Craft a Winning Medical
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Katy Popplewell, Taffy Dee & Dr. Mills
UCCOM Office of Student Affairs
(August 2023)
Medical Curriculum Vitae (CV) Overview
• A compilation of your past experiences: education, work experience, volunteer experience and
highlighting some of your achievements and more
• Articulate your experiences in reverse chronological order (starting with the most recent first)
• Think of Relevancy and Current when deciding what to put on your Medical CV
• You do not want to overcrowd your document with too much information
Differences between a CV vs. Resume’
Curriculum Vitae
• Latin for “course of life”
• Used by professionals in fields like
medicine to present a full history of
academic accomplishments
• Will grow in length throughout a person’s
career (> 2 pages)
• Create a “master copy” and tailor it for
different purposes as needed
Resume
• French for “summary”
• Used more often in business settings to
summarize skills for a particular position
• Often limited to 2 pages
CV Basics
• Margins: 1’’
• Font: Black text, 11-12 size font (Times New Roman or Arial)
• Headings: Consistent in style, size and formatting
• Carefully use bold, spacing, italics, capitalization or bullets to organize CV
• Number the pages on the top in the header section (e.g. Smith, 2)
• Dates are along the right margin, so it is easily visible to the reader (except for citations of scholarly
activities – see Research Section).
• Keeping the month (in addition to year) is helpful for completing your ERAS residency application
CV Do’s and Don’ts
DO:
• Be consistent
• Put your name in bold (16–18-point font)
• Use strong action verbs to elaborate on what you did in each position
• Mention quantifiable results and outcomes through your bullet points
• Reverse chronological order (most recent first)
• Send your final version of your medical CV as a PDF
DON’T:
• List your marital status, age or religion
• Include your high school experience – remove this information from your CV
• Overuse capitalization, bold, italics, underlines, etc.
• Put periods at the end of your bullet points
• Use a resume template
• Use "I" in your bullet points – always start off with a strong action verb
CV FORMAT
PAR Statements
PAR stands for: Project, Action and Result
For each experience listed, aim for 2 to 3 bullet points to elaborate on not only what you did, but how you
were able to accomplish it. Also, did you collaborate with other staff/team members?
Example:
Assessed patients
vs.
Assessed 10-15 patients per day including pediatric patients and patients with physical disabilities
Section Headings
• Prioritize order of the specific sections based on your areas of strength/concentration.
• The order of sections might change based on the specific purpose of the CV – e.g. applying for a
research position vs. applying for a community service award
• Highlight leadership positions - i.e. Co-chair, Vice President
• “Extracurricular Activities” and “Hobbies & Interests”usually remain as the final sections
Potential Section Headings
• EDUCATION
• HONORS & AWARDS
• GRANTS & FELLOWSHIPS
• PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• CERTIFICATIONS & LICENSES
• MILITARY SERVICE/EXPERIENCE
• RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
• PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
• SCHOOL SERVICE/CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT
• TEACHING EXPERIENCE
• COMMUNITY SERVICE
• LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
• CLINICAL/HEALTHCARE EXPERIENCE
• ADDITIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE
• LANGUAGES
• PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
• EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITES
• HOBBIES & INTERESTS
Contact Information
• Name: Formal legal name
• Current address
• Phone number
• Current Student UC Email address
• Do not include personal information
• Birthdate, place of birth, marital status, spouse/children info
Education
EDUCATION
Doctor of Medicine
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (UCCOM),Cincinnati, OH 2020-Present
• Anticipated Graduation: 2024
Master of Science in Physiology 2018-2020
University of Cincinnati (UC) Cincinnati, OH
Post-Baccalaureate, Pre-Medicine 2018
University of Dayton (UD) Dayton, OH
Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology 2017
Miami University, Oxford, OH
Research Experience
Citation Format
• Position
• Dates
• Institution
• Department/Division
• Principal Investigator/Supervisor
• Title of Project
• Brief annotation of role in project
Research Experience
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Research Assistant 2021-2023
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Suzanne Smith, M.D., Division of Psychiatry
• “Efficacy of individualized education plans in elementary age children with Bipolar I Disorder”
• Protocol development, database creation, data analysis, statistic analysis
Staff Research Associate I 2018-2020
University of California, San Francisco
Steven March, M.D., Department of Endocrinology
• “Adolescent factors contributing to development of diabetic ketoacidosis”
• Literature review, patient enrollment, data analysis
Research Experience
• Advisor: First & Last Name, Degree(s)
• Bullet 1: What was the name of the research project/topic?
• Bullet 2: What was your role or tasks within the project?
• Bullet 3: Summarize your outcomes or accomplishments (i.e. 4 publications, 1 conference
presentation)
• Avoid dense blocks of text. Instead, create a bulleted list to describe the research performed and any
notable accomplishments (Limit to 4 bullets)
• If this experience includes basic research that did not result in a publication, provide a very brief overview
of the lab’s focus as well as the projects you were exposed to, the specific duties performed, and
techniques/skills acquired. However, it is not necessary to list every single research technique.
Honors & Awards
• List academic honors (e.g. Deans List – 7 semesters) and memberships (e.g. Phi Beta
Kappa)
• List merit-based scholarships and fellowships, travel awards, research awards
• If numerous items, separate into subsections (ex: College of Medicine, Undergraduate)
• Do not include high school related items
• Optional: Include a brief bullet point summarizing the award (e.g. Full merit scholarship
toward medical school) and/or criteria (e.g. Awarded to top 5% of students nationally)
Honors & Awards
HONORS & AWARDS
Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Scholarship 2023
• Awarded to a senior female student who has demonstrated leadership ability, with particular emphasis on
women’s issues, academic achievement and community involvement
Child and Adolescent Health Medical Student Scholars Program, UCCOM 2020-present
• Educational enrichment in Pediatrics through clinical, research and mentoring opportunities
Golden Scalpel Award, Gross Anatomy, UCCOM 2020
• Awarded to the top dissecting student group
Miami University President’s List, 5 semesters 2016-2020
Grants & Fellowships
• Undergraduate, graduate or medical school grants or fellowships which you applied for and received
• Cite date and name of grant (and may include $ amount) with the actual project and/or publication
listed separately under appropriate heading i.e. Research Experience, Publications & Presentations,
etc.
• Cite date, name and location of fellowship with actual project listed under appropriate heading
Grants & Fellowships
• If awarded a grant or fellowship but turned it down, may cite it with a notation (awarded but declined)
• If only have 1 grant/fellowship, may place it under the most appropriate heading and not have this as a
separate section
GRANTS & FELLOWSHIPS
Medical Student Summer Research Fellowship, UCCOM 2020
Miami University Honors Program Research Travel Grant, Honduras 2019
Miami University International Study Abroad Grant, Germany 2018
Professional Development
• Special internship or training program (e.g. leadership development)
• National meetings attended for educational purposes but did not present a scholarly project
• OK to include as a medical student as it may show interest in that specialty or topic
• Remove these types of entries after medical school
Certifications & Licenses
• Ensure your certifications are up to date and are not expired
• Anything that is expired you will want to refrain from including on your medical CV
• Listing certificates and licenses earned including those of non-medical nature if
they are meaningful to you or pertain to activities listed on your CV
Certifications & Licensure
CERTIFICATIONS & LICENSES
Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers Exp. Date 6/2025
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) License, Ohio Exp. Date 6/2025
Military Experience
MILITARY EXPERIENCE
United States Navy 2022-Present
Ensign, Medical Corps
Publications & Presentations
• Ensure your publications and presentations are in APA format (See the UCCOM Quick CV Citation
Guide)
• Never change the order of the authors in the citation
• Citations may also be listed in reverse chronologic order although some prefer to list in chronologic
order
• Example: Happy D, Grumpy A, Sleepy CS, Student AB. Personality trends among current medical
school classes. Arch of Irrelev Opin 2010;1:28-38.
Publications & Presentations
• Abstract that is published, in a journal or a “Proceedings” publication for the meeting, and
that you presented (the presentation will be a separate citation):
Happy D, Grumpy A, Sleepy CS, Student AB. Personality trends among current medical school
classes. Arch Irrelev Opin 2009;1:A28.
• Abstract on which you are an author but did not do the presentation:
Happy D, Grumpy A, Sleepy CS, Student AB. Personality trends among current medical school
classes. Arch Irrelev Opin 2009;1:A28.
Poster & Oral Presentations
• If you present a poster or oral presentation at a meeting that does not publish the abstracts,
cite as follows:
Happy, D., Grumpy, A., Sleepy, C. S., & Student, A. B. (2009). Personality Trends Among
Current Medical School Classes [Annual Scientific Sessions of the Association of Associate
Deans]. Cincinnati, OH.
• Grand Rounds Presentation:
Happy, D., Grumpy, A., Sleepy, C. S., & Student, A. B. (2009, August 9). Personality Trends
Among Current Medical School Classes [Grand Rounds]. University of Cincinnati, Department
of Psychiatry and Behavior Neuroscience.
Teaching (& Mentoring) Experience
• Include non-medical activities since development of teaching skills pertains to your future medical profession
• Provide context to course structure, student type and discipline
• Include all teaching experience including formal classroom instruction (e.g. lectures, teaching assistant, ESL
courses, CPR Instruction, etc.) as well as informal activities (e.g. mentoring, unpaid tutoring)
• If very limited teaching activities, consider including these in a different section instead.
• Include paid teaching experience in this section instead of under “Work Experience” to highlight your level of
teaching involvement
Teaching & Mentoring Experience
Teaching & Mentoring Experience
Musculoskeletal-Integumentary Block Tutor, UCCOM 2022-Present
• PAR Statement
MCAT Instructor, The Princeton Review 2020-2022
• PAR Statement
American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor, American Red Cross 2016-2020
• PAR Statement
YMCA Camp Counselor, YMCA 2017-2018
• PAR Statement
Community Service
• Generally, any unpaid or paid service activity. Indicate if you developed something new for the
organization that continues to be used, a legacy that you left. Indicate leadership roles.
• Includes mission trips and, if have done several, may want subheadings of “Local” and
“International”
• Include all volunteer services performed at various community-based and non-profit organizations
including clinics, food banks/shelters, religious organizations and schools as well as special events
(e.g. Special Olympics, medical support to races, etc.)
• Within your bullet point: Provide context to your role, volunteer activities and impact
Community Involvement
Clinic Coordinator, Medical Volunteers of UCCOM 2023-Present
• Organize weekly free clinic in homeless shelter, Cincinnati, OH
Volunteer, Initiative for Poverty and Justice, UCCOM 2019-2022
• Participated in several community volunteer activities and public health education enrichment
Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity, Boone County, KY 2018-2019
• Assisted with homebuilding projects in a rural community
Leadership Experience
• Leadership experience can highlight both on-campus and off-campus experiences
• Institutional leadership roles and/or service activities during medical school and/or prior academic
institution including student associations, clubs, committees (e.g. Service Chair – Pediatrics
Student Interest Group)
• Leadership roles and/or service activities through professional associations (e.g. American
Medical Association, Student National Medical Association)
• For Master CV: Might include best approximation of services hours for activities that involved
substantial time commitments
Leadership Experience
LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Vice President, Urology Student Interest Group 2019-2020
• PAR Statement
Executive Board Member, Medical Student Association 2018-2020
• PAR Statement
Captain, Women’s Soccer Team, Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH 2017-2018
• PAR Statement
Work Experience
• You may include both work and healthcare experience (every experience has transferrable skills)
• Example: Includes jobs pertinent to a prior career or to paying college expenses – 20 hrs/wk at Chipotle
• Consider placing healthcare or medical experience under “Clinical or Healthcare Experience”
• Research or teaching jobs should go under those specific headings instead of “Work Experience” to highlight your
accomplishments in those areas
• Include all paid work experience including part-time jobs held during college as well as experience prior to
medical school
o Bullet 1: Provide a brief overview of work responsibilities
o Bullet 2: Major achievements or accomplishments or skills acquired
Work Experience
Barnes and Noble, Cincinnati, OH 2022-2023
Customer Service Associate
• PAR Statement 1
• PAR Statement 2
• PAR Statement 3
Department of Psychiatry, UCCOM 2020-2022
Student Worker
• Assisted in various office tasks
• PAR Statement 2
• PAR Statement 3
School Service or Campus Involvement
• Campus organizations or committees
• Provides information about your interests/affiliations
• Demonstrates that you are engaged in activities outside of studying!
Professional Memberships
• Cite memberships in professional organizations (i.e. American Medical
Association, American College of Physicians)
• Be sure to spell out the entire name of the national organization and include the acronym after
• Indicate any leadership roles (e.g. Ohio Student Representative)
Professional Memberships
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2020-Present
American College of Physicians (ACP) 2019-Present
American Medical Student Association (AMSA) 2019-Present
Hobbies & Interests
• This should be the last section listed on your Medical CV
• These can serve as “conversation starters” in an interview so think about those that you would be
most comfortable discussing
• This is a chance to showcase your personality and convey how you spend your free time
• Include 3-4 activities/hobbies/interests
• If possible, include notable accomplishments from these activities
Hobbies & Interests (Examples)
Hobbies & Interests
• Running - finished over 15 marathons across 5 states
• Backpacking – completed over 100-mile portion of Appalachian trail
• Sampling new cuisines and submitted over 50 Yelp reviews
Hobbies & Interests
• Playing the piano, lifting weights, and cooking
Office of Student Affairs
Appointments to start in September!
Senior Academic Advisor
Katy Popplewell, M.S.
Office: E450F
Email: poppleky@ucmail.uc.edu
Senior Academic Advisor
Taffy Dee, MEd.
Office: E450C
Email: deent@ucmail.uc.edu
Special thanks to Dr. Aurora Bennett (previous
UCCOM Associate Dean of Student Affairs) for
some of the original content for this PowerPoint.
CV WORKSHOP
ADDITIONAL SLIDES
(Sept 2023)
Answers to questions asked at CV Workshop
• Do I need to include my home address on my CV?
• In the past, home address was typically included on the CV as a way to
contact applicants via US mail or for Human Resources purposes.
• Now, with email being the more common mode of contact, if you prefer, it
would be OK to include only your email address and phone number.
• Should I include shadowing in my CV?
• In general, shadowing should NOT be included in the academic CV once in
medical school. Also, it will not be included in your residency application.
• If you are applying for a MSSP or specific summer program in Specialty X, then
it would be OK to mention past shadowing in Specialty X, if desired.
Answers to questions asked at CV Workshop
• Where should I mention a co-op experience?
• A co-op experience could either be included under “Professional
Development” or “Employment/Work Experience”.
• For the first bullet point in the description, describe the co-op as a type of
internship during college since some readers may not be familiar with co-ops.
• Where should I mention an undergraduate thesis?
• An undergraduate thesis (e.g. senior thesis or honors thesis) can be
mentioned in the “Education” section under your major or a bullet point for a
particular experience under “Research Experience”
• E.g. “Honors thesis: title of thesis”
Answers to questions asked at CV Workshop
• How should I describe multiple research projects done within the same
lab group?
• For now, keep the projects under the same heading if done within the same lab
group. Later, discuss with your M3/M4 Career Advisor how best to convey these
projects on your residency application. Each project can have its own section/bullets
Research Assistant
Dept. of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati
PI: Dr. Jane Smith
• Project A: title
• Your responsibilities for Project A
• Project B: title
• Your responsibilities for Project B
