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.”
Curriculum Vitae Videos
Hosted by Dr. Anthony Casapao
Career Development – Curriculum Vitae Video
HOSTED BY DR. ANTHONY CASAPAO
Career Development – CV Review Guidance Video
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