Physical Therapy Cover Letter | Sample & Template

Text Format

[Today’s Date]

[Hiring Manager’s Name]
[Company Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
[Company’s Telephone No.]
[Hiring Manager’s Email]

Dear [Mr./Mrs./Ms.][Hiring Manager’s Name],

I’m writing to you to apply for the physical therapist position that you’re advertising on Indeed. I’ve been working as a Licensed Physical Therapist at Salinas City Memorial Health Service for five years, and I’m sure my experience will make me a valuable addition to your organization.

My key skills include screening and examining patients to determine their care needs, developing treatment regimes, and conducting therapy sessions. In particular, I’m skilled at improving mobility and reducing long-term pain among my clients. Some key achievements of my career include:

Receiving 95% positive ratings from 47 long-term clients
Creating care plans for 100+ patients
Reducing pain by an average of 3.5 points on the Wong–Baker FACES scale

At Salinas City Memorial Health Service, I’ve also made it my goal to keep up with the latest trends in physical therapy. To that end, I’ve held 6 presentations where I shared news on the latest developments in the industry with my colleagues. I would welcome the opportunity to do the same at your organization.

Thank you for taking the time to read my application. I look forward to hearing from you — I can be reached at (831) 471-2589 or calvin.sutch@icloud.com.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Physical Therapy Cover Letter Tips

Learning how to put together a cover letter for the specific job(s) you want will help you land more interviews.

As someone who plays a critical role in supporting patients’ recovery, you need the right balance of technical knowledge and compassion for helping others.

Show employers you’re a great fit for the job by showcasing essential skills in an exceptional cover letter.

Here are three tips for writing a physical therapist cover letter that’s sure to capture their attention:

1. Highlight physical therapist skills

Physical therapists work one-on-one with patients to diagnose and treat many conditions associated with difficulty in movement.

From conducting hands-on therapy to developing treatment plans, you’ll need a combination of hard and soft skills like patience, empathy, and people skills to impress hiring managers.

Here’s a list of skills to highlight in a physical therapist cover letter:

Active listening
Time management skills
Leadership skills
People skills
Communication skills
Compassion
Teamwork
Problem-solving
Decision-making
Ability to work under pressure
Strength and coordination
Dexterity
Knowledge of anatomy and physiology
Understanding of rehabilitation principles and procedures
Computer skills (laboratory reports, X-rays, and medical statistics)
Software (MediGraph, MEDITECH, and Clinicient Insight)

2. Show your passion for helping others

Because physical therapy involves working closely with patients with diverse histories, employers need to know that you have passion for the role.

In your cover letter, convey enthusiasm for the role to show employers you’re committed to supporting patients throughout the rehabilitation process. If possible, connect a personal passion to the job to explain why you’re interested.

For example, talk about how you experienced firsthand the remarkable impact that a physical therapist had on your dad’s recovery and how you want to do the same for others.

3. Emphasize your interpersonal skills

In addition to working closely with patients, physical therapists are responsible for evaluating their progress and educating families on the recovery process. Therefore, emphasizing your interpersonal skills in your cover letter is vital.

You’ll need to prove you have interpersonal skills by providing examples of times you maintained successful relationships with patients and collaborated with other specialists to set up a treatment plan.

For example, talk about how you’ve assisted patients by using an exercise-based approach to provide physical rehabilitation, before reaching out to your network to connect them with additional resources for their other needs.