Physical Therapist Assistant Resume Example

How to write a physical therapist assistant resume that lands interviews

A great physical therapist assistant resume isn't a list of responsibilities — it's a tight stack of quantified outcomes, written in language an ATS scores and a human reader believes. Below: the 8 bullets a strong candidate uses, the 4 they avoid, the keywords the ATS expects, the pay figures to anchor your negotiation against, and the FAQs we hear most often.

Sample bullets — good vs weak

Each “good” bullet leads with the outcome, includes a measurable result, and shows scope. The “weak” versions describe activities without showing impact. Use these as templates; rewrite them in your own voice with your real numbers.

✅ Bullets that get the call

• Treated 10 to 12 patients a day in an outpatient orthopedic clinic, carrying out the plans of care written by the supervising physical therapist.
• Guided total knee replacement patients through staged exercise, with most reaching the plan's range-of-motion goal by the sixth week.
• Led gait and balance sessions for older adults in a skilled nursing rehab unit, reducing walker dependence for several residents before discharge.
• Wrote daily progress notes in the electronic record within the clinic's same-day standard and flagged changes to the physical therapist.
• Taught home exercise programs with printed pictures and teach-back, improving patient follow-through on the first re-check.
• Applied ultrasound, electrical stimulation and hot and cold packs as ordered, checking skin and tolerance at every session.
• Ran a weekly fall-prevention class for 12 community participants, working through balance drills and safe floor-recovery practice.
• Supervised physical therapy aides in room setup and equipment cleaning, keeping treatment areas ready between visits.

❌ Bullets to rewrite

• Helped patients do exercises.
• Worked under a physical therapist.
• Motivating and patient.
• Documented patient visits.

ATS keywords to weave into your bullets

The four-component ATS rubric weights keyword density inside experience bullets more heavily than the keywords-only skills section. These are the 14+ keywords most often scored on a physical therapist assistant resume — fold them into your bullets where they're honestly applicable.

Physical Therapist Assistant salary

Annual pay across the United States, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half of these workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile figures. Your offer will depend on the state, the employer and the shift.

Want a deeper salary breakdown by city + role + experience? See the full Physical Therapist Assistant salary guide →

Common mistakes (and how to fix them)

• Overstating independence

  Fix: Describe interventions 'per the plan of care' and 'under the supervising physical therapist'.
• No patient numbers or setting

  Fix: State patients per day and the clinic or unit type.
• Leaving out outcomes

  Fix: Add goals met, discharge destinations or reductions in assistive device use.
• Missing licensure details

  Fix: Include state, license type and expiration date.

ATS tips specific to physical therapist assistant resumes

• Write 'Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA)' in full, and 'Licensed PTA' if your state uses that title.
• Name the settings: 'outpatient', 'skilled nursing', 'acute rehab' or 'home health'.
• List modalities and interventions as plain-text skills.
• Include your electronic record system, such as WebPT or an equivalent, if you have used one.

Frequently asked questions