Table Of ContentContents
Cover 1
Front Matter 3
Chapter 1 13
Chapter 2 17
Chapter 3 35
Chapter 4 61
Chapter 5 94
Chapter 6 118
Chapter 7 132
Chapter 8 160
Conclusion 170
Also Available 171
Preparing the Perfect
Medical CV:
How to succeed in your chosen fi eld
By Helen Douglas and Vivek Sivarajan
Edited by Matt Green
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Published by Developmedica 2009
Castle Court
Duke Street
New Basford,
Nottingham, NG7 7JN
0845 838 0571
www.developmedica.com
© 2009 Developmedica
Digital Edition converted and published by Andrews UK Limited 2010
www.andrewsuk.com
All rights reserved. Purchasers of this book are instructed that they can only use this
guide for the purpose of improving their CV preparation and job application skills and
are prohibited from redistributing this book or any part thereof. This book cannot be
reproduced in full or in part without the express written permission of Developmedica.
The views expressed in this book are those of Developmedica and not those of the
National Health Service. Developmedica is in no way associated with the National
Health Service. The contents of this book are intended as a guide only and although
every effort has been made to ensure that the contents of this book are correct,
Developmedica cannot be held responsible for the outcome of any loss or damage
that results from the use of this guide. Readers are advised to seek independent advice
regarding their CV preparation and job application skills.
Every effort has been made to contact the copyright holders of any material reproduced
within this publication. If any have been inadvertently overlooked, the publishers will
be pleased to make restitution at the earliest opportunity.
A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library
About the authors
Helen Douglas
Helen is a graduate of Sheffi eld Medical School. She completed her
PRHO year in General and Paediatric Medicine and Surgery, her
F2 year in Anatomy Demonstrating and A&E, and her Specialist
Training in Plastic Surgery, completing rotations in Plastics, ENT,
Orthopaedics and General Surgery. She is currently Laser Research
Fellow at Canniesburn Plastic Surgery Unit, reading for an MD. After
her research she will commence a run-through training post
at ST3 level in Plastic Surgery in England.
Vivek Sivarajan
Vivek is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon, one of the youngest of
his generation. Vivek has had a fl awless medical career and now
participates in trainee recruitment and appraisal. Vivek has a clear
understanding of what is required to succeed in every stage of your
medical career.
About the editor
Matt Green
Matt is Managing Director of Developmedica, and has been assisting
doctors of all grades and specialties to improve their CVs for a
number of years. It is with this in mind that he has edited this book
to pass on his wisdom in this fi eld.
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About the publisher
Developmedica is a specialist provider of books, courses and
eLearning solutions tailored to meet your career development needs.
Visit our web site at www.developmedica.com and fi nd out more.
Our approach is friendly and personal. Please telephone or email
any time to discuss your requirements.
Tell us what you think
Developmedica are committed to publishing high quality books and
would love to hear your thoughts on how this book helped you,
or your suggestions on any new topics we should be pursuing to
support individuals in progressing their careers. Simply email your
thoughts to [email protected].
Better still, please submit a testimonial to the website that you
purchased this book from, and email us with a link to where you
have placed the testimonial, and you will be entered into our monthly
prize draw with the chance to win one of a range of prizes.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge with gratitude the help and support
of the following people, without whom the writing of this guide
would have been diffi cult if not impossible.
Dr John Bache (Retired Consultant in A&E Medicine, Leighton)
Mr Christopher West (Specialist Registrar in Plastic Surgery,
Edinburgh)
Miss Sarah Chadwick (Research Fellow in Plastic Surgery,
Manchester)
Mr James Tiernan (Specialist Registrar in General Surgery,
Sheffi eld)
Helen Douglas and
Vivek Sivarajan
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Foreword
Progressing your medical career is a challenging but ultimately
rewarding experience that few other vocations offer. Regardless
of the stage you are at, the sooner you take a proactive approach
to developing and matching your skills and experience to your
intended career path, the better. Whether you are a Medical Student
looking to successfully apply to the Foundation Programme or an
accomplished Consultant looking to gain acceptance on to a specialist
committee, you must always be clear on what those evaluating your
application will be looking for.
The main aim of this guide is to tell you, the reader, exactly how
to present your CV or application form in a manner that will help
you to stand out over your rival applicants. It also provides readers
with a clear insight into what steps you should take to develop your
skills and how to gain involvement in activities that will benefi t
you and your career in the long-term. It may be an old adage, but
‘Success comes to those who prepare for it!’
It may be the case that you have purchased this book with simply
applying to one post in mind. However, the goal of publishing this
book is to support individuals in their job applications at every step
of their career.
When I fi rst founded Developmedica (formerly Apply 2 Medicine)
in 2005 we began by offering CV and application form support to
individuals who were unable to gain the support and guidance they
needed. The process of applying for a new post is daunting, and
something that we have all experienced at one stage or another.
Consequently, it has given me great pleasure in distilling the
experience I have gained over the years into this guide.
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x Foreword
Remember, a poorly structured and presented CV can let down
even those with the most illustrious of careers! Please take the
time to fully absorb the contents to avoid the common mistakes
and pitfalls that many individuals make, and in doing so stand out
for the right reasons.
On that note, may I wish you the best of luck with your current
and future applications!
Matt Green
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Introduction
Whether you are thinking of applying to Medical School, fi nishing
your Foundation 1 year, choosing your future specialty or completing
your training, the competition to secure your next position is
overwhelming at every stage and always has been. However, the
current climate of UK Medical Training, particularly in light of the
recent problems with the Medical Training and Applications System
(MTAS) and the uncertain future regarding MMC, means that the
application process is more frequent, more challenging and different
every year. The competition for training posts is incredibly steep,
as the government workforce planning for medical staff has made
no secret of the fact that despite decreasing referral-to-treatment
times to eighteen weeks, doctors’ training numbers are being cut.
The result? Massive increase in competition for training numbers
and rock-bottom morale amongst the medical community. Never
has it been so important to be able to present yourself as a suitable
candidate for jobs, and it is easy to become despondent when
considering the extent of competition. However, it is important
to remember that these positions are out there and available, and
by presenting yourself in the best possible light you will gain the
highest chance of securing the place you want.
This guide is not a magic wand. It will not transform your experiences
and qualifi cations into those needed for a place at Medical School, or
a particular job or fellowship. However, it will help you to identify
steps that you can take at various stages before your applications
to achieve extra material for your CV and help you to display
concisely the evidence you have to those selecting candidates. We
make some points, particularly concerning CV construction, in more
than one chapter. Because of that, when considering an application
you can safely refer to the chapter that specifi cally relates to your
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