As you prepare your med school application or work on landing your dream opportunities, from research positions to clinical jobs, you’re probably feeling the pressure to not just build your premed resume but nail it.
I’ve been there, racking my brain to figure out the best way to present all my experiences and skills on a single piece of paper. It was overwhelming! I didn’t know where to start. What information should I include? How do I format it? What can I do to make it eye-catching plus express my passion for healthcare?
Fortunately, I got my resume to shine and you can, too! I’m here to guide you through the process, from start to finish, with smart tips to help you organize, format, and structure your premed resume (including a read-to-fill template for you). Get ready to make everyone sit up and take notice with this post about crafting an impressive premed resume!
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Create an impressive Premed Resume
Do You Need a Premed Resume for Applying to Medical School?
Most medical schools will not require a resume. However, you may have a few schools on your list that specify including a resume with your application, so having one ready to go can save you time and stress. A majority of medical schools will simply skim over your resume, personally or using an automated system, to gain an overview of your background, education, experiences, and achievements.
What’s the difference between a resume and a CV?
While the terms resume and CV are often used interchangeably, there are subtle differences. A resume (which we’re talking about here) is typically a one-page document highlighting your relevant experiences and skills, while a CV (or Curriculum Vitae) is a more detailed document that includes a comprehensive listing of your academic and professional achievements.
If most medical schools don’t require it, is creating a premed resume still worth it?
Other than for a medical school application, a polished resume is still a must for a premed student. It can open doors for many helpful and exciting opportunities. You’ll likely need your premed resume for the following instances.
- Applying for clinical jobs
- Opening the door for volunteer opportunities
- Helping you land research positions
- Creating a positive impression as you seek shadowing experiences with doctors
- Providing the people you contact for letters of recommendation with accurate information about your background and experiences
What Should Your Premed Resume Include?
Crafting a premed resume is like your personal highlight reel. It’s all about striking the right balance between showcasing your unique qualities and experiences while presenting them in a clear and organized manner.
Your resume is your chance to make a memorable first impression, so to help you make sure it’s a good one, below you will find a breakdown of what you should include on your premed resume.
Identification and Contact Details
This part is straightforward. Basically, you want to make sure you can be easily reached by including the following information in this order.
- Your full name
- The best phone number for them to contact you
- Your professional or academic email address (it’s best to use an email address that includes your name)
- Your mailing address (or only your city and state)
Your Objective/Professional Summary (Optional)
This brief personal statement provides a snapshot of your qualifications and sets the tone for the rest of your premed resume. This is usually not needed if your resume also includes a cover letter (e.g. if you are applying for a clinical job opportunity) so it’s up to you if you want to include it. On the plus side, placing such a section below your header can grab the reader’s attention, especially if it’s an admissions team member.
So, how do you write it? In two to three sentences, the objective succinctly can outline why you’re pursuing medical school, why you’re a perfect fit for it, and your relevant experience working in a medical setting. Also, consider mentioning a stellar GPA in a premed program and your high MCAT score.
The Details About Your Education
To showcase how you are gearing up for medical school, include information about all the schools you’ve attended post-high school and the city, state, and years you were there. Also, shine the spotlight on any academic accomplishments, honors, or awards you’ve achieved during your time at these institutions, the degree or certification you earned, and your GPA and MCAT scores.
A List of Your Relevant Experiences
Show your dedication and give insight into your passion for medicine by highlighting your professional experience. Include the organization, city, time frame, your role, and a brief description of your duties. Each position description should relate your values, goals, and experiences to the medical school you’re applying to or the intended reader. Through these short descriptions, you can also highlight any of your skills like your strong communication, leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork skills.
Consider listing the following positions:
- Internships
- Research projects
- Clinical shadowing
- Professional programs
- Teaching assistant or tutor roles
Keep in mind, high school experiences may not be worth mentioning unless you had a significant engagement that continued through college. Also, if you took a gap year or are an international student, provide details of any relevant employment or experiences during that time.
If you want a FREE ready-to-fill resume template, so you don’t have to worry too much about the format and structure – enter your details below and snag the template I used myself!
Your Volunteer Experience
These unpaid experiences can truly make your resume shine! Whether you’ve been mentoring at-risk youth or working with global health organizations, including your volunteer work shows your dedication to helping others and making a positive impact. Medical schools love to see your community service involvement as it highlights your caring and compassionate nature.
The Honors and Awards You’ve Achieved
Adding this section to your premed resume is a great way to spotlight your achievements. Consider including things like making the Dean’s List, snagging scholarships, or winning a competition. Make sure you primarily focus on sharing accomplishments from your college years, as they carry more weight than those from high school.
Research Work or Publications
In this section, you can list the projects you have worked on, the skills you gained, and any notable results or publications you appeared in (if applicable). This is your chance to demonstrate your commitment to scientific inquiry, so make sure to highlight your key achievements and the impact of your work.
Include the title of the research project as well as the authors involved, the journal or conference where it was published, and a brief summary of your contributions. Double-check that you’ve correctly formatted the publications listed and display your name in bold.
How do you format and structure your premed resume?
Follow this basic format to outline your premed resume.
- Header – include your name, contact information, and a professional email address at the top of your resume
- Objective/Summary (Optional) – highlight your career goals and what you bring to the table
- Education – start with your educational institution, listing your most recent degree or program first
- Experience – include your relevant experiences in reverse chronological order, emphasizing your accomplishments and responsibilities
Additional Sections – consider adding sections like certifications, research experience, leadership roles, or relevant coursework to highlight your qualifications further
What Looks Good on a Premed Resume?
Ready to give your premed resume that extra oomph? Let’s polish it up and make sure it’s the best version it possibly can be! By following these simple tips and making a few tweaks, you can feel positive and confident about presenting your premed resume – whether it’s for an internship, job application, or to accompany your med school application package.
How Long Should a Premed Resume Be?
Keep your resume limited to two pages (one would be best), focusing on the most relevant information that showcases your qualifications and passion for medicine. You’ll want to condense descriptions while maintaining their ability to still leave an impact. Your end goal is to make it easy for someone looking over your resume to quickly gain an accurate and favorable understanding of your educational background, unique skills, and accomplishments.
What are tips to help your resume stand out?
Here are the most essential elements for crafting a well-organized and compelling premed resume.
- Formatting matters! Make it easy for admissions officers to scan your resume.
- Bold your headers to create clear sections, and use bullet points with concise language to highlight your achievements and experiences.
- Keep it concise by aiming for a one- or two-page document that showcases your most impactful accomplishments.
- Highlight any impressive scores, including college GPA and MCAT test results
- Tailor your resume to the medical field, if this is for your medical school application, you can also include relevant keywords from the school’s program description
- Showcase at the top your research, clinical experience, and leadership roles that align with your interests. These experiences are so valuable for a competitive premed resume and help you stand out.
- Diversify your activities beyond science and medicine-related activities. Engaging in extracurricular activities like sports, music, student government, or entrepreneurship can demonstrate that you’re a well-rounded individual with diverse talents.
- Use reverse chronological order to organize and present your activities, with the most recent ones at the top to ensure that admissions officers immediately see your current involvements and achievements.
- Include quantitative data to demonstrate the impact of your experiences. Whether it’s the number of patients you interacted with during clinical rotations or the amount of funds you raised for a charity project, numbers can make your accomplishments more tangible.
- Save as a PDF once you’ve finalized your impressive premed resume to preserve its formatting so your document will look polished and professional when it reaches the admissions team.
Premed resume mistakes you should avoid (at all costs)
To create a resume that stands out for all the right reasons it helps to avoid some common errors and slip-ups. Here are some points to keep in mind.
- Avoid going longer than two pages. I know you’ve accomplished so much, but unfortunately, anything you place on the second page or beyond may never get a pair of eyes on it.
- Don’t try to cram in as many words as possible. It’s not a remedy to the previous tip because it only overwhelms the reader. Remember to leave some white space in the margins to make it easier to read.
- Steer clear of outlandish or too-small fonts. Instead, stick to a standard, easy-to-read font that conveys professionalism.
- Don’t go out of order. A disorganized structure makes you look chaotic (not a good look for a future in the medical field). Double-check that your activities and experiences are presented clearly and logically.
- Avoid including forecasts of when you will stop participating in an activity, as plans can change.
- Stay away from exaggeration and play it safe by being honest about your accomplishments.
- Resist using graphic resumes, distracting visual elements, or bright colors. A clean, professional look is always best. Use bold or deep colors sparingly to draw attention to critical points without being too distracting.
- Don’t forget to proofread diligently! Before finalizing your premed resume, make sure to go over it thoroughly. It’s also a good idea to have at least one other person review it for any typos, grammatical errors, or issues with readability that may need improvement.
If your premed resume is not the only area where you want to avoid common mistakes, my online course Road to Acceptance leads you through the entire medical school application process. You will get step-by-step guidance from writing your personal statement to preparing for your interviews (and beyond), so that you can exchange the overwhelm and anxiety for feeling confident and prepared to get accepted!
Final notes for an Impressive Premed Resume
Your resume is your first opportunity to make a lasting impression on admissions committees and potential employers. So whether you’re just starting your premed journey or looking to update your existing resume, begin the process early.
- Start by compiling your academic achievements, clinical experiences, extracurricular activities, and relevant skills.
- Organize your most important information into the appropriate sections on your resume.
- Tailor your resume to highlight your strengths and unique qualities.
- Edit each entry for conciseness and proper formatting.
- And finally, seek feedback from mentors, advisors, or other professionals to ensure your resume stands out from the crowd.
Crafting an impressive premed resume takes a bit of time and effort, but with attention to detail and a clear focus on your strengths, you’ll be one step closer to making your dream of becoming a doctor a reality. Good luck!
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