Physiotherapist Resume:
Guide Expert & IA 2026

A CV is a detailed academic-style document listing education, research, publications, and teaching. In many U.S. clinical jobs, employers ask for a resume instead: a 1–2 page summary focused on patient care results, physical therapy skills, and work history. If the posting says “CV,” check whether it’s a hospital, university, or research role.

Start with licensure, NPI, and contact details, then add education (DPT), clinical rotations, and measurable outcomes from internships or jobs. Use an ATS-safe template and include keywords from the job description (setting, populations, EMR). Add 3–5 quantified bullets per role to prove treatment planning impact and documentation quality.

In physical education, “CV” usually still means curriculum vitae, but the content emphasizes teaching credentials, coaching, curriculum design, and student outcomes rather than clinical patient outcomes. For a physical therapist role, use a resume focused on evaluation, therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, and healthcare documentation—different audiences and different performance metrics.

A cardiovascular physical therapist supports patients with cardiac and pulmonary conditions, often in acute care, inpatient rehab, or outpatient cardiac rehab. They focus on exercise tolerance, vitals monitoring, safety, education, and graded activity. On a resume, highlight telemetry awareness, functional capacity gains, discharge planning, and collaboration with physicians and nurses.

If the application allows it, a cover letter is a practical advantage—especially for competitive hospital roles or specialty clinics. Keep it short (200–300 words) and add 2–3 proof points: a patient outcomes metric, a productivity or compliance metric, and a setting match. Avoid repeating your resume; explain fit and priorities.

Entry-level and recent graduate candidates should aim for one page, prioritizing clinical rotations, key skills, and 6–10 high-quality bullets total. Experienced physical therapists can use two pages if they add measurable outcomes, leadership, and specialty training. Remove older, irrelevant roles and keep every line tied to the target setting.