How to write a good medical CV…and earn

Instructions

• 1

  1. Use a clear template
  
  Start off by forming a well made template for your CV, and stick to it. Place your contact details within the template, as well as your current institution of study, and your year group.
• 2

  2. Write a personal statement
  
  Make sure to emphasise your reasons for choosing medicine as a career, and let your potential employer know what you can contribute to their practice or hospital.
• 3

  3. Set out your qualifications
  
  Construct a clear way of listing your qualifications in an ordered manner. Some prefer to place their most recent qualifications at the top of the list, but putting your achievements in order of achievement forces the reader to scan through the entire list and be impressed with your consistently stunning results. Place each separate type of qualification under its own heading, and your subjects in alphabetical order within this heading (not in order of grade).
• 4

  4. Lay down your objectives
  
  Your employers need to know that you have the drive and motivation required to stick at an incredibly demanding career, and so it's important to outline your career objectives in a clear and concise way. Make sure they're relevant to the job you're applying for, though.
• 5

  5. Explain your experience
  
  Don't just give a list of what you've done, but make sure to target your skills and experience for the job. Highlight what each of the experiences have taught you, and how this has shaped your skills and your view of medicine.
• 6

  6. Provide a career history
  
  Give a brief account of any previous employment you have had. Don't go overboard, though; there's no need to go into excruciating detail about your summer paper route, but do dwell slightly on any relevant clinical jobs or volunteering opportunities you may have had.
• 7

  7. Demonstrate your leadership skills
  
  Having good leadership skills is a key quality in the field of medicine. You might want to dedicate a whole section to it at some point in your CV, or at least a moderately sized paragraph in your personal statement. Highlight any experiences you have had that have honed your leadership skills, and describe a stressful situation in which your leadership skills paid off, if one exists.
• 8

  8. Highlight any special awards
  
  If you've achieved any awards from your school or university, be sure to mention them. They will set you apart from the crowd when the interviewers look through their stack of applications. It will also give you a helpful conversation piece to lead onto in an interview, if the opportunity arises.
• 9

  9. Show your interests
  
  Do you go rock climbing? Do you play the banjo? Sprinkling your CV with your non-academic interests and activities is another great interview conversation starter, and demonstrates to your potential employer that you are a well-rounded person with diverse interests. Be sure to mention any achievements or qualifications you have attained through your hobbies.
• 10

  10. Include your references
  
  Clearly attach the details of your referees (informed of their role as your referee beforehand, of course), and politely invite the employer to contact them if they would like to do so.