Curriculum vitae, which is Latin for “course of life,” is better known as the shortened “CV.” It’s a written overview of your life’s work. A CV should aim to be a complete record of your career, and could be extensive. It’s different from a resume, but you should also know how to form a resume.
What’s the difference between a CV and resume?
Curriculum vitae
- No maximum length
- Used to search for jobs, scholarships, awards, residencies, etc.
- Careers in academics, health care and other professions (i.e. law)
Resume
- Limited in length (usually 1 page)
- Primarily used for job searches
- Careers outside of education and academia
Anatomy of a CV
- Personal Information
- Career Objective
- Educational Background
- Postgraduate Training
- Publications Presentations
- Professional Practice Experience
- Service Activities Awards and Honors
- Military References
- Other Work Experience
- Licensure & Certification
- Research Experience
- Teaching Experience
Describing job duties
Your first draft might mention “patient counseling” as a job duty. We recommend you rewrite the statement using a verb:
“Counseled patients”
Include the who, what, how and results of your experience:
Who: Pediatric patients
What: Newly diagnosed with diabetes
How: On discharge
Result: Follow up
Put it all together and you should end up with something like this:
“Counseled pediatric patients newly diagnosed with diabetes and their families on discharge medications. Followed up with patients a week later to check progress and clarify instructions.”
Some CVs dos and don’ts
| DOS | Don’ts |
|---|---|
| • Use consistent format throughout | • Exaggerate your responsibilities or accomplishments |
| • List positions in reverse chronological order | • Use jargon, unfamiliar abbreviations or slang |
| • Use present tense for current work | • Include pictures |
| • Describe job duties using phrases with action verbs | • List personal information |
| • Proofread for grammar, spelling, syntax, and punctuation errors | • Submit without updating |
| • Update regularly | • List references |
Examples of CVs
Example 1 – Ryan David Freeman
Example 2 – Ellen Lee Woodruff
Example 3 – Samantha Christine Lewis
Example 4 – Glenn Michael Richards
Example 5 – Joe B. Gator
Additional CV resources
Stacy Miller, Pharm.D., M.B.A., BCACP, an assistant dean and clinical assistant professor shares her tips for interviewing success in this video. Her slides are available to download CV writing slides.