Medical Doctor Resume Guide + Tips + Example

Nilda Melissa Diaz By Nilda Melissa Diaz, Career Advice Contributor
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Seeking to advance your medical doctor career? An effective medical doctor resume is the place to start. We have the perfect guide to craft a great resume for a medical doctor, with tips on what to include, must-add skills and how to use a Resume Builder to your advantage.

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Doctor resume example (text version)

Ashton Norman

Sandy Springs, GA 30328
555 555 555
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com

Professional Summary

Seasoned doctor with a demonstrated record of accomplishments in skilled patient evaluation, diagnostics and treatment planning to assist patients with controlling symptoms, improving health and making healthier choices Proficient in internal concerns such as heart diseases and problems of lung, brain or kidneys. Over 15 years of experience in healthcare.

Work History

November 2013 – Current
Northside Hospital – Sandy Springs, GA
Doctor

  • Record patients’ health and histories and provide over 70 consultations weekly.
  • Conduct physical assessment of relevant body areas and performed standardized tests to check responses.
  • Order and execute various tests, analyses and diagnostics images to provide information on patient condition.

August 2009 – October 2013
Piedmont Atlanta Hospital – Atlanta, GA
Doctor

  • Suggested diagnostic and laboratory tests to establish underlying causes for patient symptoms.
  • Leveraged expertise to assist over 12 patients daily in addressing routine infections as well as more complex concerns facing specific populations.
  • Implemented therapeutic regimens involving medications and other interventions to mitigate symptoms and prevent reoccurrence.

May 2005 – July 2009
Select Specialty Hospital – Atlanta, GA
Doctor

  • Thoroughly examined 10 patients daily and elicited medical history data to use in assessing health and identifying conditions.
  • Endorsed changes in diet and suggested fitness activities to improve overall health and keep patients in better shape.
  • Wrote medical prescriptions, detailing side effects and possible adverse reactions to keep patients informed and alert of potential issues.

Skills

  • Diagnosing conditions
  • Patient assessments
  • Preventive care
  • Patient treatment planning
  • Prescribing medications
  • Medical records management
  • Strong communication
  • Strong judgement

Education

  • Emory University Hospital Atlanta, GA
    Residency
  • Emory University Atlanta, GA
    M.D.
  • University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
    Bachelor of Science Biology

Licenses

Licensed Medical Doctor in Georgia License# 123456

5 essentials of a top medical doctor resume

  1. Contact details

    The contact information section is simple and straightforward. It must have your full name, city, state and ZIP code. Include your phone number, email address and link to your LinkedIn profile. If you have a professional website or any other professional networking website profile, add them in this section. 

  2. Personal statement

    The personal statement section is your introduction to the hiring manager. Sometimes called the professional summary, it consists of five sentences or less where you introduce yourself by presenting your strongest skills, best professional accomplishments and years of experience. Make an impact on the hiring manager by including the requirements you have from the job description in your personal statement. 

  3. Skills

    In the skills section, display a balanced mix of hard and soft skills in a bullet points format. Match your skills to those from the job advertisement. Remember that soft skills like bedside manner, diversity, cultural competence and interpersonal skills are important for medical doctors. If this is your first job or residency, include transferable skills from other opportunities, like internships, research work and volunteer commitments. 

  4. Work history

    Create a work history by including the name of the institutions, locations and dates of employment in reverse-chronological order. Under each job, have at least three measurable achievements by adding numbers and percentages. For example, percentage of budget reduction achieved with your preventative treatment, awards received, and, if available, patient satisfaction survey percentage. 

    If this is your first job, include relevant work experience in community service, volunteer experiences and internships.

  5. Education

    Highlight your alma mater in the education section of your medical doctor resume. Use a bulleted list to include the school name, degree and graduation year. If it has been more than 10 years since you graduated, skip the year. Include any academic accomplishments, like research conducted or important memberships.

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Action words for a stand-out medical work resume

Build a powerful resume by using action words. These verbs help tell the story of your career and accomplishments directly and unequivocally.  Using action verbs can leave a good impression on a recruiter and help you stand out from the other candidates. 

Here’s a short list of action words for a medical doctor resume:

  • Diagnosed
  • Assessed
  • Researched
  • Administered
  • Developed
  • Coordinated
  • Authorized
  • Prioritized
  • Advanced
  • Admitted 

These verbs can help you create a great medical doctor resume. If you want to make this process easier, our Resume Builder can help you write a fantastic resume for a medical doctor with step-by-step guidance, expert suggestions and download in multiple formats. 

Top skills for a medical doctor resume

Make sure that your skills section shows what the employer is looking for. Carefully read the job advertisement and include relevant skills that match yours. 

A few skills you could include are:

  • Symptoms assessment
  • Stellar Bedside manner
  • Attention to detail 
  • Cultural competence
  • Patient care
  • Collaboration 
  • Recording medical history 
  • Active listening
  • Physical fitness
  • Foreign language

Certifications for a medical doctor resume

Certifications add value and strength to your career and knowledge, plus it certifies that you are prepared to practice your specialty. When creating your certifications section, include all the required state and federal licenses and certifications. You can also include other job-related certifications that could make you stand out from the pool of applicants, like a paramedic certification. 

There are several certification options for medical doctors, such as:

  • American Board of Internal Medicine Certification (ABIM)
  • American Board of Physician Specialties Certification in Family Medicine
  • American Board of Physician Specialties Certification in Geriatric Medicine
  • American Board of Physician Specialties Certification in Hospital Medicine
  • American Board of Medical Specialties Continuing Certification 
  • American Board of Medical Specialties Board Certification (ABMS)
  • American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Continuing Certification 

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Medical Doctor resume FAQ

  1. 1. How to write a medical doctor resume?

    A medical doctor resume must always include five primary sections:

    • Contact information
    • Personal profile
    • Skills
    • Job history
    • Education 

    Then, your resume can include any number of sections, like:

    • Professional memberships or associations
    • Presentations 
    • Publications
    • Certifications and licenses
    • Volunteer experience
    • Related hobbies and interests

    The best way to know what to include is by reviewing the job description requirements. 

    If you need guidance to start, use the medical doctor resume sample on this page.

    The easiest way to determine what sections to add to your resume and how to fill them out is by reviewing the essential requirements of the job description. Match the job requirements to your qualifications and add them to your resume.

  2. 2. How to write a cover letter for the resume of a medical doctor?

    A cover letter is a great tool to expand on your resume. Like the resume, the cover letter is a one page document, but it allows you to add storytelling to your work experience and education. 

    Follow our guide on how to write a cover letter to create an effective document. Here are a few tips to get you started: 

    • Use a business letter format.
    • Create an eye-catching opening paragraph with your strongest skills, most important achievement and expressing why you’re interested in the institution.
    • Use one or two body paragraphs to explain why you are a good fit for this position. 
    • Reiterate your interest and qualifications in the closing paragraph. 

    Create a cover letter quickly with the help of our Cover Letter Builder, with step-by-step guidance and industry specific content suggestions.

  3. 3. How can I create a good resume for a medical doctor?

    A good resume for a medical doctor must present you as the best possible candidate.

    To do this:

    • Include your strongest skills, and those skills that match the job description.
    • Include optional sections to add your certifications, awards and honors.
    • Add a section focused on community initiatives and volunteer work.
    • Use active words to describe your career and achievements.
    • Include measurable achievements in your work history and education section, if applicable.

Do’s and don’ts for building a medical doctor resume

  • Use measurable achievements to describe your medical doctor skills and experience.
  • Use action words to make an impact on your medical doctor resume.
  • Tailor your resume to your target medical doctor job.
  • Use keywords from the job description throughout your medical doctor resume.
  • Format your medical doctor resume so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
  • Lie about your medical doctor experience and skills.
  • Boast about your “incomparable” medical doctor abilities.
  • Include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
  • Add skills and experience that do not pertain to medicine. 
  • Forget to proofread. A medical doctor resume with errors is unprofessional.

Top 4 tips for acing a medical doctor interview

  1. Research the company or institution before your interview.

    Before the interview, you must make time to learn about the company, its mission, goals and values. This knowledge will help prepare you for the interview and to get a feel for the company culture. Plus, it will show the hiring manager your genuine interest, commitment and desirable skills for candidates.

  2. Practice at home.

    Get ready for your interview by researching the most commonly asked questions in an interview. For example:

    Perform a mock interview with the help of a friend. Tell them to ask interview questions and provide feedback on your answers. Write down the answers and continue to practice on the days leading up to your interview. Practice in front of a mirror to work on your body language. 

  3. Prepare questions for your interview.

    Asking questions at the end of your interview not only helps you clear up any concerns, it also shows your enthusiasm for the role. Prepare at least three questions to impress the recruiter. 

    Here are a few examples of questions to get you started:

    • What are the expectations for this role?
    • What have been the biggest challenges in the hospital?
    • What is the relationship between the administrative and medical sides?
    • How would you describe the hospital culture?
    • How often are administrative meetings held?

  4. Gather your references.

    A medical doctor will need references when applying for a new position or starting their career. Be one step ahead and contact former managers and colleagues to be potential references. This group of people should be able to vouch for you, your work ethic and your skills. Explain to them where you are in the process and let them know they could receive a phone call or email. Also, ask ahead of time if they could prepare a letter of recommendation for you.

     

    If this is your first job, request references from professors, classmates, volunteer coordinators, or someone that can corroborate your skills.

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Nilda Melissa Diaz

Nilda Melissa Diaz

Career Advice Contributor

Nilda Melissa Díaz is a Career Advice Writer. She has worked for the Washington Post, Stringr, and Latina Style Magazine. She has a master's in journalism from Columbia University and is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

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