A professional, easy-to-read resume is essential to attain work as a physician or advanced practitioner. The following healthcare resume tips can help you create a resume worth reading.

Best Practices for Your Resume or CV

Keep It Updated

This may seem like simple advice, but it’s probably the most important tip to apply to your resume. Each time you add experience to your professional repertoire, add it to your resume. This ensures accuracy in the stated information and saves valuable time in the future.

Items that should be updated regularly include a chronological history of related experiences, new skills and/or certifications obtained along the way, relevant personal experiences and contact info. Also, highlight the position, name of the organization, honors/awards, memberships or volunteer activities — the most important aspects of your resume. Don’t present dates first and make sure to bold the position or degree to ensure they stand out to a busy employer. The following format is best:  

Internal Medicine Resident, 2012-2016

St. Francis Hospital, Queens, NY

American Medical Association, 1993–2005

American Academy of Pediatrics, 1994–2005

Wisconsin Medical Association, 1992–2003

Choose the Most Appropriate Format

Two formats are normally used in healthcare jobs: resume or CV (curriculum vitae). What are the differences between the two?

Resume — a resume is typically shorter than a CV — one to two pages — and provides a succinct summary of your skills and relevant experiences. When you use a resume format, you are generally creating it specific to the job you are applying to.

CV — a CV tends to be longer and more detailed — more than two pages long. A CV is commonly used by those in the academic and scientific professions in healthcare such as doctors, NPs, PAs or CRNAs.

Best practices for creating a curriculum vitae include covering your entire career and education history, which remains static, and stating any changes in the cover letter. CVs also include publications, CME activities, volunteer work and community lectures. A detailed and updated CV is crucial to have at all times; however, a more succinct version, such as a resume, should be used for your job search (unless you are applying for an academic position).

Sell Yourself

Think outside the box when creating a resume. Listing job-related responsibilities is great, but you should also consider describing actual benefits and results of your career accomplishments. Also, go beyond discussing on-the-job specifics and get personal. List any personal abilities, volunteer work or other activities that prove you are hardworking, tenacious, dedicated, service-oriented or quick-thinking. Donald McCoy, a radiation therapy program chairman, states that “Even medical experience outside the field is important because it indicates the motivation and temperament of the applicant on working in health care.”

An easy-to-read resume or CV can help you stand out among the competition. Include up-to-date information, relevant work experiences, and relevant personal interests and hobbies. Also, list any technologies, machines and procedures you’ve used that are not typically used in healthcare.  

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