We would therefore advise that every six months you spend one evening updating your medical curriculum vitae adding the content that reflects what you have been doing. If you are reading this and have not regularly updated your CV then don't panic. You will need to put in more time however with this guide we will help you and take you through using a structured approach so that you can write a solid CV and sell yourself as the professional that you are. Whom should I get to look at my medical curriculum vitae?
It is important to get feedback about a CV from our colleagues and peers. What you may think is acceptable on content or presentation may actually be quite different from what is recommended. The first step is to write your CV is to include the content that reflects your training and experience during your career. Once you've added the content in to the appropriate sections as described in this guide you should then take time to edit the content and structure in a manner which makes it easy to read and therefore easy to score by the assessors. When you think you have got your CV almost to the point of completion we would advise that you cast your CV under the noses of some of your consultant colleagues. Your consultants have been in the industry for longer than you have. They had been through the interviewing process on many occasions and are likely to have been involved in the appointment process for both junior and senior doctors within their department.
They will therefore be in a position to give your immediate feedback on the content and presentation of your medical curriculum vitae. We recommend that you get feedback from at least two or three consultants. After this you will be able to get a clear idea as to what you should and shouldn't Include in your CV which of course should be targeted at your speciality.
It is also interesting to find out where you are in relation to your colleagues. A glance at a friend's medical curriculum vitae with similar training will give you an idea of the competition.
How should I bind my medical curriculum vitae?
Try and remember what the purpose of your CV is. It is to disseminate information concisely to those who will be looking for key points of information. You therefore want the information to be easily accessible. I have seen almost every type of binding possible for CV's. Gold clips to book bindings. However in my personal opinion the binding should be simple. Its function is to hold the pages together and make them easily turn so that I can get the information I require. To this end a simple staple in the top left corner is sufficient.
Do not put multiple staples down the left side of your CV as this restricts the page turning and makes it difficult to access the information inside. For more senior appointments candidates may choose to spend money on professional presentation folders. I have no objection to these as they are also provide information and insight into the candidate as long as CV is easily accessible. My advice for senior candidates is that if they are in doubt use the simple approach of a single staple in the top left corner as well.
Should I use a footer? Microsoft word can be used to insert headers and footers into documents. The purpose of the header is normally to insert company Logos. They should therefore not be used for the medical CV. However footers can be very useful. They give a professional edge to word documents and also serve several functions such as to give page numbers and remind the reader of your name and qualifications.
If you are unfortunate that your CV binding falls apart whilst being read the footer which displays the page numbers can therefore be a lifesaver so that the correct ordering can be reformed. Try not to put too much information in your footer. A single line with your name and qualifications and page number will suffice.
How should I format my medical curiculum vitae?
Here are some basic instructions as to how to format your CV. What information should I include?
Medical curriculum vitae Front page
Personal information
Qualifications
Medical training
Specialist training
Resuscitation training
Administration and management
Teaching
Research
Publications
Audit
Prizes and awards
Courses and meetings attended
IT skills
List of clinical procedures
Summary of log book
Professional memberships
Personal statement
Interests and hobbies
Referees
So as a summary so far some key points to include are:
