Medical Resume: Example, Template & Writing Guide for 2024
Sending the right medical resume out to hiring managers is the best way to score yourself an interview. A well-written resume for a medical job is a great way to stand out from other applicants and create a positive impression on potential employers. While medical resumes are similar to other types of resumes, there are some differences to be aware of.
Throughout this article, we’ll be giving you insight and tips on how to write a medical resume that won’t be ignored. This document highlights your experience, education, and skills in the medical world. It provides information about your abilities, employment, and licenses, and is often tailored to your role and industry.
A medical resume will have varying sections based on the career path you have chosen. For instance, a physician will list licenses and certifications but a medical receptionist likely will not need to share this information. Some medical resumes will be short enough for a standard one-page document while others can be much longer.
Medical resumes are useful for those in a variety of positions, including registered nurses, doctors, emergency medical technicians, and medical receptionists. Surgeons, surgical technicians, pharmacists, veterinarians, and dentists will also do well with this type of resume. We’ll share all the information you need to create a resume that gets noticed.
Medical Resume Examples
One of the best ways to make sure your document stands out is by using medical field resume examples. You can look at them and get an idea of the things that are typically included. Looking over several gives you insight into the type of information to share and what can be omitted because it’s not expected.
Since the medical field has a variety of positions, it’s a good idea to check out examples of medical resumes for the exact position you want. However, looking at options from other positions can also be helpful. The best thing you can do is look at a variety of samples to determine what is expected of your medical resume.
Not only can you see what information is listed on a medical resume sample, but you can also get an idea of common formatting choices. Check out what works for you and what doesn’t so that when you start to create your own medical resume, you have a pretty good idea of what you want down on the page.
Since we believe that medical resumes examples are important, we’ll also be sharing them throughout this guide. You can view a professional medical resume for an applicant who is looking to be hired as a medical assistant. Take a look at it to see what medical resumes typically look like. There’s also a link below to the resume builder so you can edit this example and make it your own.
Writing a Resume in Medical Field for 2024: Full Guide to Successful Medical Field Resumes
Before you get started with an MD resume or even a resume for medical students, it’s essential to be aware of what to include. These sections tend to be the same for most medical jobs, but you can add or remove them as needed based on the position you want. The sections we recommend include:
· Contact information
· A resume objective
· Work experience
· Education
· Skills
· And references
Keep in mind that medical student resumes (or other healthcare resumes) need to be personalized based on the job you want. When you see an appealing job description, research the practice, hospital, or clinic that posted it. Learn more about the staff and the patients who are seen. This helps you create a message that speaks directly to the employer.
In addition, you learn more about the attributes and skills that look best on your resume. When you create a resume for hospital jobs, be consistent in terms of style, tone, and messaging. Write as if the healthcare provider you want to work for is reading. Make sure your resume is polished but not so unique it distracts. And be sure to use important phrases and keywords to target applicant tracking systems.
The truth is that before a person ever looks at your resume, it’s already being judged. An applicant tracking system (ATS) helps with hiring by sorting and scanning resumes. However, you could be filtered out with the wrong format or information. Going through the job listing and finding important keywords is essential. Add them to appropriate areas of the resume. However, make sure things still sound natural.
As you get started creating your resume, the rest of this guide will focus on the various sections you are making. We’ll talk about what is expected and how to make yourself stand out, whether you’re providing references or talking about your experience. By the time you get finished, you’ll have a truly polished resume that is sure to be read by the hiring manager at the location where you wish to work.
Section #1: Contact Information
As you look at physician resume templates, you’ll notice that all of them have a section for contact information. This is a great place to start since it’s simple and all the information is already stored in your brain. This is an essential part of any resume since it lets a manager or other leadership person know how to reach you if they are interested in moving forward with you to an interview or another step.
Contact Information Example
Just as you find company information in your job search, you need to make sure the person who sees your resume has that same level of detail about you. As you can see from the image above, this is a small section that has the basics about you. You could consider this your introduction to the hiring manager.
How to Format This Section
When it comes to resume format on a contact section, there are choices. You can choose to place the information at the top of the resume or along one of the sides. Regardless of which option you choose, make sure the colors and fonts are easy to read. Nobody wants to have to decipher what your phone number or email is.
The basic information to include is your name and address. This can be a full address or just the state (or country) and city. Next, add two ways to get in contact with you. Unless the job description specifically asks for social media, it’s usually not needed to include it here.
Section #2: Resume Objective
After finishing the contact information, you can move forward to what is called a resume objective or resume summary. This is where you really sell yourself to recruiters or managers. In most cases, you’ll find the objective near the top of the resume. If the contact information is on top, this is next. When the contact info is on a sidebar, the objective will be on top.
The easiest way to describe a resume objective is as an elevator pitch – but in writing. It gives all your best traits and accomplishments but very quickly. It should take only a few seconds for someone to read through it.
Resume Objective Example for an Entry Level Medical Resume
Resume writing for entry-level workers is different than for those who are experienced. In this case, use whatever experience you have to fill things out. Education and skills can be used to explain why you are the best choice for a particular position.
Resume Objective Example for a Resume of an Experienced Medical Professional
For an experienced medical assistant resume, look above. The focus will mostly be on work in this case but including some insight about education is also useful. Cut down your achievements to just the most impressive ones. You don’t want the objective to end up being so long that it isn’t read to completion.
How to Format This Section
Your medical resume objective should be no more than four sentences long. Use action verbs and numbers whenever possible to show what you are capable of. There’s no need to use creative formatting for this section. The most important thing is simply to show the great things you have done in the past. The hiring manager's interest will be piqued and they will move on to the experience section.
Section #3: Professional Work Experience
There’s far more to your professional work experience than showing your years of experience in a medical position. The main point of this section is to show off your accomplishments and what you’ve done in past positions. You’ll want to focus on relevant experience as much as possible and weave in some of the keywords you found in the job description.
This section can make or break your resume so make sure you take your time with it. Customize your resume for each position so you can be sure you show you meet the requirements for the position. You don’t have to include every task you do, instead, illuminate the ones that look best for this particular position.
Professional Work Experience Example
You can see an example of an applicant’s work history in the image above. It offers information about the person’s last two positions and what they did that relates to the job they want to be hired for now. This example is put together to create a lasting impression without any sloppiness that might cause it to be passed over.
Of course, your own work experience section will look different. It all comes down to what you’ve done in the past and what you wish to do in the future. Make sure you get down the crucial accomplishments and try to tie things together to look great.
How to Format This Section
The formatting for this section is a bit more in-depth than others. This is because most of the decision about whether to bring you in comes down to your resume objective and experience. The best way to set up is through a reverse-chronological resume. Start with your most recent job and then move backward.
For each position, have a header on top in a different color. This makes it stand out for the person who is reading. You’ll want the job title, company, and when you worked there to be included on the header. Underneath, use the blank space to add bullet points. This is where you add in the things you did at previous jobs that are relevant to the new job you want.
Section #4: Education
Now we get to the education section, where you can list your diplomas, certifications, and degrees. Healthcare is a sector that has a lot of focus on education so this isn’t a section you can ignore or quickly complete for most people. However, that does depend on the position. Some positions may require no more than a high school diploma while others will expect a doctorate.
The work experience and education sections are where most hiring managers will get the majority of their information. Be sure you include everything that relates to the job to have the best chance of moving forward. The only exception is for your high school diploma. If you have education beyond that, the diploma doesn’t need to be listed.
Education Example
The image above gives insight into how the education section might look for some people. You’ll notice that it includes both degrees and certifications. While you can split these up, it’s typically not done unless someone has a large number of certifications.
As healthcare professionals, it’s important to have a proper education. Make sure there aren’t any typos or other issues on this part of the resume before you move forward.
How to Format This Section
As you format your document, you may want a reverse-chronological resume. This means your education section will be similar to the work experience you just did. Add in your past education starting with whatever degree or certificate you last obtained.
For degrees, add the institution, the degree, and when you got it. The same applies to certifications but there’s no need to add an institution to the resume. Other information isn’t necessarily needed. However, those who are entry-level might include their GPA, special honors, or other accomplishments to create a resume that hiring managers are impressed by.
Section #5: Skills
Now that you’ve added all your education and experience, it’s time to look at skills for a resume in healthcare. This section is very important because you can give additional insight into the things you do best. The skills section can include a combination of soft skills and hard skills to show you are a well-rounded member of the teams you are on.
When it comes to what skills to put on a resume for the medical field, it varies by position. Everything from patient care to medical records and communication skills to reading vital signs may be useful. If you know how to make treatment plans or do x-rays and that pertains to the job, add those relevant skills.
Skills Example
As healthcare providers, it’s important to list technical skills and skills with patients in most cases. You can see an example of how to do that in the image above. For instance, the applicant notes they have skills with Microsoft Office as well as team leadership abilities. Adding in first aid and CPR knowledge also looks great on any medical resume.
Of course, your resume will vary based on what job you want. A registered nurse won’t need the same skills as a technologist or a nurse practitioner. The resume skills you use should fit the job you would like to get.
How to Format This Section
The skills section is one of the areas on a medical resume where you can be a touch more creative in the format. Use the format you see in the image above or do something a little different. Depending on the template you choose, the proficiency of each skill might be visualized in different ways.
As far as the overall formatting, a list is the best choice for this section. It makes it easier to read through what you are capable of compared to a paragraph or some other format. While adding skills, take care not to include too many. A list of five to10 is plenty for a resume when combined with the other information.
Section #6: References
No matter what kind of job you are looking for, adding references is essential. The good news is that this is the last section you need to work on and it’s super simple. As long as you have a few references ready to go, it will take only minutes to finish off your resume before you send it to a hospital or clinic.
When choosing references, it’s good to include mostly people from past jobs. However, not all of them have to be. You can add professors you had in school, people from around the neighborhood, or others who know what you can do. The one thing to avoid is using friends and family as references. These people won’t carry as much weight as others.
References Example
You know all about HIPAA but who knows that you know? That’s right. Your references do. You can see in the image above that the applicant has chosen three, although you can add as many as five. In all likelihood, not all will be contacted but you never know. That’s why you should only choose references who have agreed they are up to the task.
As you can see, this section is simple and has little need to add anything creative. The main point is to show that people believe in your skills. Be sure to provide all information needed and then check for spelling errors.
How to Format This Section
Formatting the references for a medical receptionist job is the same as any other position. The most important thing is that the information can be read easily. Otherwise, there’s nothing special you need to do. Add on the name of the person, where they work, and how to contact them.
We recommend adding “available upon request” for the contact information. This keeps your reference’s information private until someone asks for it. There’s no chance of someone getting ahold of the resume and contacting these people for other purposes. While there are other methods of setting up the references, this tends to be the best choice.
Related Medical Resumes Templates
You can look at our medical resume template for free and use it to inspire your professional document. However, you may also want to look at another resume template for the medical field before you decide. In addition, there are many templates not specifically made for the industry that can be tweaked to use as a medical professional resume template. It’s up to you which of these options looks the best to you.
You can use any of the examples below as medical resume templates, whether they were designed for that from the beginning or not. All you have to do is select the one you want, edit it so it includes the information you want to share, and then send it off with your other application materials. A few resume templates you might like include:
Final Points on Medical Professional Resumes
Now that you have a fantastic healthcare resume ready to go, you might wonder what’s next. First, make sure you’ve proofread the document to check for typos or sentences that could be confusing. Using a program like Grammarly can be a huge help for catching errors you might miss.
Beyond that, make sure you have a cover letter appropriate for the job ready to send in. If the application requires other documents or information, make sure you have that handy too. At that point, you’re ready to send in your perfect resume. It could be exactly what gets you into the interview chair. Good luck!