A curriculum vitae (CV) is a living document outlining your academic/professional achievements and experiences. A CV is typically required when applying for professional positions, residencies, fellowships, honors and awards, or further educational opportunities (i.e., summer internships). A CV differs from a resume because a resume is only a one- to two-page summary of your education and work experience; it is less commonly used in the pharmacy profession. A CV provides a more detailed summary of your academic and professional experiences.
Tips for Developing your CV
- Start your CV in your first year of pharmacy school.
- Update your CV regularly (quarterly or biannually).
- Keep a portfolio with all projects and papers you have completed to reference when writing your CV.
- Keep all handouts from professional meetings or professional lectures to help jog your memory when you need to update your CV.
- Use active verbs when describing experiences.
- Use consistent formatting and font.
- Font size should be 10–14.
- Font type should be easy to read such as Times New Roman or Arial.
- Use white, off-white, or light ivory paper with a bond weight of 20 or 24 pounds.
- Use quality black ink when printing (laser printer).
- Always convert a CV to a PDF file before sending by e-mail.
ACCP Online CV Review Service
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Each fall ACCP offers an online CV review service. This is an opportunity for you to have your CV reviewed by an experienced clinical pharmacist outside your own institution. For more information on this program or to download a presentation on Curriculum Vitae writing click here.
Web sites with helpful tips on CV writing: