Veterinary Surgeon CV Example (2024 Guide)

Sobhan Mohmand, Career Expert          1 Jan 2024

As a veterinary surgeon, you will be responsible for diagnosing and treating the injuries or illnesses of animals.

There are limited vacancies for this role and competition is high, so it is essential that you have a strong veterinary surgeon CV that will increase your chances of being invited for a job interview.

This guide has been created to help you achieve this goal – let’s get started!

• Veterinary surgeon CV example
• How to structure and format your CV
• How to write a perfect CV (a step-by-step guide)
• Personal profile statement example
• Duties to add to your CV
• Useful skills to add to your CV
• Tips on making your CV more effective

CV example

Preview

What makes this CV effective?

• The information is presented in a structured and well-organised manner, making it easier for employers to find key information.
• The length of the CV does not exceed 2 A4 pages.
• The candidate has done a great job in showcasing their relevant skills, achievements and experiences that are relevant to the job. They have carefully studied the job specifications and have produced a tailored document that will impress employers.

How to structure and format your CV

• Readability: Use subheadings, bullet points, short sentences, appropriate spacing, and plenty of white space to make your CV easier to scan and read.
• Length: The maximum length of a standard CV should be 2 A4 pages. This is because employers receive tens or hundreds of CVs for each job opening and they spend around 30 seconds glancing through each CV. Any CV that is long-winded or contains too much information will most likely be rejected.
• Avoid using images, logos, fancy colours and designs.
• Use a professional font to write your CV. A veterinary surgeon job is a senior-level position so your CV should reflect this by adopting a conventional and high-legibility font such as Times New Romans, Arial, Verdana or Helvetica.

How to write a veterinary surgeon CV (step-by-step guide)

Personal details

At the top of your CV, write down your personal details such as your full name, address or location, telephone number and email address.

You can also include your LinkedIn profile if you have one.

• Julia Sanders
• 34 Avenue Road, Shropshire, S34 0DJ
• Mob: 07983367297       Email: [email protected]

Personal profile

A personal profile, also known as a CV summary, is the opening statement of your CV. It is a short introduction (around 3-5 lines) that outlines your personal characteristics, abilities, experience and future career ambitions.

An effective profile should demonstrate your skills and achievements with real-life examples, rather than vague statements. As they say, talk is cheap!

Veterinary surgeon CV personal profile statement:

I am a skilled and experienced veterinary surgeon with a degree in Veterinary Medicine and more than five years of experience in the industry. I am passionate about caring for animals and giving them the best medical treatment that is available. My expertise include using diagnostic equipment, performing surgeries and giving advice to pet owners. I have excellent interpersonal skills, demonstrated in my current role as a Vet at Pets Clinic Ltd. where I have worked with many veterinary nurses, technicians and clients.

Click here for more personal profile examples.

Achievements

You can “spice up” your CV by listing your key achievements in this section.

Employers are more interested in your achievements than your duties so keep the details about your day-to-day responsibilities concise and concentrate more on the positive results of your actions.

What are examples of achievements?

• Awards received
• Promotions at work
• Identified and solved a major problem
• Good grades and results
• Saved money for the company
• Excellent customer feedback

• 1st class degree in Veterinary Medicine
• Effectively managed a team of ten veterinary staff
• Received excellent feedback from clients

Employment and work experience

The employment section is arguably the most important part of your CV. It should tell the potential employer in a quick glance…

• What work you have done,
• Where you’ve done it, and;
• When you have done it.

Each job entry should consist of the following information:

• The name of the company you have worked in
• The dates (from-to)
• Your job title
• Your primary responsibilities (and achievements, if applicable)

March 2020 – Present

Veterinary surgeon         Pets Clinic Ltd., London

Main duties and responsibilities performed:

• Performed general health checks on small animals including cats, dogs and rabbits.
• Diagnosed and treated animal illnesses according to their medicinal condition.
• Prepared animals for surgeries
• Conducted surgeries (including emergency mass removals)
• Treated and dressed wounds
• Vaccinated animals against various diseases
• Prescribed medication according to the medical condition
• Created treatment plans
• Educated pet owners on animal care and welfare

Vet duties to add to your CV

• Perform physical examinations on small animals such as cats, dogs and rabbits.
• Dress and treat minor wounds and injuries.
• Carry out blood analyses to diagnose illnesses.
• Use medical diagnostics tools (e.g. X-ray, CT and MRI machines).
• Spay and neuter animals.
• Perform operations.
• Prescribe medication.
• Advise animal owners on how to take care of their pets.
• Supervise veterinary nurses and assistants.
• Maintain and update client records.

Education and training

Mention your important education, training and qualifications in this section.

Each education entry should consist the following information:

• Date of the course or qualification
• Institution name
• Course/qualification name
• Results and/or relevant modules studied

Example:

2013 – 2018

Veterinary Medicine (BVetMed)

University of London

Grade achieved: First class honours.

Relevant Modules:

• Introduction to the whole animal and to systems strands
• Population medicine and veterinary public health
• Cardiovascular and respiratory
• Neurology and special senses
• Reproduction
• Intramural clinical rotations

2011 – 2013 Results: Biology (A), Physics (A) and Maths (B).

A-Levels

Sutton Community College

Find out how to present your degree on your CV.

Qualifications

The qualifications section of your CV should contain a list of additional qualifications that you have have gained on top of the education that you have listed in the previous section. Mostly, these are professional training qualifications.

Example:

• Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistants
• City & Guilds Level 1 Diploma in Work-based Animal Care

Skills

Next, highlight your key skills, strengths and abilities in the skills section.

Many roles require a specific skillset which is required to do the job well. Employers highly value applicants that possess these skills or are willing to learn them.

Example:

• Outstanding problem-solving and analytical skills, demonstrated in my ability to rapidly diagnose illnesses based on symptoms and tests.
• Excellent animal care and welfare skills
• Ability to work with animals in stressful situations
• IT skills: Microsoft Office, medical databases and specialist diagnostic systems

Useful skills to add to your vet CV

• Interpersonal skills – the ability to work communicate and interact with clients
• Analytical skills – using analytics data to diagnose conditions
• Compassion – showing care and concern for animals and their owners
• Performing operations – carrying out various surgical procedures
• Providing advice to pet owners about animal welfare
• The ability to follow safety procedures
• Problem-solving – animals are unable to verbally communicate their needs so vets need to have excellent problem-solving skills to diagnose problems.

Hobbies and interests (optional)

Your hobbies are not as important as your education or work experience. However, mentioning your hobbies and interests on your CV can have several benefits:

• They demonstrate your skills and interests relevant to the job
• They make your CV more individual and personal
• They give a more complete picture of you to the employer

Example:

In my free time, I enjoy reading books, taking my two dogs for walks, getting regular exercise and watching nature and animal documentaries on TV.

Note: only include interests that are relevant and add value to your CV.

References

The last part of your CV is the references section.

Here you are required to provide details of two people (known as referees) who know you well, have worked with you before and who can vouch for you to the employer. They will provide a character assessment based on what they know about you from past interactions. Your references can give an independent overview of your skills, abilities, punctuality, character and general conduct to the employer.

Example:

Mr Oliver Mason
Veterinary Manager, Pets Clinic Ltd.
Address: 3 Yarmouth Rd, York, Y2 8CD
Tel: 07663572537
Email: [email protected]

Mrs Kia Parker
Director, Local Pets Services
Address: 3 Southampton St., Pack, PD9 3JQ
Tel: 07876339402
Email: [email protected]


If you do not wish to disclose your references on your CV, simply write, “References available upon request.” and give the references to the employer at a later stage in the recruitment process when requested.

Tips to make your CV more effective

• Show your passion: Many veterinary surgeons love their jobs and love working with animals. Don’t be afraid to mention on your CV that you have a passion for working with animals and their owners. You can do this either in the personal profile at the top of your CV or, preferably, in the hobbies and interests section.
• Write an effective personal profile: Your personal profile is very important so spend some extra time perfecting it. Use the examples above to help you create a personal profile that is effective and will encourage the employer to invite you for a job interview.
• Showcase your skills and abilities: Your veterinarian CV should contain examples of a variety of skills and abilities that you possess and which are relevant to the role. For example, vets are expected to have excellent interpersonal skills in order to work with other veterinary staff, clients and third-party healthcare professionals. You can demonstrate that you have excellent interpersonal skills by giving real-life examples of how you successfully worked or interacted with other people in the past.

---