How To Write A Medical Student Resume (With Sample And Tips)

Updated 9 August 2023

A resume conveys a candidate's professional details and educational qualifications, including experiences and other accomplishments to potential employers. When applying for a job, you can distinguish yourself from other candidates with a compelling resume. If you are a final-year medical student, learning how to draft an effective resume can help you get more interview calls. In this article, we share the steps to write a professional medical student resume and provide a template and a sample resume to help you write yours.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

How To Write A Medical Student Resume?

A medical student resume that aptly presents your achievements and skills makes it easier for the employer to learn about your background and expertise. Here are some steps you may follow to prepare an effective resume:

1. Identify the purpose

The first step is to answer why you want to create the resume. It can be easier to work towards building your resume when you are aware of your professional objective. The reason for creating a resume can be for job applications, academia or both. Depending on these factors, you may decide and prepare the layout of the resume.

2. Choose a suitable resume format

There are three resume formats, namely chronological, skill-based and combination formats. The chronological format is ideal for professionals who have significant work experience, and it lists the experiences in chronological order. The skill-based or functional format highlights the educational achievements, internships and other relevant qualifications of a candidate, and is usually helpful for freshers. The combination format is a mix of these formats and highlights both work experiences and educational qualifications. You may choose one that best suits your profile to create the maximum impact.

3. Add your contact information

This usually goes at the top, just below your name. Mention important contact details such as a phone number, email address and any other detail pertaining to the role. Ensure these are accurate so that the recruiters can contact you conveniently if they desire to do so.

4. Create a professional summary

Write a few lines or a brief paragraph that describes your career profile, along with your most significant professional achievements. This may be the years of experience you have, specific milestones or achievements, and what you want to achieve after getting hired. You may also mention what motivates you to do this job and highlight your most potent skill to attract the attention of the hiring managers.

5. Add your educational credentials

Mention your educational qualifications, especially those that pertain to the job. Start with the highest and most relevant qualification. You can also mention the period and name of the institution if you passed out recently.

6. Mention work experience

In the next section, detail your work experience in chronological order. Start with the most recent job or internship that you have completed or your current employment. Work backwards and mention the periods of employment clearly, along with the responsibilities that you undertook and the efficiency with which you delivered them.

7. List your skills

In the end, highlight your most relevant skills. You can list them as bullet points. Keep this section brief and relevant to the industry and job title. Using industry-specific keywords can be helpful, as several employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) software to shortlist eligible applications based on certain keywords.

8. Mention your relevant achievements

Once you have identified the objective, recollect the achievements that support it to ensure the recruiters understand how they may benefit from hiring you or the specialities that you may offer them.

You can start with your most recent or professional achievements, then move on to university and high school accolades. The achievements may include qualifying in special aptitude exams or securing a good rank in entrance exams. Note them on paper to avoid forgetting them. After that, organise the certificates supporting these achievements chronologically. Choose relevant achievements to ensure it is scannable and brief.

9. Get letters of recommendation from your internship areas or professors

Letters of recommendation are highly valuable when applying as freshers and distinguish your resume from the rest. If you have been a diligent and hard-working student or professional, the professors or past employers are likely going to provide you with one.

If you were active in your medical college and have interned too, get letters from the professor or employer. An ideal letter of recommendation includes some details about your student or work profile, the period of study or service, a bit about your character and how you performed at the course or at the job.

10. Gather supporting documents for any claims you make

When you add an experience to your resume, there are chances that an employer might ask for supporting documents. Ensure you only add facts and information that you can support with valid documentation. When you do this, you can show the certificate or evidence if the employer asks for it during or after the hiring process for verification. If you are unsure whether you can support a claim with adequate evidence, then it may be better to avoid mentioning it at all.

Tips For Writing A Medical Student Resume

Here are some useful tips for writing an effective resume:

Keep it brief. Hiring managers usually skim through several resumes during recruitment drives and may not have time to read the entire resume. Keep your resume within one or two pages with clear and short sentences to ensure it is easily readable.
Choose strong action verbs. When mentioning your work experiences, use strong action verbs like facilitated, optimised, developed and created, to put emphasis on your relevant responsibilities. Avoid using jargon to make sure it is easily comprehensible.
Customise your resume. Try to customise your resume specifically for the role for which you are applying. Add only the relevant work experiences and skills that match the job requirements for which you are applying.

Resume Template

Here is the format you can follow for your resume:

[First name] [Last name], [Degree or certification, if applicable]

[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City], [State]

Professional Summary

[Two to three sentences that highlight your years of experience, relevant skills, education or certifications and achievements as an entry-level professional]

Education

[Degree], [Major] | [Date of graduation]

[Name of School or University]

Optional

[Certification Name], [Host organisation] - [Year completed or expiration date]

Experience

[Job Title] | [Employment dates]

[Company Name] | [City], [State]

(Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results
[Job duty]
[Job duty]
[Job duty]
[Job duty]

[Job Title] | [Employment dates]

[Company Name] | [City], [State]

(Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results
[Job duty]
[Job duty]

Skills

Resume Example

Here is a sample resume based on the format shown above which you can use by making minor alterations if you have limited work experience or only internship experience:

Maninder Singh Chandok

+91 5676889743 | maninder.chandok@email.com | Mumbai, Maharashtra

Professional Summary

A passionate final-year student with five years of internship experience. The driving force that made me select this path is my parents, who too are doctors. During my studies, I have shown my leadership skills and knowledge of the subject through various activities.

Education

Final year MBBS student

Meredith Medical School

Certifications

First Aid, Red Cross Society - 2015

Community Health, Parth Medical Association - 2016