MAINTAINING YOUR
CV AND
PERSONAL RECORDS
Martin I. Lorin, M.D.
Page 1 of 12
WRITING A COVERING LETTER
The first paragraph of the covering letter should tell the reader who you are and why
you have written to him or her. Some sample first paragraphs:
Dear Dr. Blank:
My name is Sarah Jill Smith, and I am currently a senior pediatric resident in the Baylor
Affiliated Hospitals Pediatric Residency Program at Texas Children=s Hospital and Ben
Taub General Hospital in Houston, Texas. I will be completing my training at the end of
June 2005 and am looking for a pediatric practice opportunity.
Dear Dr. Blank:
My name is Sarah Jill Smith, and I am currently a senior pediatric resident in the Baylor
Pediatric Residency Program at Texas Children=s Hospital and Ben Taub General
Hospital in Houston, Texas. I will be completing my training at the end of June 2005
and am interested in a fellowship in ____________________.
Dear Dr. Blank:
I am currently a senior pediatric resident in the Baylor Affiliated Hospitals Pediatric
Residency Program at Texas Children=s Hospital and Ben Taub General Hospital in
Houston, Texas. I will be graduating at the end of June 2005 and plan to join an
established general pediatric practice.
When writing a covering letter, try to include a few words as a lead-in to show that you
know something about that particular practice. Be creative, but be honest. Don=t tell
one practice that you are especially interested in joining a small group and tell another
practice that you are especially interested in joining a large group. However if you are
flexible, it would be honest and reasonable to write to a small practice saying, AI believe
that I would be quite comfortable practicing with a small group,@ while telling a larger
practice, AI believe that I would fit in well with a large pediatric group.@ Below are
examples of lead-in items which might be included in a covering letter, if appropriate for
the practice which you are querying.

I had the opportunity/privilege of working with you on several cases at Texas
Children=s Hospital.

I have heard quite a bit about your group/practice from ...

I am especially interested in practicing in the ___________ area.

I am especially interested in joining a large multi-specialty group.

I believe that I would fit in well with a young and vigorous group such as yours.

I would feel very comfortable joining a well-established group such as your own.

I know that I would enjoy working with a multi-cultural population.

Be prepared to explain or elaborate on any of these at the interview.
Also, if possible, include or allude to some particular strength that would make you
especially attractive for that practice, something that is unique, strong and relevant
about you or your background. Below are some examples of this type of item to include
in the covering letter.

I speak Spanish fluently.

I have strong family ties in the _________ area.

I was born in _________ and look forward to returning.

My prior training as a teacher has given me special interests and expertise in
dealing with children who are having school problems.

I believe that my longstanding interest in handicapped children will be very useful
in a general pediatric practice.

My master=s degree in public health and interests in community aspects of
health maintenance and medical care will be useful in a general pediatric
practice. (Be prepared to explain how, if asked, during the interview.)
Do not include items that are of no relevance or only marginal relevance to a practice,
no matter how interesting you may think these things are. For example, do not include
any of the following:

I am sure that my lifelong interest in collecting shoelaces from around the world
will strengthen my bond with children.

My long interest in the martial arts and my proficiency in karate (4th degree black
belt) will be invaluable in dealing with unruly adolescents, as well as in protecting
your office from overly assertive parents.
Such non-medical interests may be included as a brief, simple statement in the CV, but
it is not necessary to do so. These items do not belong in the covering letter.
Your covering letter and CV or resume should show how you can meet the needs of the
potential employer to whom you are writing. Whenever possible, emphasize your
abilities rather than simply your past training. Explain how your training has prepared
you for the position you seek. If possible, show how you have performed well in difficult
situations.
As much as possible, your goals or objectives should be stated in a way to match those
of your potential employer.
CURRICULUM VITAE AND PERSONAL RECORDS
Whether you are planning a career in primary care or in academics, it is important to
keep your C.V. up to date. If you don't have a C.V., make one NOW. Keep it very
detailed. When printing it, you can edit it, omitting irrelevant items for specific
purposes. If you don't record important information in a single place, you will lose
it. Don't forget to back-up the data file.
Either within the C.V. or as a separate document, keep a record of ALL
professional achievements, regardless of how minor they may appear. These
items may be useful at a later date when you are applying for a position, promotion or
new job. Keep not only a record, but whenever there are documents involved, keep the
actual documents. Examples of items that should be recorded are:
Any awards
Special assignments, rotations or professional activities
Committees, task forces, etc.
Any lectures given, courses directed, materials written
Professional meetings, seminars or workshops attended
Professional or self-improvement courses attended
Letters of commendation and letters thanking you for professional activities;
letters from patients or parents
Copies of favorable evaluations from attendings, medical students, etc.
Membership in professional societies or organizations
Membership in lay organizations that relate to children, health or advocacy
There is no single standard form for a CV or professional résumé. On the following
pages are sample CVs which you can modify to meet your own needs or desires.
Résumés tend to be less formal than CVs.
There are many other items or headings that one might wish to include instead of, or in
addition to, the ones on the sample. Examples of such other items include Work
Experience, Employment and Volunteer Experience, Academic Achievements,
Activities, Work and Leadership Experiences and Medical Activities.
In general, unless you have more than one item under each heading, try to combine
headings. Use your own judgement and do what feels right for you at this particular
time in your career. One of the advantages of having the C.V. on a word processor is
that you can tailor each copy for the purpose intended. When applying for medical
school or residency it might have been appropriate to include nonprofessional work
experience (such as Awaiting tables@) and personal interests (such as golf or tennis).
However, as you progress up the professional ladder, such items often are omitted.
Your written resume or CV should be dignified but attractive to the eye.
Use margin descriptors, underlining, capitalization, bold font and centered headlines to
organize your document and call attention to specific areas.
Your resume will probably be only one or two pages long, but use the space well. You
can fill out pages by widening the margins at top, bottom, and sides and by increasing
the space between paragraphs – within the limits of good taste. Do not cram in too
much material. Readers are turned off by material that is too dense. Use short
sentences, short paragraphs and a compact style.
Dates should be located at the end, rather than the start, of paragraphs to which they
relate. While data may be listed in either order, forward or backward, it is usually best
to use a reverse chronological order, that is to list the most recent experience first.
(Sample A)
RÉSUMÉ
DR. DOROTHY J. DOE
Name and Address
Dorothy J. Doe, M.D.
6699 Buffalo Chip Drive
Houston, Texas 77030
Date and
Place of Birth
December 2, 1968
Little Fork, Kansas
Personal Data
Married, no children
U.S. citizen by birth
Military obligation -- none
Professional Goals
Private group practice in a small to medium size community.
Education
Residency, Pediatrics, Baylor Affiliated Hospitals (Baylor
College of Medicine, Houston, TX), 1993-95
Internship, Pediatrics, Baylor Affiliated Hospitals (Baylor
College of Medicine, Houston, TX), 1992-93
M.D. Kansas State University College of Medicine, 1992
B.S. (Cum Laude) Kansas State University, 1988
Honors, Awards &
Scholarships
Alpha Omega Alpha, Kansas State University College of
Medicine, 1992
Oz Foundation Medical Scholarship, 1988-92
H.M. Wertheim Prize for Academic Excellence, Kansas State
University College of Medicine, 1990
Phi Beta Kappa, Kansas State University, 1988
Research
Experience
Participant in study of patient compliance, Kansas Medical Center, 1991
Research technician, D. L. Edwards' laboratory, Kansas State
University College of Medicine, 1990
Professional
Societies and
Committees
Junior Member, American Academy of Pediatrics, 1992-present
Student American Medical Association, 1988-92
Licensure and
Board Certificates
National Board of Medical Examiners, 1993
USMLE, 1993
Texas State Medical License, 1994
Board Eligible Pediatrics, 1995
Extracurricular
Activities
Volunteer, St. Elsewhere Community Hospital, 1993
Boy Scouts of America, Troop Leader, 1985-88
Personal Interests
Music, long distance running, gourmet cooking, ice hockey
Bibliography
Doe, DJ, Smith, KW. Patient compliance as a factor in recovery from
bacterial meningitis treated as outpatient. J of Ridiculous Experiments
12:107, 1995.
References
Ralph D. Feigin, M.D., Baylor College of Medicine
Martin I. Lorin, M.D., Baylor College of Medicine
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(Sample B)
CURRICULUM VITAE OF DR. DOROTHY J. DOE
PERSONAL DATA
Name and Address
Dorothy J. Doe, M.D.
6699 Buffalo Chip Drive
Houston, Texas 77030
Date and
Place of Birth
December 2, 1968
Little Fork, Kansas
Personal Data
Married, no children
U.S. citizen by birth
Military obligation -- none
Professional Goals
Private group practice in a small to medium size community.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Education
Residency, Pediatrics, Baylor Affiliated Hospitals (Baylor
College of Medicine, Houston, TX), 1993-95
Internship, Pediatrics, Baylor Affiliated Hospitals (Baylor
College of Medicine, Houston, TX), 1992-93
M.D. Kansas State University College of Medicine, 1992
B.S. (Cum Laude) Kansas State University, 1988
Honors, Awards &
Scholarships
Alpha Omega Alpha, Kansas State University College of
Medicine, 1992
Oz Foundation Medical Scholarship, 1988-92
H.M. Wertheim Prize for Academic Excellence, Kansas
State University College of Medicine, 1990
Phi Beta Kappa, Kansas State University, 1988
Research
Experience
Research technician, D. L. Edwards' laboratory, Kansas
State University College of Medicine, 1990
Participant in study of patient compliance, Kansas Medical
Center, 1991
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PROFESSIONAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES
Professional
Societies and
Committees
Baylor House Staff Association, 1992-present
Junior Member, American Academy of Pediatrics,
1992-present
Student American Medical Association, 1988-92
Licensure and
Board Certificates
Board Eligible Pediatrics, 1995
Texas State Medical License, 1994
USMLE, 1993
Bibliography
Doe, DJ, Smith, KW. Patient compliance as a factor in recovery
from bacterial meningitis treated as outpatient. J of Ridiculous
Experiments 12:107, 1995.
OTHER
Extracurricular
Activities
Volunteer, St. Elsewhere Community Hospital, 1993
Part time employment as brick layer, 1985-92
Boy Scouts of America, Troop Leader, 1985-88
Personal Interests
Music, long distance running, gourmet cooking, ice hockey
References
Ralph D. Feigin, M.D., Baylor College of Medicine
Martin I. Lorin, M.D., Baylor College of Medicine
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(Sample C)
CURRICULUM VITAE OF DR. DOROTHY J. DOE
Name and Address
Dorothy J. Doe, M.D.
6699 Buffalo Chip Drive
Houston, Texas 77030
Date and
Place of Birth
December 2, 1968
Little Fork, Kansas
Personal Data
Married, no children
U.S. citizen by birth
Military obligation -- none
Professional Goals
Private group practice in a small to medium size community.
Education
Residency, Pediatrics, Baylor Affiliated Hospitals (Baylor
College of Medicine, Houston, TX), 1993-95
Internship, Pediatrics, Baylor Affiliated Hospitals (Baylor
College of Medicine, Houston, TX), 1992-93
M.D. Kansas State University College of Medicine, 1992
B.S. (Cum Laude) Kansas State University, 1988
Honors, Awards &
Scholarships
Alpha Omega Alpha, Kansas State University College of
Medicine, 1992
Oz Foundation Medical Scholarship, 1988-92
H.M. Wertheim Prize for Academic Excellence, Kansas
State University College of Medicine, 1990
Phi Beta Kappa, Kansas State University, 1988
Research
Experience
Participant in study of patient compliance, Kansas Medical
Center, 1991
Research technician, D. L. Edwards' laboratory, Kansas
State University College of Medicine, 1990
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Professional
Societies and
Committees
Baylor House Staff Association, 1992-present
Junior Member, American Academy of Pediatrics,
1992-present
Student American Medical Association, 1988-92
Licensure and
Board Certificates
Board Eligible Pediatrics, 1995
Texas State Medical License, 1994
USMLE, 1993
Extracurricular
Activities
Volunteer, St. Elsewhere Community Hospital, 1993
Boy Scouts of America, Troop Leader, 1985-88
Personal Interests
Music, long distance running, gourmet cooking, ice hockey
Bibliography
Doe, DJ, Smith, KW. Patient compliance as a factor in recovery
from bacterial meningitis treated as outpatient. J of Ridiculous
Experiments 12:107, 1995.
References
Ralph D. Feigin, M.D., Baylor College of Medicine
Martin I. Lorin, M.D., Baylor College of Medicine
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EDUCATOR'S PORTFOLIO
Documentation of activities (including quantity)
Include All
teaching activities, but do not include trivia
lectures, conferences, seminars and group discussions
teaching rounds and other inpatient teaching
outpatient clinic teaching activities
syllabi, manuals, written cases and course organization with which you had a role
scholarly activities such as papers, leadership positions, national committees,
consultations
Explain relationship of teaching service and patient care, don't double bill regarding
percent time
Documentation of excellence (quality)
List All
commendations, awards
written feedback, including letters of appreciation for lectures, etc.
scores, metrics
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Categories of the Educator's Portfolio
(Lindemann et al. Family Medicine 27:306-a, 1995)
●
Philosophy of education
Personal theory of learning and teaching
●
Curriculum development
Design, development, and evaluation of curricula/programs
Teaching skills
Documentation of teaching by target audience, year, and topic
Learner assessment
Construction and implementation of examinations
Advisor
List of formal and informal advisees
Educational administration
Leadership and management in education
Educational scholarship
Presentations, publications, and memberships as evidence of
dissemination and peer review
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Continuing education
Evidence of growing knowledge and skills as an educator
Honors and awards
Recognition by peers and students
Long-term goals
Reflection on portfolio and future plans
Educator's Portfolio Components
(Carroll, RG. Advances in Physiology Education. 16:510-513, Dec. 1996)
Teaching activities
●
Contact hours
●
Evaluations
Course director
Student
Peer
Educational research
●
Manuscripts and publications
●
Presentations and poster sessions
●
Grants
Educational service
●
Advising and mentoring
●
Administration
●
Curriculum development
●
Outreach activities
Professional development
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