A medical CV is a specialist document that follows different conventions from a standard professional CV. Whether you're a junior doctor applying for specialty training, a nurse seeking a senior post, or a consultant looking for a new position, this guide covers what you need to know.
How a Medical CV Differs from a Standard CV
Medical CVs are typically longer and more detailed than standard CVs. They include clinical experience in specific format, postgraduate qualifications and training, GMC/NMC registration details, publications and research, teaching experience, audit participation, and leadership roles. A consultant physician's CV might legitimately run to 8–12 pages.
Standard Structure for a Medical CV (UK NHS)
- Personal details (including GMC/NMC number)
- Current post and employer
- Medical qualifications (primary degree + postgraduate)
- Clinical experience (in reverse chronological order)
- Audit and quality improvement
- Research and publications
- Teaching and training
- Management and leadership
- IT skills and special interests
- Courses and conferences attended
- References
GMC/NMC registration: Always include your registration number prominently. UK employers will verify this before shortlisting. Include the expiry date of your current registration and any conditions if applicable.
How to Present Clinical Experience
Each post should include: job title, specialty, hospital name and NHS Trust, dates, and a brief description of the clinical environment and key responsibilities. For junior doctors, note the level of supervision and any specific procedures or presentations you were responsible for.
Audit and Quality Improvement
The clinical audit section is important for UK medical CVs — particularly for specialty training applications. For each audit include: the title, the standard against which you audited, your role (initiator, data collector, presenter), whether a re-audit was completed, and the outcome.
Research and Publications
List publications in a standard academic format (Vancouver or Vancouver-style). Include papers, letters, book chapters, and any conference presentations or posters. If you have no publications yet, list presentations or ongoing projects. Don't leave this section blank — participation in a departmental audit that was presented at a regional meeting counts.
Teaching Experience
Medical employers value teaching highly. List any formal teaching you've done: medical student tutorials, nurse training sessions, simulation teaching, FY1 supervision, revision courses. Include a brief description of the format and audience.
💡 Tip
For specialty training applications (ST1/ST2/CT1 in the UK), check the person specification for the specialty carefully. The application form and the CV need to address each criterion — essential and desirable — as explicitly as possible.
International Medical Graduates (IMGs)
If you qualified outside the UK, your primary medical degree and any postgraduate training should be described clearly in terms that UK recruiters can understand. Include the duration of training, the training context, and any steps you've taken to achieve UK equivalence (PLAB, MRCP, language testing).
Our free CV generator is great for standard professional CVs. For a specialist medical CV — particularly for NHS specialty training applications or consultant posts — consider commissioning a specialist medical CV writer on , who can structure your experience correctly for the specific application.
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