Career Planning
|
Finding the Right Practice
Prepare Your Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Despite all of the years of medical school, residency, and fellowship, the modern era of ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service) has led most fellows to be in the position where they haven’t had to have an actual CV for years.
Well, it’s time to change that, and you shouldn’t wait until your final year of fellowship.
Despite all of the years of medical school, residency, and fellowship, the modern era of ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service) has led most fellows to be in the position where they haven’t had to have an actual CV for years.
Well, it’s time to change that, and you shouldn’t wait until your final year of fellowship.
Plan to start putting this together by the beginning of your second year of fellowship, at the latest, and keep it up to date so that you can respond quickly to opportunities that may come up as you grow your network.
Keeping it polished prevents the documentation fire drill that you’d have to do if you wait until your third year and suddenly find the perfect position posted. So, be sure to have it at the ready for your next need – securing a REAL job.
Here is how to write your CV:
What to include?
Your CV should be a summary of your background and accomplishments.
It is a comprehensive description of your professional and academic history including all credentials and any achievements.
- Personal Information
Your name, address, phone number, and email should be included here. It is also important to include your Linked-In handle and any URL information to personal or professional websites.
- Objective Statement
You can include a concise overview of your statement to highlight who you are, what you offer, and what your professional interests include. While not required, an objective statement can be a nice feature to stand out from the crowd, especially if you have a specific professional niche or practice focus to demonstrate the unique value you will bring.
- Education and Training
List your education and training in reverse order, include fellowship and residency training, internships, medical school, and college graduate and undergraduate degrees or certificates attained. Each institution should be listed along with the graduation or completion date. If you held any specific leadership or clinical roles, they should be noted as well.
- Medical Licensure
Include any state licenses you have in this section. State, license number, and date of expiration should be noted.
- Certifications
Include Board Certification as well as any other training you have certification for such as NRP, STABLE, or PALS.
- Professional Experience and Employment History
Be sure to note all of your relevant medicine-related work experience starting with the most recent. Include your title, employer (name and address), dates of employment, duties or responsibilities, and specific accomplishments or achievements while in your role.
- Publications and Presentations
Note all published articles you authored or co-authored. Include the bibliographic citation with your name in bold. List any notable presentations given with the event or organization, topic, title, and date.
- Research Experience
List your experience and interests here along with any grants or funding obtained. Note the institution, department, title, your role, and dates of participation.
- Committees, Leadership Positions, or Other Activities
Note the organization, position, responsibilities or duties, and years or duration of your duties.
- Professional Affiliations or Memberships
List any memberships with the name of the organization, the year you joined, any formal or elected positions held, and any committee or council responsibilities.
- Scholarships, Awards or Honors
Include the name, location, and date received.
- Extracurricular Activities and Personal Interests
You can include this at the end of your CV to add a personal touch, especially if you have volunteer or certain non-professional interests worth noting. Keep this fairly brief, but use it to call out uniquenesses that may help set you apart from other candidates or demonstrate that you are a good fit for a particular geographic area.
Helpful Tips
Formatting:
Use a professional font and consistent margins. The same format should be used for all pages. Note the page numbers along with your name on each page. Convert to PDF for sending electronically. See various examples here, here, here, and here.
Proofreading:
You should ensure there are no typos or grammatical errors. Definitely have others review your documentation. It is also wise to have a practicing physician, mentor, or colleague review your work as well. See annotated CV tips here, here, and here.
Length:
Typically, your CV should be 2-5 pages in length. It is important to be concise and specific, noting only the relevant details. See a basic outline here, here, and here.
Physician CV Templates
Helpful Resources from Medical Schools:
Additional Resources
Explains the purpose of the CV and offers several helpful tips for writing yours.
Provides guidance on how to write your CV and offers advice from several physicians leaders.
Offers several tips, ideas, and examples of how to write your CV and includes several perspectives from recruiters, physician leaders, and consultants.
Gives six rules for writing an effective CV.
Provides an overview of common mistakes to avoid.
Defines the difference between a CV and resume, provides an outline on the structure of your CV, and offers some writing tips with examples.
