty] · [EMR]
[City, State] · [Phone] · [Email]
[State] PT License #[Number], active · [BLS/ACLS] · [NPI if relevant]
SUMMARY
[Credentials] with [X] years in [setting]. Managing [caseload] per day. [Measurable outcome 1]. [Measurable outcome 2].
EXPERIENCE
Physical Therapist — [Facility], [City, State] | [Month Year – Month Year]
[Setting, facility size, patients per day, EMR]
- [Action] + [caseload] + [method] + [outcome].
- [Action] + [volume] + [method] + [outcome].
- [Documentation or compliance bullet].
- [Teaching, mentoring, or program bullet].
SKILLS
[Clinical skills] · [Assessment and documentation] · [EMR names] · [Interpersonal]
CERTIFICATIONS
[Specialty certification], [Issuer], [Year] · [BLS/ACLS], [Year]
EDUCATION
Doctor of Physical Therapy — [University], [Year]
[Undergraduate degree] — [University], [Year]
Free template downloads are fine as a starting point, but export to PDF and check that the text is selectable. Multi-column decorative layouts break in hospital ATS systems.
Physical Therapist Resume PDF or Word
| Applying through | Send |
|---|---|
| Hospital or health system portal | |
| Travel or staffing recruiter | Word — they reformat and submit it themselves |
| Direct email to a clinic owner | PDF, plus key points in the email body |
| Academic, residency, or fellowship | CV, not a resume (see below) |
Keep both file types saved. Name it Firstname-Lastname-PT-Resume.pdf.
Physiotherapist Resume Sample PDF or a CV: Which One Do You Need?
This trips people up constantly, and it depends on where you are and what you're applying for.
| You're applying for | Send |
|---|---|
| A clinical job in the US or Canada | Resume — one to two pages, targeted |
| A PT residency, fellowship, or faculty post | CV — full length, with research, presentations, teaching |
| A physiotherapy job in the UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, India, or the Gulf | CV — but this usually means a 2–3 page targeted document, closer to a US resume than an academic CV |
| A hospital post that asks for a "CV" in the US | Ask. Most US clinical postings using the word still want a resume |
So "What is a CV in physiotherapy?" has two answers depending on the country. In academic and research contexts it's an exhaustive record of your career — every publication, presentation, grant, and course taught, with no page limit. In most of the world outside North America, "CV" is simply the word for what Americans call a resume, and 2–3 pages is normal.
Practical rule: if the posting says CV and it's clinical, send a clean two-page document. If it's academic or a residency, send the full record.
Physical Therapist Resume Reddit: What PTs Actually Say
Search this on r/physicaltherapy and the advice is fairly consistent — and mostly right:
- Productivity numbers matter more than new grads realise. Directors want to know you can carry the caseload.
- One page until you have real specialty credentials. Padding is obvious.
- Name the EMR. Clinics genuinely filter on it because training time costs money.
- Don't list every con-ed course you've taken — only certifications and the ones relevant to the setting.
- Networking beats applications. Most people report getting hired through rotation sites, CSM, clinical instructors, and residency contacts rather than job boards.
- New grads: your CI's recommendation is worth more than your resume. Keep those relationships warm.
The last point is worth acting on. If you did a rotation somewhere you liked, contact your CI directly before applying through the portal.
Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| License status not in the header | Add state, number, and status — including "pending" |
| "Physical Therapist" with no setting named | Add a context line under every job |
| No patients-per-day figure | State your caseload for each role |
| "EMR documentation" instead of the name | Write Epic, WebPT, Raintree, Casamba |
| Rotations left off a new grad resume | Give them their own section with weeks and caseload |
| Credentials missing from the name line | Write Name, PT, DPT, OCS |
| Every con-ed course listed | Keep certifications only |
| Same resume for outpatient and acute care | Swap the metrics and vocabulary |
| Decorative template with columns | Plain single-column PDF |
| Three pages under 5 years' experience | Cut to one or two |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How to write a resume for a physical therapist?
Put your credentials and license status in the header, write a summary naming your setting and caseload, add a context line under each job with setting and patients per day, quantify outcomes and documentation compliance, name your EMR, and list specialty certifications above education. One page for new grads, two with experience.
Q2. What is a CV in physiotherapy?
It depends on context. In academic, residency, and fellowship applications a CV is a complete career record publications, presentations, teaching, grants — with no page limit. Outside North America, "CV" usually just means what Americans call a resume, and 2–3 pages is standard for a clinical role.
Q3. How to write a CV for a therapist?
For a clinical CV, keep it to two or three pages: credentials and licensure, professional summary, clinical experience with settings and caseloads, skills, certifications, and education. For an academic CV, add publications, presentations, research, teaching, grants, and professional service, in reverse-chronological order with no length limit.
Q4. How long should a physical therapist resume be?
One page for new grads and under five years. Two pages once you have multiple settings, specialty board certification, teaching, or research.
Q5. Should I put my license number on my resume?
Yes state, number, and status in the header. If you haven't sat the NPTE yet, write "license pending" with your exam date.
Q6. What are the most important physical therapist resume skills?
Patient evaluation, therapeutic exercise prescription, manual therapy, plan of care development, outcome measures, documentation compliance, and your EMR by name. Setting-specific skills matter more than a long generic list.
Q7. How do I write a new grad physical therapist resume with no experience?
Your clinical rotations are your experience. Give them a dedicated section formatted like jobs setting, facility type, weeks, and the caseload you reached independently. Add license status, EMR exposure, research, and APTA involvement.
Q8. Do I need a different resume for each setting?
Yes, at least a modified one. Acute care directors want ICU mobility and discharge planning; outpatient owners want episode length and cancellation rate. Swap the summary, top skills, and lead bullets each time.
Checklist Before You Apply
[ ] Credentials in the name line — PT, DPT, [specialty]
[ ] License state, number, and status in the header
[ ] Context line under every job: setting, size, patients/day, EMR
[ ] A number in every bullet
[ ] EMR named exactly
[ ] Certifications above education
[ ] Rotations sectioned properly if you're a new grad
[ ] One or two pages, single column, PDF and Word saved
[ ] Setting vocabulary matches the posting
[ ] Read aloud once for typos