Physician CV Examples & Templates
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Physicians are invaluable members of our society. They have dedicated their lives to providing medical care and saving lives. Each day, physicians work to diagnose illnesses, provide treatments and monitor patient health. They also provide preventative care to help patients stay healthy and avoid serious illnesses.
A well-written CV is a great starting point in your journey to securing a job as a physician. If you don’t know where to start, don’t panic. We’re here to help you learn how to make a great CV for a physician role. Use our physician CV examples and guide to draw attention to your relevant skills and qualifications and help you get the position you want.
Get started by editing this physician CV template, or browse our collection of 40+ CV templates to find the best option for you.
Physician CV example (text version)
Aria McCabe
Baltimore, MD 21206
555-555-5555
example@example.com
Summary Statement
Skilled physician with over 10 years of exemplary service in the medical field. Committed to providing excellent care and service to patients, listening to each individual’s concerns and treating for whole body wellness. Experience in a variety of health care settings and with many different patient age ranges, from pediatric to geriatric. Determined team player who is able to collaborate with other medical staff to devise effective treatment solutions. Dedicated professional striving to maintain the high standards of the field.
Core Qualifications
- Preventative care
- Infection control
- Patient management
- Patient examinations
- Diagnostic test interpretation
- Problem-solving
- Critical thinking
- Attention to detail
Education
- January 2005
Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD
Doctor of Medicine - January 2004
Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD
Bachelor of Science Biology
Work Experience
October 2017 – Current
Sentinel Health Services – Baltimore, MD
Physician
- Develop treatment plans for an average of 50 patients per week with chronic conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and other problems with internal systems.
- Provide care, treatment and advice for acute health conditions for patients in the family practice setting including infections, injuries and illnesses.
- Lead a team of five resident physicians in the internal medicine department and counsel new staff on procedures and best practices.
- Write over 100 medical prescriptions, detailing side effects and possible adverse reactions to keep patients informed and alert of potential issues each day.
September 2013 – October 2017
Baltimore Medical System – Baltimore, MD
Attending Physician
- Treated illnesses in a family clinic setting by administering prescription medicines, recommending specialized care or providing therapy.
- Reviewed medical records and charts of each patient before and during a visit to understand health history, record actions and maintain accurate information.
- Achieved top patient satisfaction scores on post-visit surveys, including 98% being highly satisfied with their medical care and advice.
- Thoroughly examined patients and elicited medical history data to use in assessing health and identifying conditions.
June 2010 – August 2013
Baltimore Medical System – Baltimore, MD
Resident Physician
- Interviewed patients concerning physical complaints, discussed symptoms, asked questions and suggested treatment options.
- Recognized by the hospital of employment as one of the top new residents in the program with high marks from colleagues and patients.
- Collaborated with attending physicians and other residents when delivering top-quality medical care in a fast-paced emergency room department in a hospital.
- Diagnosed specific medical conditions based on observation, physical examination, wellness history and health concerns to over 10 patients per day under the guidance of an attending physician.
Research Experience
- Developed macros, special formulas and other actions to produce reliable and consistent statistical reviews in “Genome Editing Technologies:
- Applications and Implications,” (2019) at John Hopkins University.
- Supported design and implementation of survey instruments such as telephone and email questionnaires to obtain study information from 1,000 subjects as a research analyst in “The Effectiveness of Integrative Medicine Practice on Chronic Disease Prevention,” (2017) at John Hopkins University.
- Gathered, arranged and corrected research data to create representative graphs and charts highlighting results for presentations as a research assistant in “Investigating the Mechanisms of Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria,” (2015) at John Hopkins University.
Publications
- McCabe, A. (2021) Racial Disparities in Health Outcomes: Understanding root causes and developing solutions. American Journal of Public Health, (24) (2), 153-157.
- McCabe, A. (2019). The Efficacy of Mind-Body Intervention in Managing Chronic Pain. Journal of Internal Medicine, 25 (3), 130-136.
Conference Attendance
- Metabolic & Endocrine Disease Summit Summer – (2023)
- Maryland State of Reform Health Policy Conference, Baltimore, MD – (2023)
- Best Practices, Best Evidence and Best Information Primary Care Practice Event, Miami, FL – (2022)
- Pri-Med South, Primary Care CME/CE Conference Expo, Miami FL – (2022)
- FMA Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL – (2021)
Professional Affiliations and Memberships
- American Medical Association (AMA) – (2022)
- American College of Physicians (ACP) – (2021)
- American Medical Group Association (AMGA) – (2018)
Certifications and Licenses
- Medical License, the Maryland Board of Physicians – (Updated 2022)
- American Board of Internal Medicine Certification- (Update 2022)
- Control Dangerous Substance (CDS) Registration, Maryland Department of Health – (Updated 2022)
Profession Relevant Skills
- Strong problem-solving abilities when confronted with a set of unique symptoms from a patient, allowing me to make an accurate diagnosis.
- Patient, compassionate and caring when treating and counseling patients in practice, making them feel like they’re in good hands under my care.
- Effective at multitasking and organizing duties, which has helped me be successful in the nonstop pace of a busy medical clinic or department.
- Excellent at communicating with colleagues within my department as well as with patients and family members about the next steps in care.
- Solid background in pharmacology and all aspects of the medical practice giving me a wide variety of knowledge about what therapies work best for each condition.
Hobbies and Interests
I run several marathons each year and spend my days off and down time working to increase my physical endurance and speed. I am involved in several community charities throughout my state. I support my area’s local homeless shelter by providing free physician services once a month.
5 essentials of a top physician CV
Contact details
Without contact information, hiring managers cannot invite you for an interview. Create a section at the top of your CV for your contact details and display them as follows: Your full name, then your city, state and ZIP code, followed by your phone number and professional email address. If you have a LinkedIn profile and professional website, add those as well.
Professional summary
A professional summary is your chance to shine in a few short sentences. It’s where you introduce yourself to the hiring manager and pitch your best skills and relevant work experience. A physician CV summary should also include one or two of your most notable professional accomplishments to grab the hiring manager’s attention.
Here’s an example of a professional summary for a physician:
“Dedicated and knowledgeable physician with over 10 years of experience providing comprehensive medical services in a variety of settings. Skilled in assessing patient needs, diagnosing illnesses and developing individualized treatment plans. Committed to providing excellent patient care and promoting overall health and wellness. Experienced in health promotion and management of chronic diseases. Possesses excellent organizational, communication and interpersonal skills.”
Skills
Physicians are highly trained and knowledgeable about the human body and medical treatments. They must stay current on the latest medical advancements so they can provide the best care possible. Physicians are compassionate individuals who are devoted to helping their patients.
Hiring managers want to know if your skills match their needs. Show them you have what it takes to thrive as a physician by creating a separate section and using bullet points to display your top hard and soft skills — from treatment planning and an understanding of pharmacology to problem-solving and critical thinking — as demonstrated by our physician CV sample.
Work history
Your CV for a physician role must have a detailed employment history section to showcase your work experience. List current and previous employers in reverse-chronological order and provide institution names, locations and the dates you worked for each. Add three bullet points of quantifiable achievements for every job you list.
If this is your first job application after completing your internship, list your residency, other on-the-job training programs, volunteer experience and community service under your work history section.
As a physician, your achievements might look like this on your CV:
- Received over 10 peer nominations for excellence in patient care.
- Published 10 medical research papers in leading journals.
- Actively participated in over 25 medical conferences and workshops.
Education
Follow the lead of our sample physician CV and add all the educational institutions you’ve attended in an education section in your document. Display the name of the university, the degree and the year you graduated — unless it was more than 10 years ago. You can also list certifications and similar credentials here.
In order to become a physician, individuals must complete a minimum of eight years of postsecondary education and training. This includes a four-year undergraduate degree, four years of medical school and a minimum of three to eight years of residency training depending on the specialty chosen. Physicians must also pass all three steps of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) in order to become licensed to practice in the United States.
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Action words for a standout physician CV
Strong action words help to set you apart and make your CV shine by clearly conveying your experience and accomplishments. You can see how they strengthen the work experience section of our CV for a physician sample. Combine these verbs with numbers to make a memorable impact.
Here’s a sample of perfect action words for a physician CV:
- Assess
- Examine
- Document
- Interpret
- Diagnose
- Treat
- Prescribe
- Advise
- Recommend
- Refer
- Counsel
- Consult
- Care
- Provide
- Supervise
- Administer
- Review
- Record
- Collaborate
- Perform
- Investigate
- Discuss
- Implement
- Address
- Educate
- Manage
- Monitor
- Research
- Publish
Want more inspiration? Explore our library of 300+ CV examples to get ideas for how you can structure, format and elevate your CV. You’ll even find other specific physician CV examples and templates.
Top skills for a physician CV
To figure out which skills to list in your CV, review the job description carefully and match the required skills to your competencies and traits. Remember to take inspiration from our example of a physician CV and include a combination of technical proficiencies and interpersonal skills.
As a physician, you might include some of the following skills on your CV:
- Preventative care
- Infection control
- Patient management
- History taking
- Patient examinations
- Treatment planning
- Diagnostic test interpretation
- Diagnosis of medical conditions
- Prescription of medications
- Medical recordkeeping
- Medical science
- Pharmacology
- Pathology
- Emergency medicine
- Family medicine
- Internal medicine
- Medical research
- Problem-solving
- Critical thinking
- Verbal and written communication
- Active listening
- Collaboration
- Multitasking
- Attention to detail
- Organization
- Professionalism
- Empathy
Need an impressive CV for a physician job now? Our CV Maker has all the tools you need to create a professional CV in minutes. All you have to do is fill in one of our templates; you can pick a CV template for a physician role to make it even easier. You can then make edits as you go, download your document and save it as a PDF, .DOC or plain text file when you’re finished. Yes, it’s that simple!
Certifications for a physician CV
In order to practice as a physician, you need an undergraduate degree and a degree from an accredited medical school. You’ll also need to complete several years of residency training and pass a national exam to qualify for a license, which every state requires, although the exact requirements vary by state.
Earning board certification is not typically mandatory, but it can accelerate career success and help significantly when applying for jobs. Having a certification in one or more specialties on your physician CV demonstrates that you are highly qualified in your field and capable of delivering world-class care. It’s also proof of your commitment to professional advancement, giving you a competitive edge.
There are various well-recognized certifications available for physicians, including:
- ABPS Administrative Medicine Certification
- American Board of Internal Medicine Certification (IMC)
- American Board of Family Medicine Certification (FMC)
- ABPS Emergency Medicine Certification
Pair your CV with a matching cover letter
Physician CV FAQ
How do I write a good physician CV that stands out?
To craft a standout CV for a physician role that grabs attention and sells your value effectively, follow these key tips:
- Make your professional summary shine at the top of your document with brief details about your most notable skills and credentials to highlight why you’re the perfect candidate for the job.
- List accomplishments in bullet format under the associated job, mixed with your job duties, to show potential employers that you made active contributions in your field and drove positive improvements to your practice or hospital facility. For instance, you could showcase new medical programs you have launched or spotlight how you improved patient outcomes and reduced recurrences.
- Don’t forget to include metrics for anything measurable. For example, “Provided free medical care to the homeless shelter twice per month.”
- Always include keywords from the job posting in your CV to show hiring managers that you’re an ideal fit for the role and to ensure that applicant tracking systems (ATS) don’t reject your application.
- Follow the lead of our sample CV for a physician and take inspiration from its structure and content.
What’s the best physician CV format to follow?
There’s no single correct CV format to use for a physician role. Rather, the best format for you will depend largely on your work experience and job goals.
If you’re applying for your first job after completing your residency, using a skills-based CV format that focuses on your training, education and relevant skills is best.
However, if you have many years of experience working as a physician, you’ll want to go with a chronological format that emphasizes your job history first and foremost. For more ideas on formatting options, take a look at our physician CV samples.
Where should you place a residency on a physician CV?
Where you place your medical residency on your CV for a physician job depends largely on the amount of work experience you have under your belt. If you completed your residency program many years ago and have built up a lot of experience since then, you can list it under your education section.
However, if this is your first job application and you’re relying on your residency training to showcase your skills in practice, include it under the work history section of your CV with “Resident Physician” as your job title and the name of the hospital or clinic that you worked at as the employer.
Don’t forget to include the start and end dates of your residency and add a few bullet points detailing responsibilities and accomplishments from this period below the job title.
How many references should a physician have on a CV?
As you can see in our CV sample for a physician, it is no longer necessary to list any references on your CV. So the answer to “how many” is “zero.” Including a series of references or even the phrase “references available upon request” in your CV is a trend of the past. Keep a list of reliable references on hand if a potential employer requests it, but devote the space in your CV to showing off your best skills, qualifications and experiences.
Do’s and don’ts for building a physician CV
- Use measurable achievements to describe your skills and experience as a physician. For example, “Averaged a 97% patient satisfaction rate.”
- Use action words like “diagnose,” “prescribe” and “monitor” to add impact to your physician CV.
- Tailor your CV to your target physician job.
- Use keywords from the job description throughout your physician CV.
- Format your physician CV so that it’s easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
- Lie about your medical experience and skills.
- Boast about your “unparalleled” expertise as a physician. Instead, emphasize awards like “Awarded the ‘Physician of the Year’ award in 2020.
- Include irrelevant personal information, such as your ethnicity and age.
- Add skills and experience that aren’t relevant to the physician role.
- Forget to proofread. A physician CV with errors is unprofessional.
Top 4 tips for acing a physician interview
Learn about the employer before your interview.
It’s important to learn about your prospective employer’s history, goals, values and people before the interview. It shows genuine interest, dedication and commitment — traits that hiring managers look for in top job candidates. Plus, getting a glimpse of the work culture before you’re interviewed will give you an idea of what to expect on arrival so that you can feel more confident.
Some things to consider while conducting your research:
- Accreditation: Check to see if the clinic or hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission, an independent, nonprofit organization that evaluates and accredits health care organizations and programs in the United States.
- Quality of care: Look into the quality of care provided by the clinic or hospital, such as patient safety and satisfaction ratings.
- Technology: Ensure that the clinic or hospital has the necessary technology and equipment to provide quality care.
- Medical staff: Check the qualifications and credentials of the medical staff, such as board certifications and experience.
- Professional development: Find out what opportunities for professional development and continuing education are offered for physicians at the clinic or hospital.
- Work environment: Ask about the overall work environment, including the hours, patient load and the level of support from colleagues and staff.
- Compensation and benefits: Consider the salary and benefits offered, such as medical, dental and vision insurance, retirement plans and vacation time.
- Location and facility: Evaluate the location and physical condition of the facility, such as its size, cleanliness and accessibility.
Practice!
A little practice now will go a long way during your interview. To practice for your interview, start by reviewing the most common interview questions, such as:
- What did you like least about your last job?
- What two or three things are most important to you in your job?
- What is the biggest mistake you’ve made?
Be ready to answer medical and physician-specific interview questions like:
- What challenges have you faced in past medical positions?
- How would you handle a difficult situation with a patient or their family?
- What techniques do you use to keep up to date with new medical advancements?
- What do you believe are the most important attributes for success in a medical position?
Ask a friend or family member to interview you so you can get comfortable with the questions and imprint the answers in your mind. Ask them for feedback on your performance and answers and write down any suggestions that resonate with you. You’ll feel confident and ready when it’s time for the real thing.
Ask questions.
Your interviewer will ask if you have any questions at the end of your session. You should always have at least three questions ready to ask them. Job candidates who don’t ask questions are less likely to get hired because hiring managers assume they aren’t interested in the role or won’t put much thought into it.
Some questions you might ask for a physician job are:
- What is the patient population like?
- Can you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of this position in this particular clinical setting?
- What are some of the biggest challenges facing physicians at your facility?
Have references ready.
Having professional references ready before your interview will prepare you in case the hiring manager decides to move forward. Create a list of two former colleagues and a former supervisor who would be willing to speak about your ability to thrive in a physician role and who you know will give you a stellar review. It’s even better if they’re open to writing a letter of recommendation for you.
If you’re applying for your first full-time job, use contacts from your residency training as references.
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Physician CV Example
Kellie is a Certified Professional Resume Writer with extensive experience in digital media. She is passionate about helping job seekers navigate their careers. She earned a B.A. in English and writing from Temple University.
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