How to Write a Pharmacist CV (With Template and Example)

Writing a professional pharmacist CV is necessary while looking for a pharmacy career so hiring managers will take you seriously. As you start the process of preparing your CV, go to our pharmacist CV example for inspiration.

Potential employers can notice a candidate who has a strong curriculum vitae (CV). CVs are more frequently used by pharmacists than resumes to highlight their expertise and talents, and they frequently get lengthier with time. At different periods in your academic or professional career, you can utilize a CV to apply for internships, scholarships, and residencies. We go over how to format and write a pharmacist’s CV in this article and offer a template and an example to get you started.

What should a Pharmacist CV include?

Your academic history, including your degrees, research, honors, publications, presentations, teaching experience, and other accomplishments relating to your academic field of study, as well as information about your professional experience, should be included in an excellent pharmacist CV.

A CV need to have a header, a professional summary, a part on job experience, and one on education. Employers can more easily notice your credentials, successes, and experience when you use a standard structure, and you can even include extra parts designed for a particular audience.

Most pharmacist resumes adhere to a common format that includes:

• • Name and personal contact information

  • Professional summary

  • Education

  • Professional licenses and certificates

  • Honors and awards

  • Professional experience

  • Research and quality improvement experience

  • Publications

  • Teaching

  • Presentations

  • Professional service or board memberships

  • Honors and awards

  • Additional training and skills

How to write a Pharmacist CV?

Follow these guidelines to write a comprehensive CV that positions you as a top contender for a pharmacy job:

1. Formatting should be tidy, clear, and consistent.

Use a professional typeface that is simple to read, such as Arial or Times New Roman, and use bold and italics sparingly. Use either MM/YYYY (10/2020) or Month/Year when structuring dates (June 2020). Keep your CV’s dates, font type, and font size consistent.

2. Design a header.

One of the first things potential employers will see is a header, which includes your contact information. Use a typeface that is somewhat larger or bolder but is still readable to make it stand out. Make sure your contact information is accurate and up to date so potential employers can reach you.

3. Compose a formal summary

Although it might not be necessary for a pharmacist’s CV, you should think about including a brief professional statement to introduce yourself to a hiring manager. Mention your strongest qualifications for the position, your top skills and abilities, and other commendable traits and qualities. When necessary, you can modify the professional statement and add keywords to it for particular positions, job applications, or professional growth possibilities.

4. List data in backwards chronological sequence.

The most current items should be listed first in each part of your resume. Take your current job as an example and work your way back to the earliest one. Verify again to make sure the document is consistent

5. Don’t use too many bullet points.

A reader can peruse your qualifications and experience more quickly and appropriately by using an average of three to four bullet points per CV section. Be sure to highlight new content for each job that might have parallels, put the most crucial insights first, and be as succinct as you can while still offering details.

6. Demonstrate your in-depth comprehension

Showcase in your CV how well you are aware of all the duties of a pharmacist, including dispensing prescription drugs prescribed by medical professionals, responding to patient inquiries about medications, warning medical staff about common interactions and side effects, keeping records, and checking prescriptions to ensure a proper inventory.

7. Highlight notable achievements

Rather than simply outlining the usual duties of a pharmacist’s position, include examples. For instance, “Labeled and dispensed prescribed prescriptions” is considerably weaker than “Created and deployed virtual online pharmacist chat feature on corporate website.” This statement demonstrates to an employer what is expected of them beyond managing routine chores and job responsibilities.

8. Use evocative language

Show rather than explain how a pharmacist does their job duties. Examples include “Personally introduced a new prescription to the patient to ensure their awareness and answer questions” and “Flagged conflicting medications or problematic dosages for daily follow-up with healthcare provider before issuing to patients.” These statements actively give details while going above and beyond the fundamental task of dispensing medicine. Show potential employers that you are at ease working in a variety of environments, that you are knowledgeable about a variety of health issues, and that you have experience dealing with a variety of people.

9. Highlight crucial soft talents

It is equally crucial for a pharmacist’s CV to demonstrate their interpersonal communication abilities, as well as their capacity to communicate and listen to patients, doctors, and other staff members. Display your accuracy, organization, and attention to detail while while being amiable and sympathetic.

10. Adjust your resume to the particular role.

Depending on the role, modify your CV to emphasize the details your potential employer is most interested in. Organize the bullets in each section based on your abilities and what you think the employer will find most significant, and use descriptive titles. This could entail, for instance, emphasizing schooling and professional experience on one CV while speaking engagements and research on another.

11. Revision

Check your resume carefully for grammatical, typographical, or factual errors. Think about getting a friend or coworker to review it for you. You may be able to see mistakes that a machine spellchecker might miss when you proofread a hard copy.

12. Regularly review your resume.

Your resume is simpler to update if you have a recent memory of your successes. Add to your CV after completing noteworthy projects or milestones, or do this on a monthly or seasonal basis, especially for applicants on rotations. Keep files for future use and save each updated revision with the matching date. Maintaining a current CV also makes it simpler to submit online applications or create a resume-style summary of your job, allowing you to streamline your CV as opposed to starting from scratch.

Pharmacist CV template

Here is a template of a pharmacist’s CV you can use to help you write yours:

[First and last name]
[Phone number]
[Email address]

Professional Summary [A few sentences mentioning top skills and qualifications for the position]

Education
[High school, college or university name], [City, State]
[Dates attended]

Certifications [Date received], [Certification title]

Licensures
[Date received], [License title]

Professional Experience
[Position title] | [Company or organization name] | [City, State]
[Month and year-month and year]

• [Bulleted list of job accomplishments and responsibilities]

[Position title] | [Company or organization name] | [City, State]
[Month and year-month and year]

• [Bulleted list of job accomplishments and responsibilities]

Download CV Template

Pharmacist CV Example

Use this example below as a guide to writing your own:

CV OBJECTIVE

Responsible Clinical Pharmacist with 8+ years of experience in both hospital, community, and clinic settings. Received PharmD degree from the University of Michigan. Experienced with supporting physicians, counseling patients, completing clinical reviews as well as providing scientifically bound and accurate information on side effects, dosages, and prescription and non-prescription medicines.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

BEAUMONT HOSPITAL, Wayne, MI

Clinical Pharmacist, December 2018–present

• Advise 40+ patients a day on drug therapies and medication side effects, dosage amounts, and precautions
• Collaborate with 5 physicians, 2 researchers, and 10+ healthcare staff members to improve current medical protocols regarding patient care and medical label packaging
• Research medical information and provide evidence-based advice on best ways to operate immunization and vaccine clinics during COVID-19, leading to an 80% increase in visitors

PHARMWELLS PHARMACY, Rochester Hills, MI

Clinical Pharmacy Assistant, May 2016–November 2018

• Created 75+ adverse event and product quality complaint reports per week, requiring accurate data entry from generating case queries, logging narratives, and sending reports to clients within the required timeframes
• Prioritized responses for product launches, recalls, labeling updates, and supply disruptions by communicating with 6 colleagues in person and through emails

PHARMA CARE PHARMACY, Rochester Hills, MI

Pharmacy Assistant, May 2013–March 2016

• Received and documented 50–200 written and phone inquiries per week from patients and their families and health care providers about patients’ products
• Conducted medication counseling and advice on drug safety precautions as well as health and well-being to 350+ patients per month
• Reviewed 30+ documents per day including project contracts, SOPS, and other internal paperwork and introduced a new filing procedure in May 2021 that increased productivity by 47%

EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (2017–2021)

Doctor of Pharmacy

GPA: 3.9/4.0

Relevant Coursework: Pharmacogenetics, Metabolism and Cell Biology, Hospital Pharmacy Practice, Advanced Geriatrics APPE, Acute Care Clinical APPE

Dissertation Topic: Holistic Themes and Patterns for Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Analysis and Dosage Formulations

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY (2013–2017)

Bachelor of Pharmacy

GPA: 3.8/4.0

SCHOLARSHIPS AND HONORS

• Invited Scholar and Presenter for “Bacterial Meningitis Prevention in Children”, University of Carolina (2019)
• Honorary Researcher of Pharmaceutics Award, University of Michigan (2019)
• Emerging Pharmacists of Today Award, Michigan State University (2014)
• Ferris Willen Pharmacy Scholarship Recipient, Michigan State University (2013)

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

• “Global Mapping of Human Resilience to Viral-Borne Disease,” American Pharmacists Association (2021)
• “Pharmacy Without Bounds: An Innovative Approach to Traditional Medicine,” Certified Pharmacists Association (2018)
• “Clinical Examination of Diabetes Mellitus,” American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (2018)

KEY SKILLS

• Fluent in English, Punjabi, and Hindi
• Product assurance and inventory control
• Pharmaceutical research
• Patient care consulting
• Advanced degree of drug and medial knowledge
• Strong customer service and interpersonal skills
• Database management