Tips on rewriting your CV for a non-clinical career

I've been working with physicians to help them rewrite certain sections of their CV (Curriculum Vitae, or resume). I find that physicians are used to listing their titles/positions. They naturally assume that people who are reading their CV know what "Clinical Professor of Medicine" or "Private Practice Internist" means. This may be true in the clinical world, but in the non-clinical world, you really want to emphasize your accomplishments, skills, and abilities that will translate into the business world. For instance, if you worked in a hospital, did you lead any groups? Were you part of a committee that developed any protocols? Did you direct any system-level changes? Did you hold any administrative responsibilities?

These types of action-oriented details are crucial. It's important to tell a cohesive story that outlines how you've gone from one point in your career to the next. If you worked in private practice, what types of administrative or practice management decisions did you make? What were the outcomes?

Physicians often have CVs that look like a laundry list of positions and accomplishments. Corporate CVs are very different. If you wish to transition your career into the non-clinical world, you must provide more content so that the readers can understand and evaluate your qualifications and your ability to translate clinical expertise and leadership skills to the corporate environment.