Doctor CV Example & Writing Guide

Ensure your CV format is structured to best highlight your unique experience and life situation.

Before you begin writing, make sure you know how to write a CV in a way that best emphasises your strengths.

Doctors ensure patients receive the care they need and provide them with access to the latest treatments and medical technologies. No matter their speciality, all doctors share the common goal of helping their patients live long and healthy lives.

Whether you’re applying straight out of your foundation programme or already have years of experience, you’ll need a combination of the right education-related credentials, skills, and work experience on your CV to stand out from other doctor candidates.

Here are three tips on how to write an effective CV so you can pursue your career path as a doctor:

1. Feature your credentials prominently

The education section of your doctor CV should include all of your relevant academic credentials (below your contact details) so healthcare employers can immediately tell you’re qualified for the role.

So start by listing these points in the education section of your CV:

• your medical degree
• postgraduate education or training
• the name and location of each institution
• the dates that you attended
• your foundation programme and fellowships

If you’re still in training, indicate this fact by listing the expected date of completion. You may also want to include details of relevant coursework, rotations, or medical specialities. Any research experience like papers or projects should also be included in your education section.

Finally, you can include any continuing education courses that you have taken, such as seminars or conferences.

Below is an example from our experienced doctor applicant’s CV education section:

UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS (2007–2012)
MBChB (Hons) Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery

Relevant Modules: Clinical Assessment, Clinical Pathology, Essential Medical Science, Ethics and Patient Safety, Body Systems, Research, Evaluation, and Special Studies

QUEEN ELIZABETH II HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, SHEFFIELD (2000–2007)

A-levels: Biology (A), Chemistry (A), Physics (A)
GCSEs: 10 A-C including Maths, English, Combined Science, and Geography

2. Write a personal statement that shows your dedication

One of the most important aspects of a doctor CV is the personal statement. Use it to grab the attention of the reader and sell yourself as the best candidate for the job.

A good CV personal statement sits at the top of your CV and gives a brief overview of your skills and experience, including:

• your level of education
• where you completed your foundation programme or previous work placements
• what qualities you have that make you suited to the role
• your career objective

Here’s an example of a well-written personal statement from our doctor CV example in only three sentences:

3. Emphasise your medical and patient care skills

Use several key skills for your CV that show employers you’re capable of working well with patients and other medical professionals.

While hard skills are often easier to list and quantify, both hard and soft skills are important for doctors seeking positions in any medical setting.

Hard skills (also known as technical skills) are essential to list on your doctor CV. Learned from schooling and professional training, these abilities show you have extensive medical knowledge that can enhance patients’ existing conditions, as well as experience with specific software or equipment to perform lifesaving tasks. These should be listed in your skills section.

Soft skills, on the other hand, are non-technical abilities that are necessary for success in any field. Examples of soft skills for doctors include tact, empathy, and teamwork. These should be highlighted in your work experience section, like this:

• Demonstrated exceptional communication skills when explaining complex medical conditions and treatment plans to patients and their families, ensuring clear understanding and informed decision-making
• Consistently exhibited a compassionate bedside manner, creating a comfortable and supportive environment for patients during their hospital stays, resulting in high patient satisfaction scores
• Displayed genuine empathy when interacting with patients from diverse backgrounds, actively listening to their concerns and providing emotional support during challenging times

Your soft skills show potential employers you have the ability to both diagnose and treat patients, as well as the ability to interact with them in a compassionate and empathetic way.

Below are some examples of soft skills that are important for doctors: