Medical Employment Service
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The Curriculum Vitae

The physician's Curriculum Vitae is written somewhat like a standard resume, but with some differences. For all practical purposes, unlike a regular resume, all that is necessary is a synopsis of the physician's medical education, employment history, and basic personal information. A graduating resident or fellow will, of course, omit employment history unless it relates directly to the medical field.

      There is no set formula for writing a CV, but the following "do's and don't's" follow guidelines that seem to be best received by those professionals who hire physicians:

Dos

DO have your CV typed neatly with one-inch margins at the top, bottom, and sides of the page. Having it typeset professionally is not necessary. Just be sure that the type is clear, easy to read, and dark enough to reproduce well when copied or Faxed.

      DO list major categories, spaced well from the name, address, and telephone number. With a physician, with few exceptions, Medical Education should come first. Be specific about the name of your medical school, the city and state where the medical school is located (address is not necessary), your degree and the year of completion.

      The next category should be Certification, listing boards and national exams taken, with appropriate dates. Then Licensure, listing states/year in which you are currently licensed.

      The next major category should be Employment history. Begin with your present or last employment, stating your status (partner, associate, staff physician, medical director, etc.), name of clinic/group (or solo/private practice, where applicable), admitting facility/ies, city and state, and specific beginning and ending dates (or "to present"). If confidentiality is a factor, it is permissible to give a general idea of what your current status is without giving specific facility names, etc. Just say "group practice, partner, or whatever" and your city and state.