Top tips for writing a medical CV for a GP role

Dr Cheska Ball shares her advice and resources for putting together a medical CV in today’s general practice landscape

A strong GP CV is essential for all qualified GPs looking to secure an opportunity in today’s increasingly diverse and competitive NHS workforce. While traditional salaried and partnership roles remain central to general practice, many GPs are now pursuing portfolio careers that combine clinical work with education, leadership, commissioning, digital health, quality improvement and strategic NHS roles.

As a result, modern general practice CVs must do more than simply list clinical experience, particularly given the continued GP underemployment crisis and subsequent increased job competitiveness. Whether applying for a surgery-based position, a PCN leadership role, an ICB opportunity, or a medical education post, your CV should demonstrate your wider contribution to healthcare delivery, patient care and system improvement. Prospective employers want to see that you prioritise patient-centred communication, team-working and a commitment to learning, as well as reviewing your clinical competence.

Structure your CV clearly

Presentation is critical. Recruiters, practice partners, and NHS managers often review large numbers of applications in one go, so your CV should be organised and easy to scan through quickly.

Most GP CVs are between two and four pages long, although portfolio GPs applying for senior leadership or educational positions may require more detail.

A typical structure includes:

• Personal details (name, mobile, location, email)
• GMC registration and indemnity number
• Professional profile
• Personal qualifications and education
• Employment history:
  • For each role include job title, employer or practice name, dates of employment, key responsibilities including clinical expertise, achievements and contributions 
• Courses attended and relevant professional development
• Leadership and management experience
• Teaching and education experience
• Quality improvement and audit completion
• Research and publication completion
• References on request

Start with a strong professional profile

Your opening profile is one of the most important sections of the CV. This should be a stand-out paragraph that is short and succinct. It should immediately communicate who you are professionally and what you bring to the role as it is the first paragraph that recruiters will read so make it count!

Example of a weak profile:

‘Dedicated GP with experience working in the NHS. I have worked in a variety of roles and enjoy working with different healthcare professionals. I am interested in developing my skills, supporting patients, and contributing to healthcare services. I work well as part of a team and am looking for opportunities to further my career.’

Why is this weak?

• Uses vague phrases such as ‘variety of roles’ and ‘different healthcare professionals’
• Focuses on what the doctor enjoys rather than what they have achieved
• Contains generic statements like ‘work well as part of a team’
• Fails to mention any specialist interests, leadership experience, educational work or measurable contributions
• Could apply to almost any healthcare professional at almost any career stage

Versus a strong profile:

‘Experienced NHS GP with a portfolio career spanning clinical general practice, undergraduate medical education and primary care leadership. Skilled in multidisciplinary collaboration, service development and quality improvement, with a strong interest in integrated care and workforce development.’

This kind of summary positions you as a well-rounded doctor capable of contributing beyond standard consultations. Avoid vague descriptions such as ‘hardworking’ or ‘motivated’. Instead, focus on concrete skills and experience relevant to the position.

You could include information about your specialist interests/skills, particularly if they may make you stand out, such as ‘with an interest in dermatology and skilled in dermoscopy and minor surgery’. It may also be relevant to highlight if you have worked in a socio-economically deprived area or with an older population, particularly if the job in question has a similar population.

Tailor your CV to the role

One of the biggest mistakes doctors make when applying for roles is submitting the same CV for every application. Different roles require different emphasis.

For traditional applications to GP practices, focus on:

• Continuity of care
• Chronic disease management
• Safeguarding
• Preventative medicine
• Urgent care experience
• Communication skills
• QOF achievement
• Quality improvement projects
• Healthcare inequalities
• Familiarity with NHS systems and digital tools such as: EMIS, SystmOne, Accurx, eConsult, Population health dashboards

For applications to leadership roles, focus on:

• Leading quality improvement projects
• Supervising multidisciplinary teams and supporting staff
• Developing clinical pathways
• Participating in governance meetings
• Coordinating patient care across services
• Managing complex clinical situations
• Population health management
• Service redesign and digital transformation
• Collaborative leadership

Modern NHS organisations increasingly value leadership skills in GPs. Even without a formal leadership title, many doctors already demonstrate leadership through everyday clinical practice.

For example: ‘Represented the practice at PCN meetings, contributing to discussions on service development, workforce planning and initiatives aimed at improving patient access and care coordination.’

Understanding the operational pressures facing primary care demonstrates that you can contribute strategically as well as clinically.

For applications to education and teaching roles, focus on:

• Teaching and supervision of GP registrars (including formal supervisory accreditation and training programme leadership)
• Examination involvement
• Appraisal involvement (including formal accreditation)
• Undergraduate medical student teaching
• Facilitating small group learning
• Delivering educational workshops
• Mentoring colleagues
• Developing teaching resources and curriculum
• Formal teaching qualifications
• Feedback and assessment experience

Medical education is now a major component of many GP careers. Teaching is recognised by the GMC as a core professional responsibility, while the continued expansion of GP training and multidisciplinary workforce development has increased the demand for clinicians who can support, supervise and educate the next generation of healthcare professionals. Educational experience demonstrates communication skills, leadership ability, and commitment to professional development, all of which are highly transferable across NHS roles.

Prioritise achievements rather than duties

A common weakness in medical CVs is simply listing responsibilities. Employers are far more interested in the impact you made. For example, instead of ‘participated in chronic disease clinics’, write: ‘Led chronic disease reviews contributing to improved patient engagement and enhanced QOF performance.’

Instead of ‘attended PCN meetings’, write: ‘Contributed to PCN service redesign discussions focused on improving access and multidisciplinary coordination’

This approach provides evidence of initiative, contribution, as well as measurable value.

Include quality improvement and governance work

Quality improvement and governance experience are increasingly important across clinical and non-clinical NHS roles.

You could include:

• Clinical audits
• QI projects
• Significant event analysis
• Prescribing improvement work
• Patient safety initiatives
• Service evaluation
• Pathway redesign

For leadership positions especially, governance experience can significantly strengthen your application.

Cover letters

Many UK GP applications also require a cover letter. They will highlight this in the application details. This should complement your CV rather than repeat it. A strong cover letter explains:

• Why you are interested in the role
• Why you are suited to the practice
• What unique strengths you bring

Research the role thoroughly and demonstrate genuine interest in it i.e. patient population, values, and working environment.

Final thoughts

The role of the GP has evolved considerably, and modern CVs should reflect that reality. Today’s employers are looking for doctors who can contribute clinically while also supporting leadership, education, service improvement, and integrated care delivery.

Whether applying for a traditional GP surgery role, a PCN leadership opportunity, a medical education post, or other role, your CV should present you as a skilled clinician with wider professional value to the NHS.

By tailoring your CV carefully and highlighting leadership, teaching and quality improvement alongside your clinical expertise, you can position yourself strongly for the growing range of opportunities available to UK GPs.

Dr Cheska Ball is a salaried GP, BMA GP Committee elected representative, RCGP council elected member and former chair of the BMA’s GP registrars committee