Never underestimate the value of a strong resume. Often the deciding factor in landing an interview, your resume must leave an immediate impression on employers, who rarely spend more than 10 seconds reviewing each applicant. An effective resume must clearly illustrate your professional value and demonstrate your expertise in the field.
To get a better idea of how to accomplish this, refer to the physical therapist resume sample provided below. Using the example as your guide, you can identify the strengths and weaknesses in your document, improving and refining where needed. You may also discover news ways to incorporate previously untapped skillsets, work experience, and achievements.
If you still need additional help, be sure to review the list of writing tips where you’ll find advice on style, format, voice, and presentation. Though the job search is difficult, it does not need to be impossible; take advantage of the resume writing help you need and learn the tricks to becoming a more successful job candidate.
Physical Therapist Resume Sample
Collette Benson, DPT
Tucson, AZ 11111 • cbenson@anymail • 555-392-9485
Tucson, AZ 11111 • cbenson@anymail • 555-392-9485
Summary
Board certified physical therapist with 8 years’ experience in orthopedic and assisted living geriatric rehabilitation. Sensitive caregiver for seniors in post-op recovery and long-term rehabilitation, awarded Excellence in Care in 2015 by the American Physical Therapy Association. Compassionate listener and proactive leader with experience in ICU and assisted living facilities.
Skills
- Patient caregiver and consultant
- Geriatric expert
- Orthopedic specialty
- Group session facilitator
- CPR and AED certification
- Treatment regimen planning
- Experienced instructor
- Active listener
- Detail oriented
- Proficiency in Spanish
Work Experience
Geriatric Physical Therapist, 2012-present
Desert Palms Senior Residence, Tucson, AZ
Desert Palms Senior Residence, Tucson, AZ
- Facilitate daily group therapy sessions; increased resident participation by 18%
- Prescribe post-op therapy regimens
- Provide one-on-one patient examinations and therapy sessions, combining traditional and machine-assisted therapeutic techniques
- Meet with 45 residents per week to update progress report, review changes in treatment and implement at-home rehabilitative exercises
- Supervise and instruct PTAs, including individualized patient training sessions
- Consult with physicians and surgeons on patient regimens
- Achieved Excellence in Care Award in 2015
Physical Therapist, 2009-2012
Phoenix Center for Rehabilitative Care, Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix Center for Rehabilitative Care, Phoenix, AZ
- Administered therapy regimens to over 140 patients
- Provided instruction, support, and guidance to patients and family; addressed concerns and questions about treatment
- Prescribed at-home treatments and designed long-term regimens
- Maintained and sterilized medical equipment
- Developed individualized treatment plans
- Assisted in exercises and stretching
- Inform patients and families on progress and goals
Physical Therapy Resident, 2007-2009
Banner–University Medical Center Phoenix
Banner–University Medical Center Phoenix
- Cared for patients under instructional supervision
- Conducted medical histories and in-patient processing
- Consulted with patients about follow-up procedures and at-home treatments
- Assisted with group therapy sessions
- Organize and maintain medical records
- Earned 2,000 certified training hours in orthopedic physical therapy
- Coordinated incoming resident orientation and organized shift schedule for new therapists
Education
Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency Program, 2009
Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix
Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix
Doctor of Physical Therapy, 2007
University of Arizona, Phoenix
Bachelor of Science, Health Sciences, 2005
Drexel University, Philadelphia
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Is This a Good Physical Therapist Resume? Let’s Check
Employers look closely at applicants’ qualifications. Does the physical therapist resume sample demonstrate the candidate’s skills, abilities, and credentials to professionally facilitate patient care regimens?
Yes. Notice how the example clearly illustrates the candidate’s skills and training credentials using bullet lists. In the skills section, the list includes a combination of hard, field-specific qualifications as well as “soft” traits that emphasize valuable personal qualities. Additionally, the listed items in the education and professional affiliations sections provide detailed professional credentials.
The professional summary should serve as your elevator pitch to employers, illustrating your most valuable and hireable attributes. Does the professional summary in the example incorporate skills, experience, and accomplishments in an efficient, readable paragraph?
You bet. The summary section provides a well-balanced combination of professional and personal attributes and achievements. In the example, the resume writer uses concise language to convey pertinent and detailed information in a limited space. The writer touches upon previous work experience, special accomplishments, such as the Excellence in Care Award, and hirable skills, all in fewer than four lines.
Your previous work history should include more than perfunctory duties and responsibilities. Does the work experience section of the physical therapist resume sample provide professional achievements and quantifiable metrics beyond the basic responsibilities?
Yes. In the sample resume, the writer incorporates hard numbers to support her achievements, including the number of patients seen, training hours undergone and patient participation rates. Employers look for this kind of information because it’s an objective way to compare the qualifications of two candidates. The more precise you can be, the more persuasive you are.
Typically, employers spend about 6-10 seconds reviewing your resume. Is the physical therapist resume sample succinct and readable?
Definitely. Notice how few complete sentences there are and the number of bullet lists. The formatting is simple and easy to read, allowing employers to scan quickly and retain information. Direct, concise language can go a long way when you only have six seconds.
The language of your resume needs to be not only concise, but engaging as well. Does the physical therapist resume sample use effective action verbs to describe previous job duties and achievements?
Without a doubt. The resume writer uses a unique action verb to start each item in her work history. This kind of language is much more direct and precise than generic verb phrases such as “worked on” or “was responsible for.”
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The Most Important Physical Therapist Resume sample Takeaways
The path to a more successful job search becomes clearer when you use the physical therapist resume sample as your guide. If you get stuck writing your resume, remember to focus on the important professional achievements throughout your career, and be specific. Include detailed metrics from your career, such as the number of patients you’ve treated or the number of certification hours you have. Finally, if you need additional help, be sure to check out our handy resume builder.
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