Physician Resume Example

After reading this article, you'll feel confident creating a physician resume that effectively showcases your relevant skills and experience. You'll learn how to show employers you've got the relevant qualities, skills and experience for the job, all presented in a format that employers prefer to see. The article also includes tips for formatting your resume according to your experience and strengths. Read on to learn the tips Jobseeker careers experts recommend as the best for your physician resume.

Core sections to include in a physician resume

Although the content of a physician resume may differ according to your experience and seniority, the main sections will remain the same.

While the content and format of your resume may vary depending on your experience levels, it's important to always include the following sections:

Header and Personal Information

A physician resume header contains your name and contact information. Add your first and last name, your phone number and your email address. Include your address or location, but avoid adding any other personal information. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can add the URL to your header so the hiring manager can get a better understanding of your work history and experience. Keep your header clear and concise, with only the most necessary information included. Opt for a stylish, professional design that creates a strong first impression.

Opt for a professional-looking email address based on your name. If your email address could be construed as unprofessional or inappropriate because it contains nicknames or unsuitable language, create a new, more professional email address for your job applications. Always check your contact details to make sure they're up-to-date before you send your resume.

Resume Summary

Your resume personal profile is a short, concise paragraph to highlight two or three key skills and achievements in physician roles. You may also see this section named as 'resume summary' or 'resume objective'. Resume summaries tend to focus on your career experience, while resume objectives cover your ambitions and plans for the future. In addition, your objective should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for physician roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description.

Alternatively, write a paragraph that concentrates on your career objectives and how this role fits with your wider ambitions and progression.

A good resume summary is short and snappy, and focused on the skills and experience listed in the job description, with evidence to back it up. It will also help the reader to form their first impressions of you by providing an insight into your personality and unique qualities. The graphic below showcases some good examples of what to include in your physician resume summary.

Alternatively, a poor resume summary would include bland, generic information that does little to prove your suitability for the role, while failing to provide any useful insights on you as a person or as a candidate. In the graphic above you can find some negative examples of how to write a resume summary.

Work Experience

Under your work experience section, add any jobs you've had in the past that are relevant to the position of a physician. List each relevant role in reverse-chronological order starting with your current or most recent role. Add your job title, the organization name, its location and the dates you worked there.

Add some bullet points under each job entry, explaining your achievements in the role, so the reader can see how you contributed towards success for the company. Provide evidence of your impact and make sure each point addresses a requirement listed in the job description.

An effective resume work experience section is one that constantly echoes the skills and experience listed in the job description, and shows how you used your skills to positive effect in each job. Each bullet point should be carefully crafted to showcase a particular skill or achievement relevant to physician jobs, with evidence to show the value you added. There are some examples of strong resume work experience sections below.

See above for some of the pitfalls to avoid with your resume work experience section. A bad resume work experience section might fail to address skills and achievements that relate directly to the job description. Falling back on clichés, vague descriptions and basic responsibilities, rather than showing the impact you made, is likely to disengage the reader.

Education and Qualifications

The education section provides space to list your highest and most recent academic achievements that are relevant to working as a physician.

Typically, working as a physician requires a university or college degree, which you'll need to list on your resume. If you're working in this sector, it's usually a good idea to highlight your Bachelor of Science in Biology degree or other relevant qualifications. Focus on qualifications that showcase your patient care management or clinical risk assessment.

Enter the name and level of the qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study or graduation. Include bullet points to show any specialist modules you studied, awards or exceptional grades and achievements that can set you apart from other candidates. These will all contribute to creating a positive impression on employers.

If you were a member of any clubs or societies, or volunteered for any causes while studying, you could also mention these in your education section.

Skills

In your skills section, list any skills you've acquired or developed that are relevant to physician positions. Consider adding advanced surgical techniques, empathy and compassion or any other necessary skills for the job. Additionally, read the job description to make sure your skills match those required for physician positions. You could also include some unique skills that help you stand out as a candidate.

How to include hard skills on your physician resume

For your hard skills list, include any technical abilities or specific industry knowledge that's essential to working as a physician. These could be skills gained through work experience or qualifications. Furthermore, your hard skills list helps to show employers how competent and experienced you are at key physician duties and responsibilities. It's best to aim for four or five key hard skills that match the job description. These can really showcase your suitability for the job.

The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for a physician resume below.

Adding soft skills to your physician resume

Your soft skills are the core qualities and personal characteristics that make you a good employee. They tend to apply to multiple professions and jobs, though the soft skills you'll require may change as you move from junior to senior positions. Indeed, as the nature of work changes, soft skills are growing in importance, so make sure you include them in your resume. Aim to include approximately five soft skills that reflect the skills listed in the job description.

The strongest resume soft skills sections include a mix of skills that match your best personal strengths, and that reflect the skills listed in the job description. See below for some examples of effective soft skills for a physician resume.

Licenses and Certifications

In this section, include any physician certifications, training or licenses you hold that are relevant to the job. You could list accreditations for certain professional roles or licenses for certain activities that help to make you a strong candidate. Therefore, add any professional licenses or certifications, along with valid dates that show they're still valid.

See below for some suggestions of relevant certifications for a physician resume:

Optional Sections

If you need to provide further evidence of your suitability for the job, optional sections can be useful for a physician resume. Pick from the optional sections below to help show the employer you have the skills and experience for the job.

Personal Hobbies and Interests

Listing your hobbies and interests can reveal key qualities that some employers may value. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. Don't include hobbies and interests in your resume unless they showcase a specific interest or aspect of your personality. You'll want them to add something to your application that you can't add elsewhere.

Volunteering

Listing volunteer work is another useful way to prove your relevant experience for physician roles. Write your volunteer section in a similar format to your work experience, including your role, the organization name, relevant dates and the details of your contribution.

References

Although it's rare to include references on a physician resume, some employers may ask for it. Don't add references unless they're specifically mentioned by the employer in the job advert. Add two or three professional references, and be sure to approach each referee before you include them.

Best words to use in a physician resume

Add strong verbs to your work experience section to show the hiring manager the impact you made in your previous roles. The suggested action verbs below will help the reader to understand your key qualities and the impact you made on the organization.

If you need help creating a resume that impresses HR managers, take a look at Jobseeker's professional resume templates. You can also access beautiful cover letter templates that help your application stand out.

Sample resume for physician positions

Now that you know everything that needs to go into your physician resume, let's review an example resume that you can use as a guide when creating your own:

How to make your resume ATS compliant

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are one of the key ways recruiters and employers manage the hiring process. The systems can screen candidates by scanning and ranking resumes based on each candidate's likely suitability for the vacancy. There are several things you can do when writing your physician resume, to give yourself the strongest chance of ranking highly in the ATS stage and progressing through the recruitment process.

Here are a few quick tips for creating an ATS-friendly resume:

• Choose a resume structure that matches the traditional, reverse-chronological layout or alternatively, the functional resume structure. This should make your resume more readable for ATS applications.
• Use of job description keywords throughout your resume will help it rank higher in the ATS scanning stage, as it will more closely match the requirements laid out in the job description.
• Include clear headings in each section that match the traditional resume structure and format. This will make it easier for the ATS software to scan your resume.
• Utilize a clean, clear resume design that helps make your content more readable. Use simple fonts and subtle color accents and design elements that don't detract from the written content.
• Make sure your resume is as concise as possible, so ATS applications can easily scan and identify the required details.

Key takeaways for your physician resume

An effective resume is a concise, professional summary of your relevant skills and career achievements, showcased through a chronology of your career history. Choose the most suitable resume format for your experience levels, and focus on tailoring your resume based on the requirements listed in the job description.

Using the professional resume templates and resources of Jobseeker can help you create a great-looking resume that stands out from other applicants. Sign up today and follow the simple steps to get started. To make the best possible impression with your applications, write a cover letter with the help of Jobseeker. You can also find plenty of expert-designed cover letter examples for inspiration.

Sources:

(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume

(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/