How to write an impressive medical student CV (with examples)

As you approach graduation, you could be conducting research into possible job openings. As medical graduate schemes are often quite competitive, it's important to show employers why you're worth hiring. You can use this guide to learn how to write an eye-catching CV, boosting your chances of securing a graduate role as a result. In this article, we offer tips on writing an impressive medical student CV, before providing a template and two examples you can follow when writing your own CV.

How might you format a medical student CV?

If you're writing a medical student CV, it's important that you know how to stand out against rival applicants. It's useful to browse the section below, which offers useful tips on how to format a CV:

List your achievements

If you've studied medicine previously, you likely already possess several medicine-related qualifications. It's useful to list these certifications in reverse-chronological order, projecting a narrative of continuous academic attainment. If you're studying medicine for the first time, you could acknowledge that your current degree is dependent on completing the course. You can list certifications in the following manner:

[Certification title (in progress, if applicable)]
[Organisation name, month and year issued]
[Summary: Here you discuss modules and coursework you completed, especially if they relate to the position you're applying for. You can also mention both technical and soft skills you built up via these experiences. It's important to explain how you intend to apply these skills in a practical situation.]

Be concise

It's also important that you write your CV in a concise manner, only including information directly relevant to your narrative. You can achieve this by breaking up long sentences into several shorter ones or categorising your paragraphs by topic. By taking this approach, you could ensure employers appreciate your professional history, before making an informed decision on whether to hire you.

To improve a CV's readability, it's advisable to use simple and more prosaic language. For example, to explain why you're pursuing a medical career, you could say that you're 'interested' in a subject, rather than 'fascinated' about it. You can then present your motivations in a clear and more realistic way.

Related: How to write a physician CV (with template and example)

Be consistent

It's important that you convey a consistent narrative throughout your CV, reaffirming why you're well-suited to a role. After drafting each section, you could review your arguments, before comparing them to previous paragraphs. You could then identify and rectify any contradictions, ensuring your CV properly portrays your professional qualities. It's also useful to conclude your CV with a section summarising its overall contents, to make sure readers can digest your general argument.

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Template for medical student CV

The section below includes a template for writing a medical student CV, which you could use as a guide when producing your own. You can structure this template as follows:

[Full Name]
[Home Address]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]

Summary

[Here you briefly explain why you're pursuing a medical career, detailing both your personal motivations and professional qualities.]

Education

[If you possess one or more medical qualifications, you can list them in reverse chronological order. You can then explain how you're well-suited to a position thanks to these experiences. For example, if you completed an academic work placement module, explain how you build up both technical and soft skills relevant to a nursing career.]

Work experience

[If you're an undergraduate student, it's possible that you only hold prior work experience in an unrelated field, such as retail. You can, nonetheless, use such experiences to portray yourself as a disciplined and eager person, willing to work hard to advance in life. For example, if you previously worked in retail, you could have become adept at speaking to customers. You can also use this skill as a practitioner, such as to inform patients about their health or medications. If you've previously worked in medicine, you can prioritise discussing such positions over unrelated work.]

Key skills

[Briefly list your core transferable skills, using bullet points to aid readability. You could also explain how you intend to use these skills in a medical environment.]

Related: Medical cover letter: what to include and how to write one

CV examples for medical students

You could also tailor a CV to suit both the job you're applying for and your own experience. The section below includes two example CVs for medical students, adapted to different scenarios:

1. Nursing student CV

As a nursing student, it's possible that you possess no prior paid medical work experience. You could instead highlight your academic experiences, such as modules or work placement schemes. You can use the example CV below as a guide:

Adrian Davies
12 York Avenue, London, UK
NW4 5GJ
0 7799 554422
adrian.davies@email.co.uk

Summary

I'm Adrian Davies, a 21-year-old third-year nursing student enrolled at the University of Southern England. I believe that a full-time career as an A&E nurse would be a rewarding opportunity, as I will be able to devote my professional life to helping those most in need. I also feel that I'm a sufficiently driven and empathetic individual to thrive when working in a high-pressure environment.

Education

(BSc) Nursing (in progress)
University of Southern England: Oct 2019 - present
During my time as a nursing student, I've undertaken a series of academic modules, accruing detailed medical knowledge relevant to the field. I've also completed a year-long work placement, where I worked under the mentorship of a senior nurse to provide care to seriously ill patients, such as checking vital signs and administering medicine. Through these experiences, I've developed the attention to detail and mental resilience necessary to thrive in an A&E nursing role.

Work experience

As a third-year undergraduate student, I don't possess any prior paid experience in a medical role. However, I have previously held a part-time position in retail:

Sales Assistant, Bargain Savers
Jun. 2021 - Sept. 2021
During my most recent summer break, I held a part-time role as a Sales Assistant with Bargain Savers, a nationwide discount retailer. In this position, I was responsible for serving customers at the till calculating the cost of their items and assisting with packing. I also answered customer queries about products, such as sale items or product recommendations.

Key skills

• Communication: I'm able to relay information in a concise and confident manner so that colleagues can quickly act on it.

• Attention to detail: I'm able to quickly pick out the most relevant information from a patient's chart before using this information to diagnose and treat illnesses.

Related: How to gain work experience in nursing (plus career options)

2. Paediatric student CV

Before specialising in paediatric medicine, it's important that you build up years of general medical training, both in a hospital and at university. You could also undertake safety precautions, such as background checks or safeguarding training. You can emphasise your eligibility to work in paediatric medicine when writing your CV. You might format this template as follows:

Graham Barnes
43 Station Road, Leeds
LS4 5DE
0 7788 556699
grahambarnes3@email.co.uk

Summary

A 38-year-old medical student with 13 years of prior practical experience, I'm seeking a role as a paediatric nurse. I want to specialise in working with children, as I feel that there are few experiences in medicine more rewarding than helping children to defeat serious illnesses.

Education

(MSc) Paediatric Nursing
Sept. 2020 - present
During my studies, I have learned how to apply the principles behind general nursing practice when treating child patients. In practical terms, I've become more aware of the importance of empathy when treating children, to ensure they don't become unduly frightened about their conditions. I've also studied how to administer medicine in ways that avoid causing discomfort to children.

Child Safety in Medicine Certification
Jan. 2018 - Dec. 2019
During this course, I studied the basic principles behind ensuring child safety in a medical context. Here I focused on various relevant subjects, such as legal responsibilities to patients and crisis management strategies.

(BSc) Medical Sciences
Oct. 1998 - Jun. 2004
During this course, I studied medical practice and principles more generally. I also completed several optional modules focusing on paediatrics. I completed a work placement scheme to better understand the industry I was about to enter.

Work experience

As I mentioned earlier, I already possess 13 years of practical experience as a general hospital nurse:

General Hospital Nurse, Ultra Medical Care
Oct. 2004 - Nov. 2017
As a general nurse, I helped to put patients at ease before administering their treatments. I also aimed to keep doctors updated about a patient's progress, so they could alter treatment options whenever necessary. Besides providing medical care, I also helped to ensure patients felt comfortable in the hospital, offering regular emotional support.

Key skills

• Communication: I'm able to inform doctors of changes to patients' health in a detailed yet concise fashion so that they can make an informed decision about further treatment.

• Empathy: I prioritise trying to build trusting relationships with patients so that they feel comfortable during their time in the hospital.

• Resilience: Thanks to my past work experience, I'm able to work effectively even during times of high mental stress.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.

The model shown is for illustration purposes only and may require additional formatting to meet accepted standards.

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