How to Write a CV

Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) is one of the most important documents you will write and distribute when seeking a position. Although a CV can be written similar to a standard resumé, there are some important differences. You will need to provide a summary of all your medical education, employment history and some basic personal information.

The major categories you need to include (in this order) are:

Title: At the top of the page in a larger font type CURRICULUM VITAE

Name & Contact Information:

• Home address, phone and email
• Office address, phone and email

Medical Education:

• Name of medical school
• City and state
• Degree
• Date of completion

Training:

• Internship, Residency, Fellowship Institution
• Specialty studied
• City and state of each
• Inclusive dates training was completed or anticipated completion date

Undergraduate Education:

• College or university
• Degree awarded
• Date of completion

Honors and Awards:

Certification:

• List specialty boards and national boards
• Show your certified and/or re-certified dates of completion

Licensure: List each state license

Practice History:

• List name of each practice, starting with the most current
• Show city and state
• Show beginning and ending date

Military:

• If you have served provide branch of the armed forces
• Provide rank attained
• List dates of service

Volunteer Work: List professionally-related volunteer work

References: If your job search is not confidential, list 3-5 references including:

• Professional references only – no friends
• Name, title, specialty, address, phone and email for each

If applying for an academic position also provide:

• Academic Rank – current first
• Publications
• Research grants received, amounts, dates
• Presentations

Important CV Tips:

Proofread: Ask someone to proofread your CV for spelling and grammar.
Eliminate Gaps: There should be no gaps in your medical employment history.
Be honest: Employers typically conduct background checks and credentialing.