Writing the Curriculum Vitae and Personal Statement

Two of the most important components of the medical student’s application for the National Resident Matching Program are the curriculum vitae (CV) and personal statement (PS). The aim of the CV is to give an itemized account of the applicant’s accomplishments since the beginning of their undergraduate studies, with the main emphasis on their activities and performance in medical school. The PS, on the other hand, is the applicant’s chance to give program directors (PDs) a sense of who they are. The purpose of the PS is to complement but not rehash the CV. It is an opportunity to convey what makes them fit for a residency in emergency medicine (EM). A well-written statement should guide the reader through the heartbreaks, triumphs, and inspirations that drive the applicant. Applicants should remember that the CV and PS are the first impression they brand. Both the CV and PS should be brief; easy to read; professional; honest; consistent; and free of clichés, spelling mistakes, and grammatical errors.