Sections of an Effective CV

As a veteran physician recruiter, I review CVs every day. In this day and age, it amazes me that physicians don't follow some basic protocol for a clean, professional CV. Your CV should outline the business side of you. Its' purpose is to allow the prospective facility or practice to gain insight into who you are: education and training, achievements, skills and qualifications, work history, etc...

CVs range from a single page to over a hundred! There is no right amount of pages. Your CV is your CV. The more "academic" your career, the longer your CV, as you'll have more articles, book chapters, presentations, etc...than someone who has only had one private practice or hospital position for their career. Similarly, residents and fellows do not typically have more than a two-page CV, and many only have one.

Just as when writing a cover letter http://chrisswab.blogspot.com/2013/05/cover-letter-basics.html , there are a couple of "housekeeping" tips to discuss:

Font selection

• Sans Serif, such as Arial (the style of this blog)
• Size 12 of 14 for the Headings, one size smaller (10 or 12) for the text itself
• Bold only the headings

Pay attention to details

• Spelling and grammar
• Your a physician, details matter...both in practice and your CV
• Use the "tab" button to space nicely, not the space bar

Now that those basics are covered, let's get started with the layout...

The "Header" on your CV and Cover Letter should match

• Make sure your contact information is listed accurately
• Be sure to list your current address, email address and a phone number
• If your current address is different than your permanent address, list both, specify which is which
• Your email address should be a personal one
• Specify what type of phone...home, cell, etc

Personal Data

• Disclosing personal information on a CV is optional, but often expected
• May include, marital status, children, SSN, D.O.B., etc...

Education / Training

• Reverse Chronological Order
• Fellowship
• Residency
• Internship
• Medical School
• Undergrad

Certifications and Licensure

• Specialty/ subspecialty; Board Eligible/ Board Certified, as appropriate
• List licenses together, and whether active or in-active

Honors and Awards

• AOA or ΣΣΦ/SSP
• Special grants, etc...

Professional Society Affiliations

• List societies/medical associations, and year joined (to Present) if still active

Employment Experience

• Moonlighting experience goes a long way here (for residents and fellows)

Military Service (if applicable)

• Provide branch, rank, location of service, and dates

Presentations, Publications and Research

• Subcategorize: Books, Chapters, Peer-reviewed Articles, Non-peer-reviewed articles, scientific presentations, etc...
• Be sure to follow standard protocol for listing/referencing

Co-Curricular and/or Other Activities

• Volunteer work fits well here
• What else interests you
• Travel (shows broad horizons)
• Basketball (shows athleticism and teamwork)
• Photography (shows serenity)

References

• Ask if they will provide a POSITIVE reference, before listing them
• Consider asking for a reference letter to include with your CV submission
• It's OK for residents/fellows to list references
• Practicing physicians should write: Available Upon Request

Remember, your CV tells the prospective employer a lot about you. A poorly crafted, misaligned CV leaves the reviewer with a negative impression. When you're done, if you're not sure about the quality of your CV, seek assistance. Ask an attending to review it. Review CVs of other residents or fellows. And you can always reach out to me, too. I'm happy to provide some insight.

Physicians, staff physician recruiters, and healthcare executives and administrative personnel are welcome to connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/cswab