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Top 5 CV Mistakes to Avoid for Trainee Doctors

Introduction

As a medical professional supporting junior doctors through career transitions, training applications, and job interviews, I’ve read hundreds—if not thousands—of CVs over the years. Whether you’re preparing your CV for a service role, applying to a training program, or seeking a lateral move to a more suitable hospital, your CV is still your first impression. And often, it’s a silent one.

This post focuses on doctors already working in the Australian health system, particularly those in their early postgraduate years (PGY1–4) who are navigating unaccredited roles, service positions, or applying to vocational training programs. These doctors usually already have the skills—they just need their CV to communicate that effectively. In a future post I will provide tips for International Medical Graduates on how to avoid pitfalls on their CVs.

Let’s walk through five common CV mistakes trainee doctors make—and more importantly, how you can avoid them.

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Summary: 5 CV Mistakes Trainee Doctors Should Avoid

Minimising CV mistakes is essential for a polished application.

Common CV mistakes trainee doctors make include: using generic content that isn’t tailored to the employer, overloading with irrelevant or outdated experiences, poor formatting and structure, failing to demonstrate their clinical impact, and writing without intention or hierarchy. A well-crafted CV should clearly tell your professional story—and be easy for the reader to scan in 60 seconds.

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The Top 5 CV Mistakes to Avoid

1. Writing a Generic CV That Isn’t Tailored to the Role

One of the biggest mistakes trainee doctors make is treating their CV as a one-size-fits-all document. While it’s tempting to have a “master CV” for all purposes, employers and selection panels are reading with one question in mind: “Does this doctor meet the needs of this role?”

Why This CV Mistakes Matters:

• Selection panels don’t have time to guess your relevance.
• If your CV reads like a generalised list of jobs, it will blend into the pile.
• Tailoring shows initiative, insight, and professionalism.

How to Fix It:

• Start with a brief, role-specific Career or Personal Summary.
• Mirror the language of the job description (e.g. procedural skills, teamwork, teaching).
• Prioritise experiences and achievements that are most aligned with that employer’s setting—metro, rural, procedural, generalist, etc.

Example:

Instead of saying:

“Resident Medical Officer with 3 years’ experience in multiple rotations.”

Say:

“Resident Medical Officer with three years of experience across emergency, general medicine, and ICU. Committed to pursuing a career in critical care and building on my acute care skillset in a high-volume tertiary setting.”

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2. Including Irrelevant or Outdated Information

A common trap is feeling the need to include everything you’ve ever done—from high school awards to part-time jobs and medical school electives that have no bearing on your current goals.

Why It’s a Problem:

• It waters down the relevant content.
• It suggests you don’t understand what matters to the reader.
• It adds to cognitive load—and recruiters are already pressed for time.

How to Fix It:

• Include only relevant, recent, and impactful experiences.
• Summarise older roles briefly (e.g. “Previous rotations include geriatrics, rehab, and paediatrics”).
• Leave out non-medical jobs unless they demonstrate significant transferable skills—and even then, keep them brief and toward the end.

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3. Poor Formatting and Lack of Structure

You might be a great clinician, but if your CV is poorly structured, hard to follow, or inconsistent, it distracts from your actual strengths. Recruiters make assumptions—fair or not—based on how easy your CV is to read.

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing fonts and inconsistent spacing.
• Wall-of-text paragraphs with no bullet points.
• No logical hierarchy or order to sections.

How to Fix It:

• Use clean, professional fonts like Calibri or Arial, size 10–11.
• Use clear headings and consistent formatting across sections.
• Use bullet points for responsibilities and achievements.
• Include page numbers, and save as a PDF before submitting.

Example:

Instead of:

Resident Medical Office Emergency Department, West Hospital. I managed patients under supervision and worked in a multidisciplinary team…

Try:

Resident Medical Officer – Emergency Department

West Hospital, NSW | Jan 2023 – Aug 2023

• Managed undifferentiated patients in a busy mixed ED, with an average of 15–20 patients per shift

• Performed procedures including suturing, IDC insertion, and plaster application

• Collaborated with registrars, consultants, nursing, and allied health in acute care planning

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4. Failing to Show Clinical Impact

Reflecting on common CV mistakes can help you grow as a clinician.

Too many CVs list tasks—“clerked patients,” “presented at handover,” “assisted in theatre”—without ever explaining the impact of their work. Think of your CV not as a logbook, but as a summary of your value.

Why Thes CV Mistakes Matter:

• Panels aren’t just checking what you did—they want to know how well you did it.
• Showing initiative, improvement, or leadership sets you apart.
• Impactful statements demonstrate reflection and growth.

How to Fix It:

• Go beyond duties—highlight outcomes or contributions.
• Use data, feedback, or context to back up your claims.
• Avoid passive language—use action verbs like “led,” “improved,” “initiated,” or “streamlined.”

Example:

Instead of:

Participated in ward rounds and managed patient care

Say:

Coordinated ward rounds and independently managed an average of 12–16 inpatients under supervision, including discharge planning, family communication, and escalation of deteriorating patients

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5. Lacking Intentional Structure and Hierarchy

Some CVs look like a data dump—disorganised, out of sequence, or without clear prioritisation. If the most critical information isn’t on the first page, you’re already losing the reader.

Common Mistakes:

• Career Goal buried at the end.
• Achievements mixed in with basic duties.
• Teaching and QI projects not highlighted clearly.

How to Fix It:

Use a structure that builds your narrative: Prioritise clinical relevance, leadership, teaching, and commitment to your chosen pathway.

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Preferred CV Structure for Trainee Doctors

Here’s a refined CV structure based on best practices for trainee doctors working in Australia and aligned with employer expectations.

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Understanding these CV mistakes can improve your chances of getting interviews.

Recommended CV Layout to Avoid CV Mistakes

1. Contact Details Name, phone number, professional email, AHPRA registration number or status, location (optional).
2. Career Summary (3–4 lines) A tailored statement highlighting your clinical experience, goals, and value proposition for the role.
3. Clinical Experience
   • Reverse chronological list of positions.
   • Include hospital, department, dates, and a few bullet points per job describing responsibilities and achievements.
4. Education
   • Medical degree(s), university, graduation year.
   • Include other qualifications or diplomas (e.g. Clinical Education, MPH) if relevant.
5. Professional Development
   • ALS, EMST, courses, workshops, and conferences attended.
6. Teaching Experience
   • Who you taught (e.g. medical students, interns), format (bedside, tutorials), and any formal feedback or recognition.
7. Quality Improvement / Audit Projects
   • Title, aim, your role, and outcome if available.
8. Leadership & Committees
   • Any roles in JMO forums, hospital working groups, or clinical governance committees.
9. Referees
   • 2–3 current referees, ideally clinical supervisors or senior consultants.

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