Physician CV Example & Writing Guide for Physicians

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Oliwia Wolkowicz

Career Expert

Updated 11/24/2023

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You’ve always been a physician at heart, but how to show it in a CV? They key to getting your dream job is to stand out like a healthy person in an ER. How to do it right? By writing the perfect physician CV. With our tips you will write it faster than a prescription for Phenazopyridine.

This guide will show you:

An example physician CV better than 9 out of 10 examples out there.
Instructions on how to write a physician CV that highlights your skills.
How to describe your professional experience on a CV for a physician.

Want to save time and have your CV ready in 5 minutes? Try our CV builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ CV templates and create your CV here.

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Use this resume template

Physician CV made with our builder—See more CV examples and create your CV here.

One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:

[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My CV is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.

Check out our other articles centered around medicine:

Physician CV Example

Stanley Byars

stanley.z.byars@gmail.com

720-400-6302

Professional Summary

Experienced and respected physician with 7+ years of medical and academic experience. Proven ability to train and instruct students at all levels in both academic and medical settings, with a 90% satisfaction level in each. Named physician of the month 8 months in a row by patients at Lowely Medical. Looking to leverage medical skills and expertise at 4Care.

Education

Residency in Department of Pathology

Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

2012-2015

Doctor of Medicine

Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Graduated: 2012

B.Sc. in Health Promotion & Disease Prevention

Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Graduated: 2009

Work Experience

Physician

Lowely Medical

Dec 2016- Dec 2019

Performed patient examinations and diagnostics as well as designed healthcare treatment plans and therapies.
Managed and maintained 50+ patients daily with 87% patient satisfaction rate.
Contributed to a 30% boost in recorded and analyzed uncommon virus and bacteria strains statewide.
Helped increase profit by $50K through renegotiating deals with insurance and pharmaceutical companies.

Key achievement

Designated head physician of internal medicine after only one year on the job.

Physician

Pearl Health Clinic

Sept 2015-Dec 2016

Created and maintained thorough and detailed digital medical records on each patient which helped cut down the use of paper and office supplies by 12%.
Referred patients to specialists when necessary which led to 33% reduction in costs of unnecessary referrals.
Provided advice to patients on self care, and lifestyle and diet changes to improve health and quality of life, leading to a 15% drop in patients with returning cases.
Prescribed pharmaceuticals and treatments to treat diagnosed and documented conditions.

Skills

Ability to work under pressure
Diagnostic skills
Problem solving
Excellent bedside manner
Time management
Strong interpersonal skills
Teamwork
Decision-making skills
Analytical skills

Licenses & Certificates

California Physician License #A000000
Nebraska Physician License #0000000

This is how to write a job-winning physician CV:

1. Use the Best Format for Your Physician CV

Physicians are professionals who practice medicine at clinics or hospitals. They are also often referred to as medical practitioners, medical doctors, or doctors. The purpose of physician CVs is to show that you have the skills and experience it takes to promote good health and save lives.

But the world of medicine is vast and each medical specialization has its own specific requirements and expectations. And though demand for physicians is expected to grow due to an aging population, the amount of candidates will also grow which means increased competition.

To top it off, the recruiter is going to give your CV less than it would take to explain where it hurts.

To get the recruiter to listen to what you have to say, you need to follow these CV formatting rules:

Get your CV contact information right from the beginning. Double check your social media footprint and optimize your LinkedIn profile to be professional.
Out of all CV styles, the best format for physicians is the chronological layout. This is the layout that puts your professional experience at the forefront and one that most hiring managers recognize. It’s also a super ATS-friendly resume format.
Use a CV font that is legible and modern. Don’t forget to leave plenty of white space on the page to make your text really stand out.
Save your physician CV in PDF to make sure that your CV layout doesn’t open up looking like a ratty wallet.

2. Write a Physician CV Summary

Introduce yourself through your professional profile, or more specifically, a career objective or summary.

It’s a short and sweet paragraph at the top of your physician CV template that lays down the groundwork of why you’re the person for the job.

Use a career summary since you’ve already been practicing medicine for a couple of years:

First jot down the key points in your experience and medical skills as well as accomplishments.
Then choose 3-4 leads and add those into your physician CV summary section.

There’s no need to drown this section in tons of information. Keep it 3-4 sentences long max and tailor it to the job description of the position you’re applying for.

Use CV keywords to pass the ATS scan. Check: What are CV Keywords?

3. Make Your Physician Education Section Shine

You don’t need to be told that education is crucial to being a physician. That’s why it’s so important to get your education section perfect.

Here’s how to ace your education section on a physician CV template:

List all of the degrees you have in the following format: degree, college/university name and location, years you studied, major and minors.
List your internships, residencies, and fellowships in this section as well and in this format: name of medical institution, location, years involved.
If you were involved in any relevant school clubs or associations, you can mention them here or in the additional section of your doctor CV. Mention the name of the organization, your role, and the years you were involved.

4. Create the Perfect Physician CV Job Description

Your CV / resume experience section needs to be as appealing as a miracle drug:

List your most current position and then just go back in time with previous positions.
Make sure each entry includes: job titles, company name, dates of employment, and no more than 6 bullet points.
Limit the number of bullet points as you go back in time with your experience. Have up to 3 for positions far in the past.
Start each bullet point with an action verb.
Focus on quantifiable achievements and not just a generic list of duties. The recruiter will know what physicians do. They want to know how you do it better.
Tailor your physician experience section to match the position you’re applying for.

5. Highlight Skills on a Physician CV Template

Experience is one thing, but it’s your skill set that can ultimately determine whether you’re the type of physician that a patient would gladly pass over for a mad case of kidney stones.

Create a master list of all the job skills you have—this means soft skills and hard skills, technical skills, and any other relevant skills you’ve got in your coat pocket.
Pick the physician skills that are most relevant by using the job ad as a guide. Include them in your physician CV. Get a clean bill of health if you can mention skills that your education and experience sections can prove.

Physician CV Skills

Pro Tip: You might be tempted to think that a physician curriculum vitae should be up to the brim in data-driven competence. Not so. It’s your soft skills, primarily your patient communication skills, that can end up making you the candidate for the job. After all, you’re there for the patients, not the other way around.

When making a CV in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional CV template here for free.

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When you’re done, Zety’s CV builder will score your CV and tell you exactly how to make it better.

6. Add Extra Sections to Your Physician CV

The recruiter is taking notes, but still not convinced of your treatment plan. Show them you’re the only remedy they need.

Include language skills. Your patients will come from all over the world and the ability to communicate with them in their native tongue will add a huge gold star to your bedside manner.
Include volunteering, achievements and awards, projects, and even hobbies and interests on a physician CV template. With a wide array of skills needed to be an excellent physician, you never know what will play in your favor.
Use this section specifically to add your publications in your CV if they are required to apply for the position.

7. Attach a Cover Letter to Your Physician CV

If you’re thinking if you should include a cover letter, then the answer is yes. Recruiters want to see them.

Write a physician cover letter that will have the Department of Health and Human Services take notice with the following tips:

Use a sleek, modern cover letter format.
Use a “hook” to start your cover letter right.
Show that your experience and job skills translate into exactly what they need.
Use a call to action to end your cover letter.

You’ll need to be a little more restrained than you were with your CV. The ideal length of an effective cover letter should be around 1 page.

And once you have all that sent, remember to follow up on your job application!

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your CV will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

That’s the magic behind a successful physician CV.

Thanks for reading. Have any insider tips or tricks to share about creating the perfect physician resume? Share them in the comments below!

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