Office of Faculty Affairs

Developing Your CV

Important Guidelines for Completing the CV Format

Commonly referred to as the "CV", the curriculum vitae is a faculty member's academic biography. It contains information on graduate and fellowship experience, awards and honors, regional and national leadership roles in one's field, teaching and mentoring, and evidence of scholarship as demonstrated through grants, publications, and presentations. It is a "living" not static document that needs to be constantly updated as new experiences/achievements are completed. It is your "academic portrait". The CV should be used annually as part of the faculty's performance review process. It must be submitted as part of the packet for academic promotion.  The CV should also be uploaded to your Faculty Collaboration Database (FCD) profile by either the faculty member or a faculty designee.  For more information on MCW's faculty promotion process, please visit the Rank and Tenure homepage.  

Medical College CV Format (PDF updated 2009)

Annotated MCW CV Format (pdf). A mock up of an MCW CV with typical examples is provided as a guide to assist you in your CV preparation.  This mock-up is for informational purposes only and is not the "official" MCW format. 

Common CV Errors

Format

1. Make sure your CV is easy to read.
2. Be consistent with your format.
3. Build a theme throughout your document.
4. Use major headers such as "Home Address", "Office Address", "Education", "Postgraduate Training & Fellowship Appointments", "Faculty Appointments", "Awards", "NIH Study Sections", "Editorial Boards", "Publications". Then within those major sections, use sub-headings.
5. Make sure to include "Curriculum Vitae" at the top of your document.
6. Appearance is important! Use standard size (8.5" x 11") white or a very lightly colored stock.
7. Use 12 point font (Arial or Times New Roman is recommended).
8. Bold and CAPITALIZE your name in the CV title. Great way to make your name stand out.
9. Home address goes before office address.
10. Provide current date on the upper right hand corner of CV (e.g., 4/21/2011).
11. Make use of Margins. Avoid looking overcrowded or messy.
12. Each page of your CV should list your name and be numbered (bottom of the page).
13. Underline or italicize names of journals, conferences, organizations, etc.
14. Do not use acronyms before spelling out the word the first time you use it.
15. Double check all information.
16. Check for misspellings.
17. Curriculum materials go at the very end of the CV.

When developing your CV include the entire document even if there are empty areas. Sometimes there are things that you might not have thought would go under a particular area (e.g., committees, leadership roles). It's okay to list "none" or leave blank on your master CV. When submitting your CV to others, delete those "empty areas" however, utilize this/these section(s) as a tool when setting career goals.

A well-prepared CV will present your background completely, while focusing on your strong points.

How to Cite: Your Education

1. When describing your education, include the name of the institution, the degree sought or completed, and the date of completion or date to expected completed. Remember to include medical school, graduate education, and undergraduate education - ending with your most recent/current place of learning. Omit high school.
2. If you have completed a faculty development program, list under "post graduate education". Include a brief description as this is a major effort.

How to Cite: Faculty Appointments/Leadership Roles

1. If you have a title/role, state it.
2. If you have an administrative duty, provide details.
3. Committees: provide a brief annotation of the role you played and what the committee accomplished.
4. When describing your work experience, use active words like accomplished, administered, designed, developed, initiated, organized.
5. For faculty appointments, include month/year begin and end (or to present) and the rank/title first (e.g. Clinical Instructor) followed by the institution (see #8 on the MCW CV format).

How to Cite: Grants

All grants should be in chronological order. Include the PI's name and the total amount of the award. Be sure to include the complete title of the grant.

Resources: 

• How to Develop Your Biosketch (NIH example)
   
• The Cover Letter: Road Map to a Successful Reading of Your CV & Executive Summary. J. Katz, EdD & P. Morahan, PhD.