Medical CV: Template & How to Write (+25 Expert Tips)

You’ve done your elective placements, and soon, you’re going to have nobody looking over your shoulder. All that stands between you and your next speciality registrar is a cure-all medical CV. Here’s the full treatment plan. 

In this article you will see the best medical CV sample. You will also learn tips on how to make your CV illustrate your medical skills, dedication, and work ethic.

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We created the sample on the right using our builder. See other good CV examples like this one.

Need a different CV example? Check these guides:

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Medical CV example

That’s a fully cured and supplemented medical CV. Now let's write your application based on the right CV structure:

1. Stitch up a personal statement at the top of your medical CV

Your CV personal statement (also called a CV summary) should introduce you effectively and be brief and concise like a patient condition report. The most important vitals, the history, the outlook. Just like the patient condition, your usefulness as a doctor can be best rated with solid numbers. How many placements did you complete, how many hours?

Of course, your achievements might be scarce at this stage in your career, but doing something as simple as summing up all your elective placement and in-field component hours could show that you are not completely green. 

Most candidates won’t think to do this, and will instead simply list the speciality of the wards where they shadowed. How many patients did you ‘independently’ assist? If applying for a speciality that you have already got some experience in, focus on that. 

Show genuine interest and refer to 1 or 2 achievements that really prove your proficiency in this field. If applying for a higher status of placement than before, focus on the times you had the chance to perform procedures expected by a doctor of this level.

Think about how your hire will benefit them, and tell them what you’re going to do for them. If it’s a hospital known for being hectic, it could be as simple as helping them with the increasing caseload. 

Medical CV personal statement example

A strong CV summary will convince the recruiter you’re the perfect candidate. Save time and choose a ready-made personal statement written by career experts and adjust it to your needs in the LiveCareer CV builder.

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2. Write your medical CV job description

After you have captured their attention with your hydrated and nourished personal statement, it’s time to provide some detail that’s expected in the kind of application you’re making. You are to list every single clinical placement, the duration, and what you did there.

When describing what you did there, don’t give a hospital-food grade description of your responsibilities. Focus on the unique. The chances you had to perform on your own. The advanced procedures you assisted in. 

Imagine what is the most transferable skill for your new appointment, and describe your experience in that too. Not only is it valuable experience, you display a desire of continuity in your specialization, which is often supported. 

As you will have so many entries after a few years of medical school, try and limit yourself to writing a one, two sentence maximum description of each appointment. The STAR (Situation-Task-Action-Result) formula can be very helpful in writing these bullet points.

Don't worry if your colleagues include different information than you do. For example, if your specialty is urology and you're writing an urologist CV, you should highlight skills relevant to this area of expertise. An orthodontist's CV will have another set of professional skills, and that's perfectly fine.

No previous work experience (and maybe writing your first CV?) If you have participated in clinical rotations or externships, provide details about these experiences. Mention the healthcare facilities where you trained, the dates of your rotations, the specialties you covered, and the key skills and experiences you gained during these periods.

[Job Title]

[Ward Name, Hospital, City]

[Dates of Employment]

Medical CV job description example

3. Include an education section in your medical CV

List your formal education in reverse chronological order—only degrees and postgraduate qualifications. If you have done as well as to have some medical prizes and awards, you should most definitely list them here, unless there are so many they command their own 'Awards' section (I would say that's 3 and more).

If it’s the just most standard MBBS route, feel free to keep it short and devote more space to your clinical appointments. Amputate the A-Levels, if you still have them around for some reason.

Medical CV education section

4. Use clear additional sections on your medical CV

A medical CV is bound to have a quandary of additional information. You’d do best to list all additional information in clear, short CV sections, like:

• Awards
• Memberships 
• Skills
• Languages
• Certifications
• Conferences
• Courses
• Publications
• Research Projects

Keep the personal interests off unless you have solid achievements that reflect well on your work ethic and ability to handle complex problems. 

Stitch on your GMC and any other membership numbers around here, also.

Medical CV additional sections

5. Write a medical cover letter

A healthy medical cover letter can really solidify your chances of getting an interview. Since you’re bound to have so many entries, the space to discuss them in more detail is very limited without going into 3+ pages. 

The cover letter is where you get to do that, and we suggest to focus on the experience you have already performing the duties you will be expected to perform in the new post—to show you can already do the job.

If it’s a new branch of medicine for you, think about your performance in modules that concern this area. Think about other transferable skills, anything from suturing to people management, that may come useful in the new one.

Start your cover letter with your strongest argument, and explain your motivation. Explain your relevant experience and achievements in the body of the letter, and close with a third paragraph that sums up what you want to do for them. 

Think about this as an expanded version of your personal statement. Keep in mind they both need to be adjusted for every application to seem maximally relevant to the reader, and getting your foot in the door. 

What else to remember about when writing a medical CV?

Industry sources report that the hospital recruiters spend 30-90 seconds on each medical CV. I must say, that’s really great. Usually, we deal with professions where the recruiter will spend approximately 7 seconds on each CV.

The cleaner your CV is, the longer they can bear reading it before they get bored. Be the one that is easy to read, communicates everything fast and clear, and is a pleasure to get out of the way and into the shortlisted pile. Follow these CV fomatting tips:

• Use a CV font that is easy on the eye. Check model CVs for inspiration.
• Keep your CV layout clean and use 1-inch margins on all sides. Outline your CV and add space between each section to guide the eyes and make it easily skimmable for key information.
• Use clear, catchy headings. That's what makes a good CV.
• View free CV templates and choose a simple CV template or Word CV template as they're easy on the eye. Remember that visual CVs may not be ATS-friendly though CV design is important, too.
• Medical students, FY1 and FY2 doctors should produce a solid, concise 2 or 3 page medical CV.
• Limit your CV to one page. Save in PDF, unless asked otherwise.

So you've got your perfect CV. Follow-up after a month for each application. Good luck!

You don’t have to be a CV writing expert. In the LiveCareer CV builder you’ll find ready-made content for every industry and position, which you can then add with a single click.

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Did we answer all your questions on how to write a medical doctor CV? Did you find our medical CV template useful? Use the comments section below to ask questions. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

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Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with LiveCareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.