How to Create a Highly Effective Physician CV?

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Before applying to any job, you must ensure that you have your physician CV updated with the latest developments in your career. 

First things first, what is a CV?

A Curriculum Vitae or CV is a document used by academicians and professionals in the teaching, research and medical fields. It provides an overview of your achievements in academia. 

What's the difference between a CV and a resume?

Here is how a CV differs from a resume:

• Your educational background always comes first on your CV, unlike a resume where the section on Education is placed in the middle or the end of the document.
• A CV is an elaborate document that allows you to explain why you would make a great fit for the MD job; it can be as long as 3 or more pages. On the other hand, the recommended length for a resume is strictly 1-2 pages only based on your total years of experience.  
• A physician CV format typically consists of distinct headings and category divisions. 
• Unlike a resume that is mostly written in bullet points, a CV can have more detailed information.
• You can drop the name of your guiding professor in a CV.

What should a physician CV include?

If you are just out of residency, prioritize your education on top of the CV. However, if you have some experience as a physician, make sure to emphasize on the most important parts of your career journey in the first section of the CV. Here is a list of the sections that you must mandatorily include in your CV:

• Full name
• Contact information
• Education
• Post-graduation
• Present role and job title
• Licensure and certifications
• Fellowships, internships and professional appointments
• Practice experience
• Specialty experience
• Presentations and publications
• Accomplishments
• Awards and honors
• Society memberships
• References
• Language skills

What should you avoid in your physician CV?

• Exam scores
• License and DEA numbers
• Age
• Place of birth
• Ethnicity
• Citizenship
• Social Security Number
• Disabilities or health concerns
• Marital status
• Expected salary
• Reasons for quitting current or previous role

What are some quick tips to write a physician CV?

Follow these steps to create an effective physician CV that can advocate your cause during your job hunt:

1. Keep all necessary information ready. For example, dates, certifications, transcripts, etc.
2. Research the opportunity that you are applying for. It can help you include relevant information and shape your choice of words.
3. Organize your CV in a manner that aligns with your goals. Outline each section of the CV to help process the details better.
4. Include ATS (Applicant Tracking System) keywords. These keywords are specific words or phrases that employers' ATS identify as the requirements for a position. The absence of these keywords can rob your CV of the chance to be viewed by the employer in the first place.
5. Add page numbers and maintain consistency in the format.
6. Include a cover letter or a summary to share with the employer.

How do you format a doctor's CV?

Keep the following points in mind while formatting your physician CV:

1. Brevity is key. But keep the overall length to three pages.
2. Go for a Sans-serif, Arial or Calibri font type with size between 10 and 11. 
3. Keep the document minimal without much design.
4. Maintain a margin of 0.5-1 inch. 
5. Avoid irrelevant, outdated information.
6. Organize information with section headers, bullet points and bold keywords. 
7. Proofread your CV multiple times for grammar, spellings and syntax.
8. Have someone go through the document once to catch mistakes that went unnoticed.
9. Convert your file into PDF format to ensure that the text alignment doesn't change when the recruiter downloads the file.

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