Resume Keywords for Physical Therapist

PT resumes are screened for licensure, settings, and treatment specialties. State your license, the populations you treat, and measurable functional outcomes.

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Hard skills & ATS keywords

Patient evaluation · Treatment planning · Manual therapy · Therapeutic exercise · Gait training · Rehabilitation · Documentation · Outcome measurement

Tools & software

WebPT · Epic · EHR/EMR systems · Therapy assessment tools

Soft skills

Empathy · Motivation · Communication · Patience

Certifications

State PT License · Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) · Orthopedic/Neurologic Specialist (OCS/NCS) · BLS

Example tailored bullet

✓ Managed a 14-patient daily caseload in outpatient ortho, achieving a 92% goal-attainment rate at discharge.

How to use these keywords

State your state PT license and any board specialty (OCS, NCS) explicitly — rehab ATS systems filter on licensure and setting. Don’t paste the whole list — choose the keywords you genuinely match, weave them into accomplishments with real numbers, and mirror the exact phrasing of the specific posting. Align Resume reads the job description and aligns your resume to it automatically, so the right keywords appear truthfully and you get a match score before you apply.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top resume keywords for a Physical Therapist?
High-value keywords include Patient evaluation, Treatment planning, Manual therapy, Therapeutic exercise, WebPT, Epic, EHR/EMR systems. Use the ones you genuinely have, matching the exact wording in the job posting.

How do I get my Physical Therapist resume past the ATS?
Use a clean single-column layout, mirror the posting’s exact skill and tool names where you qualify, and quantify your results. State your state PT license and any board specialty (OCS, NCS) explicitly — rehab ATS systems filter on licensure and setting.

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