Drafting a medical curriculum vitae (CV) is not the same as drafting simply any other CV. It requires special attention to detail, especially specific to the job role you are applying for.

As a reputed healthcare recruitment agency, Medfuture recommends all candidates to customise their CV when applying for medical professions. You must ensure that it stands out among the rest and that you become a highlighted candidate amongst all others.

Here are a few do’s, and don’ts to follow when crafting a compelling medical professional CV in 2024.

What are the must do’s when writing a doctor’s CV?

You must list your professional qualifications, clinical research and experience in your CV. A high-quality CV should be concise, clear, and demonstrate that you have the skills required to perform the job role.

You must include the following in a doctor’s CV:

Contact details including name, address, phone number, and email address

Medical-related qualifications, including degree, specialisations, and any additional certifications

Dates you obtained qualifications and work experience. You must also mention the periods of any gaps in your work history

Mention specifically about gaps in your work history with dates and explanations of reasons

Mention clinical experience, including details about research projects

A dedicated section for soft skills that you posses

What should be the length of the CV?

The ideal length of your medical CV should be five pages altogether. However, it depends on each individual based on their qualifications and experience. If you have more certifications, qualifications, and experience relevant to the job you are applying for, you should extend your CV.

A long CV doesn’t necessarily mean that it is disorganised and hard to read. Irrespective of the length of your CV, it’s vital to keep it concise, clear, organised, and easy to read.

You can do this by highlighting your qualifications, skills, and experience via bullet points. Experience should also be written concisely, highlighting the important points.

How can you make your medical professional CV stand out?

Updating your CV frequently is cumbersome that you probably want to have one CV that you can use multiple times. However, it’s vital to keep your CV up to date and make it stand out from the rest.

Here are a few tips to help you create a medical professional CV stand out:

Highlight research that you have done and any related publications available.

Keep your CV well-organised with a flow that is easy to scan fast and read.

Customise your CV to the job role you are applying for, highlighting relevant key skills, qualifications, and experience.

Include any volunteer work and extracurricular activities you have done

Include a personal statement that proves you are unique and suitable for the job role

Get your CV proofread by someone else to ensure that it is error-free

How to write a doctor’s CV targeted at the Australian and New Zealand job market?

Writing a doctor’s CV targeted at the Australian and New Zealand job market requires you to tailor it to each country separately. Here is how you can do it:

Research what the employer wants from the job role. You can get an idea by reading the job description and related requirements

Ensure to use keywords and terminology specific to the Australian and New Zealand healthcare industry. It will help your CV stand out from the rest

Highlight any experience or training you have related to the healthcare system

Mention if you have any license required by the country in focus, such as AHPRA medical license in Australia and MCNZ in New Zealand

Draft a CV that is according to the format of the country you are applying for. You need to conduct adequate research and draft according to New Zealand or Australian presentation style

What are the sections to include in a CV?

Here is what you need to include in a CV:

Personal details

This section must include your full name, name with initials, date of birth, contact details, nationality, languages spoken, etc. It is some of the most fundamental details that your employer would need to know about you. It is also vital information that serve as a way of getting touch with you, if required.

Current employment details and employment history information

You should stay with your current job and then move on to your most recent job. It should work chronologically through your medical career. For doctors, this usually changes every year. Ensure to include all vital details about your current past employment, such as the date, location, and grade.

Education and qualifications

You must list all of your basic education qualifications and specific job-related qualifications you have obtained, including any related certifications that you have been awarded. Start with the most recent first.

Awards

It’s important to list down any awards you may have won, which is related to the job role that you are applying for. Ensure to highlight the most pertinent awards that are related to the positions that you are applying for.

Publications and Research

If you have been involved in publications and research, it is best to include this information in your CV. Include the title of the published article, journal year, pages, and unique identification number.

CV do’s for success?

Start drafting Your CV early and invest your time in it

Keep you CV prepared beforehand and don’t wait until you find a suitable position and want to apply for it. It is best to keep your CV updated well before you think of applying for any job. Take time to draft it perfectly with all of the relevant information.

Make it straight to the point and concise

Your CV must be clear and concise. Anyone who scans it should be able to read it easily and grasp the vital points. It helps your CV stand out and gives you more chances of landing the job.

Include relevant experience

Include all of the experience you have, specifically related to the medical professional job role that you are applying for. Be specific on dates, positions, and grades that you were working during each assignment.

Follow the 30-second rule to make an impression

A common norm is that recruiters spend approximately 30 seconds scanning the entire CV to decide if they should continue with it or not. Therefore, it’s vital to make a good impression through your CV within that period. Ensure you highlight the most important facts at the beginning so that the reader would not miss it.

Be consistent on the layout

Follow an adequate CV format suitable to the country that you are applying for. Ensure to follow the same format with design and colour combinations to maintain consistency throughout the document.

Arrange in reverse chronological order

Always list down your educational qualifications and work history in reverse chronological order. That way, the reader gets to the see the most essential features of your CV at the beginning without wasting time scanning the entire document.

CV don’ts for success?

Don’t use fancy fonts and boxes

Ensure to choose professional fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri. Avoid using fancy fonts that are hard to read. Keep the font size as 11 or 12 and avoid anything too less or higher than these values.

Don’t list everything you have done your entire life

Your CV need not reflect every single thing and achievement in your life. Your medical professional CV should highlight your achievements with regard to the medical industry.

Don’t include unnecessary details

Some things are best to not be included in your medical professional CV, which includes hobbies and interests. Keep it clear, concise, and professional.

Don’t put the word “curriculum vitae” at the top

Including the word “Curriculum Vitae” at the top of the document is an utter waste. Instead, you can include your name, professional title, and contact details to highlight yourself.

Also, avoid sending the same CV for every position you apply as it should be customised for each job role you send it for. Moreover, ensure to get it proofread it by another person before sending.

Medfuture guides medical professional towards landing their dream medical job by connecting with reputed healthcare organisations across Australia and New Zealand. Visit the Medfuture job board to apply for the latest and high-paying medical professional jobs in 2024 across Australia and New Zealand.