Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Resume Examples

Physical Therapist Assistant resume examples by experience level

All three samples are illustrative: the people, employers and every figure are made up.

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What does a physical therapist assistant do?

The job includes setting up modalities such as electrical stimulation and ultrasound, guiding therapeutic exercise, gait and balance training, patient transfers, recording each session and teaching patients and families home programs. Physical therapist assistants work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, schools and home health, and the page should show settings, patients per day and results such as walking goals met.

Best resume format for a physical therapist assistant

• Give patients per day, settings and one result such as patients reaching walking goals.
• Put your license and CPR status near the top.
• Keep it to one page; a resume for physical therapist assistant jobs should be easy to scan between shifts.

The section order and what goes in each are on the how to write a resume guide; the resume format guide covers every format by type and country.

Summary examples by level

• Entry-level: Newly licensed physical therapist assistant with 4 months of clinical rotations, assisting 12 to 15 patients a day and setting up electrical stimulation and ultrasound.
• Mid-level: Physical therapist assistant treating about 20 patients a day in a neuro and orthopedic rehab center, who supported 40 stroke patients to walk with aids.
• Senior: Lead physical therapist assistant leading 5 assistants across 45 sessions a day, with 11 years in hospitals and home health.

Work experience bullet points

• Treated about 20 patients a day on modalities, exercise sets and gait training.
• Supported 40 stroke patients to walk with a walker or cane over 12 months.
• Kept session attendance above 90% with reminder calls to families.
• Set up and cleaned stimulation and ultrasound units between 15 patients a day.
• Wrote a session note for every patient, giving the physical therapist a 1-page weekly progress view.
• Visited 8 homes a day for post-surgery exercise, following 3 physical therapist plans.
• Trained 14 students on patient transfers and safe positioning.

Key skills to list

Hard skills: Therapeutic exercise, Gait and balance training, Electrical stimulation and ultrasound, Patient transfers and safe positioning, Session documentation (EHR), Home exercise program teaching, Wound and edema basics, Assistive devices, Infection control, Equipment checks.

Soft skills: Encouraging patients through pain, Following the therapist's plan exactly, Clear patient education, Patience with older adults, Teamwork with nurses and therapists.

Education and certifications

• Name your Associate degree from an accredited physical therapist assistant program, with the school and year.
• Write your state PTA license and the national exam you passed, with the year; licensing rules differ by state, so list only what you hold.
• Add CPR or basic life support and any special training, such as balance, stroke or wound care courses, with the year.