Occupational Therapist CV Example & Template for 2026
Helps patients develop, recover, or maintain daily living and work skills through therapeutic activities and adaptive techniques.
Recommended template: Classic
ATS-Safe (score 5/6)ATS-safe format critical for hospital and clinic ATS systems
Ultra-clean, maximum density. The gold standard for ATS resumes.
What skills should a Occupational Therapist put on their cv?
Mid-Level (3-7 years)
Must-have
Nice-to-have
How to write Occupational Therapist experience bullets
Start each bullet with a strong action verb and quantify your impact with metrics. Here are the most effective verbs by experience level:
Junior action verbs
Mid-Level action verbs
Senior action verbs
Key phrases for your cv summary
Include these terms in your professional summary to signal relevance to both ATS systems and recruiters:
What certifications help a Occupational Therapist get hired?
These certifications appear most frequently in Occupational Therapist job listings. Include them in a dedicated certifications section on your resume.
- OT License
- NBCOT (National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy)
- NBCOT
- Specialty Certification (CHT, SCLV, or similar)
- Board-Certified Specialist
Occupational Therapist career path: Junior to Senior
Junior
0-3 years experience
Master's or Doctorate in Occupational Therapy
5 core skills · 2 certifications
Mid-Level
3-7 years experience
Master's or Doctorate in Occupational Therapy
6 core skills · 3 certifications
Senior
7-15 years experience
Doctorate in Occupational Therapy (OTD) or equivalent experience
6 core skills · 3 certifications
Example bullets for a Occupational Therapist cv
Adapt these examples with your own metrics and achievements. Each bullet follows the formula: action verb + task + measurable result.
- Provided direct patient care for 5-7 patients per shift in a 32-bed medical-surgical unit, consistently achieving 95%+ patient satisfaction scores across quarterly surveys.
- Reduced unit-level medication errors by 40% through implementation of barcode scanning verification protocol and staff education program for 24 nursing team members.
- Served as charge nurse for 12-hour shifts managing 28-bed ICU, coordinating care assignments, rapid responses, and physician communication for 8-12 nursing staff.
- Mentored 6 new graduate nurses through 12-week orientation program, achieving 100% retention rate and accelerating clinical competency milestone completion by 2 weeks.
Example professional summary
“Dedicated Occupational Therapist with clinical expertise in Patient Evaluation, Treatment Planning, ADL Training, Clinical Reasoning. Committed to occupational therapy, rehabilitation, ADL training with strong patient advocacy, evidence-based practice, and collaborative interdisciplinary care.”
5 expert tips for your Occupational Therapist cv
1Licenses and certifications come first
In healthcare, credentials like OT License are non-negotiable. Place your licenses and certifications in a dedicated section near the top of your cv — many ATS systems use these as hard filters.
2Quantify patient care outcomes
Show measurable impact: patient satisfaction scores, readmission rate reductions, infection rate improvements, or throughput gains. Healthcare hiring increasingly values evidence-based outcome metrics.
3Highlight specialty experience and clinical settings
Specify units worked (ICU, ER, OR, Med-Surg), patient populations, and care models. A Occupational Therapist in emergency medicine has fundamentally different experience from one in outpatient primary care.
4Show EHR and clinical technology proficiency
Name the EHR systems you have used (Epic, Cerner, Meditech). Include Patient Evaluation, Treatment Planning, ADL Training, Clinical Reasoning in your skills section. EHR proficiency reduces orientation time and is a strong hiring preference.
5Include continuing education and professional development
Healthcare values lifelong learning. List recent CEUs, specialty training, conference presentations, or preceptor experience. These signal commitment to evidence-based practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
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