Medical student academic CV: a practical guide

At the introductory meeting of the academic league, the coordinator asks each first-year student to send in their academic CV. Half the room looks at each other. Some have never put one together, others have an old file from high school, made for an olympiad, that they have never opened again. Two years later, when the first selection for a research project comes up, the same class rushes to remember course dates, event names and poster titles. Much of the information is already lost.

In almost every country, medical students need an academic CV at some point: to join a research project, a teaching assistantship, an exchange program, a residency selection that evaluates the CV or a graduate program. The format changes from place to place. It can be an academic CV in free text, an ORCID profile, a national platform such as Lattes, used in Brazil, or a European model such as Europass. This guide explains what these formats have in common, what is worth recording from the first year, how to describe each activity clearly, why honesty on a CV is taken so seriously, how ORCID fits into this story and how to keep everything up to date without it becoming a heavy task.

Key points

• The academic CV brings together education, activities and output, and appears in different formats depending on the country, such as academic CV, ORCID, Lattes and Europass.
• Starting early avoids losing dates, proof and details that nobody remembers later.
• It is worth recording leagues, teaching assistantships, projects, events, courses and presented work, always with a precise description.
• Studies of residency and fellowship selections show that publications listed incorrectly are a frequent and verified problem.
• ORCID is a unique researcher identifier that helps link your name to your publications.
• A short updating routine, monthly or every semester, keeps the CV accurate and useful.

Contents

• What an academic CV is
• Why start during undergraduate studies
• What to record on the CV
• How to describe each activity
• Honesty and authorship
• ORCID and other identifiers
• How to keep the CV up to date
• How NEXO fits into your academic routine
• Frequently asked questions
• Academic CV checklist for medical students

What an academic CV is

The academic CV is the organized record of your trajectory: education, activities, projects, output and awards. An article from Nepal on how to build the CV during medical school describes it as the standard means of communicating achievements in academia, a brief and easy-to-read summary of personal and professional life, and recalls that the quality of the CV matters more than the quantity. This idea applies to any format.

In practice, almost every academic CV is divided into similar sections: general data, education, positions, projects, publications, presentations, events, awards and other information. When the CV is public, as in an online profile, anyone can look it up by name. That is why a selection committee, a supervisor or a league coordinator can see in a few minutes what you have done.

Formats around the world

The content is similar everywhere, but the form changes. Knowing the most common formats helps you build a record that works for several of them.

• Academic CV in free text: the most widespread format, requested in residency and graduate program selections in many countries. A guide for students in the United States describes it as the record of academic and professional experiences, with an important role in residency applications.
• ORCID: an international and permanent researcher identifier that links your name to your publications in any country.
• National platforms: some countries keep official CV databases. One example is Lattes, maintained by CNPq in Brazil, which an introductory article describes as a system for organizing the CV in a standardized way, prepared with accurate and truthful content, good presentation and good writing.
• Regional models: in the European Union, Europass offers a common CV template, and a study on data standards for health professionals analyzed its schema alongside two others, concluding that none covered more than half of the information requested by regulatory agencies.

The practical lesson is to keep your records in a format of your own, complete and dated, and only then copy them into whatever model each selection requires. That way, changing country or format does not force you to start from scratch.

A CV that tells a story

Researchers who studied the CVs of social scientists in health in Brazil, using the Lattes platform, described the document as a form of autobiographical practice: besides education, activities, projects and output, it includes a summary written by the author. For the student, this idea is useful. The CV is not just a list of items; it is the narrative of your training told through the records you choose to keep and the way you describe them.

Who reads your CV

During undergraduate study, the most common readers are research supervisors, coordinators of student leagues and teaching assistantships, exchange committees and selection panels. Later on, residency committees that score the CV and master's and doctoral programs come in. Each looks for different things, but all value the same quality: clear, dated and verifiable information.

Why start during undergraduate study

The simplest reason is memory. In the first year, remembering the name of a basic life support course or the date of an academic event seems easy. In the fifth year, with dozens of activities accumulated, that no longer happens. Those who record it right away also keep the certificate, the supervisor's name and the workload, which are exactly the details requested in calls for applications.

The second reason is that the CV guides choices. Seeing everything you have done in one place helps you notice gaps and excesses. Maybe you have five short courses on different topics and no continuous project. Maybe you have attended many events as a listener and never presented a paper. These observations help you plan the next semester with more intention.

The CV as a planning tool

A useful way to use the CV is to open the most recent version once a semester and read it as if it belonged to someone else. What interests appear? Is there continuity between the activities, or does each one point in a different direction? Is there an area you like a lot that does not appear in any record? This distant reading usually shows what is missing. A student who enjoys clinical medicine but only has activities in surgery can look for a league or teaching assistantship in the area. Another, with many participations as a listener, can decide it is time to submit the first abstract. The CV stops being just a record of the past and starts to guide the next steps.

What drives students

In a cross-sectional study with medical students in Brazil, 82.4% reported taking part in extracurricular activities, and improving the CV appeared among the main motivations. In the United Kingdom, a survey on student participation in research and audit found that improving the CV was cited by 51% of students as a motivation, and 38% reported having been involved in this type of activity. Wanting a good CV is legitimate. The risk lies in accumulating activities only for the record, without making the most of what each one teaches.

Quantity is not everything

A scoping review on residency selection in the United States showed that the selection system adds publications, presentations and abstracts into a single number, without distinguishing peer-reviewed publications from other types of output, and that the number of publications of accepted applicants has been growing. In other countries, the rules vary between programs, but the lesson is similar: an attentive reader distinguishes a published article from a conference abstract. A well-organized CV makes that difference clear instead of hiding it.

What to record in the CV

Many students think only published articles are worth recording. That is not true. A medical student's training is made up of many smaller activities, and most formats have room for almost all of them. The care is in choosing the right section and filling in the fields faithfully.

• Education: the undergraduate course in progress, with institution and start year, and relevant short courses.
• Experience: teaching assistantships, extracurricular internships, student leagues and student representation, with period and workload.
• Projects: undergraduate research, outreach and research projects, with the coordinator's name and funding, if any.
• Bibliographic output: articles, abstracts published in proceedings and chapters, always with the full reference.
• Technical output and presentations: posters and oral presentations at conferences, educational materials, event organization.
• Events: participation as an attendee or presenter at conferences, meetings and symposia.
• Awards and honors: honorable mentions, best papers and academic prizes.

Academic leagues and teaching assistantships

Academic leagues and teaching assistantships are usually a student's first activities. Record the name of the league or the course, the institution, the period and your role. If you were a director, treasurer or coordinator of a league project, say so. The role helps the reader understand what you actually did.

Undergraduate research

Undergraduate research deserves special attention, because it is usually the activity most valued in academic selections. Record the project title, the advisor, the period and the funding source, if any. When the project produces an abstract, poster or article, each output goes in its own section. The guide on undergraduate research in Medicine explains how to find an advisor and make the most of the project.

Conferences and presentations

Attending as a listener and presenting a paper are different records. A presentation shows output; attendance shows interest and keeping up to date. Record both, but do not mix them. For those presenting for the first time, the text on how to present a paper at a medical conference helps you prepare the poster and the talk.

Summary and keywords

Many formats start with a free-text summary, the part most people read. In a few sentences, write who you are, what stage of the course you are at and what your main interests are. Avoid adjectives and lists of qualities. Update this text whenever your stage or focus changes.

If an activity does not fit well in any section, use the other information section, always with an objective description. A simple record in the right place is better than an inflated record in a section that does not match what was done.

How to describe each activity

The difference between a confusing CV and a clear one lies in the details. Exact dates, a described role, workload and institutional affiliation let any reader understand and check what was done. The table below shows common examples of incomplete records and how to make them precise.

Activity	Vague record	Precise record
Academic league	Member of the cardiology league	Full member of the college cardiology league, from March to December, with weekly classes and monthly observational shifts
Teaching assistantship	Anatomy teaching assistant	Volunteer teaching assistant for the anatomy course for two semesters, with weekly workload and supervision by the responsible professor
Research project	Research in cardiology	Scholarship holder or volunteer on the project with full title, under a named advisor, with period and funding agency
Conference	I presented a paper at the conference	Poster presentation with title, authors in the correct order, event name, city and year
Article	Article on hypertension	Full reference with all authors, title, journal, year, volume, pages and DOI
Course	Life support course	Official course name, organizing institution, workload and completion date

Status of each output

A delicate point is the status of articles. Submitted, accepted and published are different situations, and the CV must reflect exactly what stage each paper is at. Listing a merely submitted article as published is a form of misrepresentation, even without bad intent. When the article is published, update the reference with volume, pages and DOI.

Author order

Copy the author order exactly as it appears in the paper. Changing the order to appear in a better position, or omitting co-authors, undermines trust in the entire CV. If you are unsure how to cite, use the reference from the journal itself or from the proceedings.

Honesty and authorship

Honesty on a CV is not a bureaucratic detail. Residency and fellowship selection committees, especially in the United States, have studied the topic for decades, checking one by one the publications listed by candidates. The results show that errors and exaggerations are frequent enough that many programs have started verifying the data.

What the studies found

Among applicants for gastroenterology fellowships in the United States, among those who listed articles, 30.2% (16 of 53) had at least one misrepresented article. In radiology, the study concluded that 11% of applicants probably misrepresented publications. In urology, 3.5% of the listed articles were misrepresented, involving 9 applicants (7%). An update in orthopedics revisited earlier studies that had found misrepresentation rates of 18.0% and 20.6% among applicants.

The most recent numbers show that the problem continues. In plastic surgery, an analysis of applications found 9.1% (31 of 339) of applicants with phantom publications, and the average number of declared publications was higher than the verified number. In applications for research fellowships in orthopedics, 17.2% (15 of 87) of applicants had authorship inaccuracies, and the authors recommended using ORCID to make verification easier.

Programs that check

A survey of orthopedics residency program directors investigated whether and how programs verify the research section of applications. The concern exists precisely because verification takes work and is not always done. For the student, the practical conclusion is simple: write your CV as if every line will be checked, because it may be.

Gray areas of authorship

Not every inaccuracy is deliberate fraud. Medical education researchers interviewed about authorship decisions described several ethical gray areas, influenced by hierarchy, resource dependence, institutional culture and gender. This includes honorary authorship and disputes over author order. The student, who is usually at the bottom of the hierarchy, benefits from talking early with the advisor about who will be an author and in what position.

• Do not list submitted work as published.
• Do not change the author order or omit coauthors.
• Do not list the same output in two sections to make it look bigger.
• Do not include events you did not attend or courses you did not complete.
• Keep proof of everything you list.

ORCID and other identifiers

ORCID is a free, permanent identifier for researchers, made up of a sequence of numbers that follows a person throughout their career. It solves an old problem: identical names, names that change with marriage and different spellings of the same surname. With ORCID, each publication can be linked to the right author, without ambiguity.

Why create one early

Many journals ask for ORCID at submission. Creating yours before your first article avoids a rush and ensures that all publications are linked to the same record from the start. The study on authorship inaccuracies in orthopedics applications advocated ORCID precisely because it makes it easier to check the publications declared by applicants.

Linking ORCID to other formats

National platforms, such as Lattes in Brazil, and many selection forms allow you to provide your ORCID, which helps readers cross-check the information. It is also worth standardizing your name in bibliographic citations and using it consistently in submissions. When an article has a DOI, include the DOI in the record, because it leads directly to the text and confirms the publication.

Other academic profiles

Besides the CV and ORCID, some students keep profiles on citation databases or academic networks. They can be useful, but they also multiply the work of updating. For most undergraduate students, keeping an up-to-date CV and a correct ORCID, consistent with each other, is enough. What matters is that the information is the same everywhere: same name, same dates, same author order. Divergences between profiles draw the attention of those who check and raise doubts that a well-kept CV avoids.

How to keep your CV up to date

The greatest enemy of a CV is neglect. Many online profiles show the date of the last update, and a record that has sat unchanged for years gives the impression of carelessness, even when the person has done a lot. The solution is not to set aside a whole weekend once a year, but to create a short routine.

1. Create a digital folder for certificates, with a subfolder for each year.
2. When you finish each activity, save the certificate to the folder the same day.
3. Once a month, open your CV and note down what went into the folder.
4. At the end of each semester, review the summary in free text.
5. When an article changes status, update the reference.
6. Before each call for applications, check that every requested item is recorded and documented.

A parallel spreadsheet helps

Some students keep a simple spreadsheet with the date, activity, role, hours and where the certificate is stored. It serves as a single source for all formats and makes it easier to put together the CV each process asks for, whether a free-form CV, a national platform or the program's own form. The spreadsheet also helps you see at a glance how time was divided between teaching, research and community outreach.

Balance with studying

No extracurricular activity replaces a good clinical foundation. A cohort study of students in the Netherlands found that 27.7% of required research projects ended up being published, which shows that not every project becomes an article, and that is fine. What counts is learning to do research properly. If your schedule is tight, the text on how to study during the internship with little time helps you prioritize.

When to ask for help

If you do not know which module to record an activity in, ask your advisor or a more advanced colleague who has already been through a call for applications. University libraries also usually advise on references, DOI and ORCID. Asking for help early prevents wrong entries that later have to be corrected one by one, and it shows the same attitude expected in the clinic: recognize what you do not know and look for someone who does.

How NEXO fits into your academic routine

The CV records what you do outside the classroom, but the foundation behind all these activities is clinical reasoning. In NEXO, the case of the day is presented in up to six clues, and with each guess the ICD-10 proximity across five levels shows how far your hypothesis was from the diagnosis. The cases are fictional with a real clinical presentation, and a round fits into a few minutes between one activity and another.

Student organizations can use the case of the day as a warm-up before classes, and peer tutors can discuss the sequence of clues with colleagues. The guide what NEXO is explains the round, and the limits of use are on the NEXO economy page.

For those who coordinate internships, student organizations or residency programs and want to use cases in groups, there is NEXO Closer. Researchers in medical education can propose studies through NEXO Researcher, physicians who review cases take part through NEXO Curator, and those who create health content on social media can take part through NEXO Creators.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an academic CV in the first year of medical school?

Having a CV from early on is advisable. Creating the record in the first year lets you note each activity right away, with dates and certificates, and prevents information from being lost over the course.

Which CV format should I use?

Whichever each selection requires. Keep your own complete record, create your ORCID and use your country's national platform when one exists. From that record, you can put together the free-form CV, the European model or the program form in a short time.

Does the CV count toward residency points?

It depends on the country and the program. Some selection processes include a CV review, and each call for applications defines what earns points and which certificates it accepts. Read the rules carefully and organize the documents in advance.

Can I record activities from a student organization?

Yes. Student organizations, peer tutoring, community outreach projects and student representation can be recorded, with period, role and hours. Describe what you actually did, without overstating your role.

Is an abstract in conference proceedings the same as an article?

They are different records. An abstract published in conference proceedings is not an article in a peer-reviewed journal. Record each one in the right place and with the full reference.

What is ORCID and do I need it?

ORCID is a free and permanent researcher identifier. It links publications to the right author, is requested by many journals and makes verifying your CV easier. It is worth creating before your first article.

How often should I update my CV?

A short monthly update works well for most students, with a larger review every semester and before each selection process.

Academic CV checklist for medical students

• Create your record and fill in general data and education.
• Create your ORCID and list it in the formats you use.
• Record student organizations, teaching assistantships and projects with period, role and hours.
• Separate attendance at events from paper presentations.
• Copy references and author order exactly as published.
• State the real status of each article and update it when it changes.
• Keep proof documents in a folder organized by year.
• Review the free-text summary every semester.

Want to keep your reasoning sharp while your CV grows? Play the case of the day on NEXO.

References

1. Gc S, Shrestha R. Building Curriculum Vitae as a Medical Student. JNMA J Nepal Med Assoc. 2023. PubMed 37203978
2. Davis K, Boysen-Osborn M, Wray A, Stokes L. A Guide to the Medical School Curriculum Vitae. J Educ Teach Emerg Med. 2024. PubMed 38344052
3. Amorin CV. [Curriculum vitae organization: the Lattes software platform]. Pesqui Odontol Bras. 2003. PubMed 12937741
4. Opalek A. Data element mapping to analyze fit for use of three XML standards for health workforce tracking. Hum Resour Health. 2021. PubMed 34090460
5. do Nascimento JL, Nunes ED. [Almost an autobiography: a study of social scientists in health based on the Lattes Curriculum]. Cien Saude Colet. 2014. PubMed 24820590
6. Oliveira NM, Viana DA, Santos JR, Quintanilha LF, de Jesus RF, Avena KM, et al. Engagement in Extracurricular Activities During Medical School: A Cross-Sectional Study on Student Motivations and Challenges. J Med Educ Curric Dev. 2024. PubMed 39600962
7. Nikkar-Esfahani A, Jamjoom AA, Fitzgerald JE. Extracurricular participation in research and audit by medical students: opportunities, obstacles, motivation and outcomes. Med Teach. 2012. PubMed 22471919
8. Hahamyan HA, Vasireddi N, Burns B, Bousquet SA, Gould HP. Increasing Trends in Matriculant Publications in the Residency Match: A Scoping Review. Cureus. 2024. PubMed 39606496
9. Sekas G, Hutson WR. Misrepresentation of academic accomplishments by applicants for gastroenterology fellowships. Ann Intern Med. 1995. PubMed 7762913
10. Baker DR, Jackson VP. Misrepresentation of publications by radiology residency applicants. Acad Radiol. 2000. PubMed 10987335
11. Hsi RS, Hotaling JM, Moore TN, Joyner BD. Publication misrepresentation among urology residency applicants. World J Urol. 2013. PubMed 22729465
12. Meeks BD, Kiskaddon EM, Burton MG, Froehle AW, Crosby LA, Laughlin RT. Update on Misrepresentation of Research Publications Among Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Applicants. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2018. PubMed 30234629
13. Fanning JE, Lee D, Schuster K, Park JB, Escobar-Domingo MJ, Bommineni V, et al. Ghost Publications and Research Misrepresentation in the 2023-2024 Plastic Surgery Common Application. Ann Plast Surg. 2025. PubMed 40167093
14. Fernandez-Perez A, Stern JM, Cruz-Ossa N, Hernandez VH, D'Apuzzo MR, McNamara CA. Inaccuracies in Orthopaedic Research Fellowship Applications: A Study on Authorship Misrepresentations. JB JS Open Access. 2025. PubMed 40927593
15. Vutukuri R, White RC, Saraf SM, Mulcahey MK. Research Verification in the Application Review Process for Orthopaedic Surgery Residency. Cureus. 2025. PubMed 40308424
16. Maggio LA, Artino AR, Watling CJ, Driessen EW, O'Brien BC. Exploring researchers' perspectives on authorship decision making. Med Educ. 2019. PubMed 31475382
17. den Bakker CR, Ommering BW, van Leeuwen TN, Dekker FW, De Beaufort AJ. Assessing publication rates from medical students' mandatory research projects in the Netherlands: a follow-up study of 10 cohorts of medical students. BMJ Open. 2022. PubMed 35379628