1. Association Of Women Surgeons VA Chapter
Making it Look Good on Paper
Marybeth S. Hughes, M.D.
Senior Investigator
Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH

2. Making It Look Good on Paper
Cover Letters
Curriculum vitae (CVs)
Format
Content
Advice
Grants

3. Cover Letters: Definition
A cover letter is a personal introduction.
It can also be a marketing device.
Target audience can vary
Employer
Tenure Committee
Grant applications

4. Cover Letters Necessary Think of the reader
Often impacts on position, promotion, tenure or grant approval
Opportunity to communicate

5. Cover Letters
Form
One page
Three paragraphs
Introduction
Body
Closing

6. Cover Letters Pay attention to basic details
Spell all names, titles and addresses correctly
Contact Information
Avoid grammatical and spelling errors
Paper

7. Cover Letters Avoid Generalities Example:
“ I would like to express my interest in the position that is currently available at your practice”
Briefly Address Any Time Gaps in Training or Practice
Highlight Special Expertise
Involve new techniques or technology

8. Cover Letters Brevity Passion Personalization
Indicate some knowledge of position
Area
Avoid “To Whom It May Concern”

9. Remember poorly written letters give a negative first impression

10. Curriculum Vitae
Format
Clear
Concise
Correct
Well Organized

11. Curriculum Vitae Use simple font Emphasize headings
Bold or Underline
Do not use too many bullets, dashes
Number publications (if many)
Highlight authorship

12. Curriculum Vitae: Content
Name and Title
Address
Contact
Professional
Home
telephone
fax

13. Example Marybeth Scavone Hughes, M.D.
Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute
National Institutes of Health
10 Center Drive, Bldg 10, Room 3W-3940, MSC 1201
Bethesda, MD,
Office (301) ; Pager (800) NIH-BEEP-11863; Fax (301)
Home address: 9851 Marcliff Court Vienna, VA 22181
Home (703)

14. Curriculum Vitae: Content
Personal Data (Optional)
D.O.B.
Marital Status
Children
Birth place or Citizenship
Cellular phone number

15. Curriculum Vitae: Content
Professional Appointments
Post Graduate Medical Education
Higher Education
Include location and dates
Certifications and Licensure
Board certification, BLS, ACLS, ATLS, State licenses, NBME

16. Curriculum Vitae: Content
Committee Appointments
IRB, Credentialing Committee, Review Boards
Honors/ Awards
Alpha Omega Alpha, Teaching Awards, Research Awards
Society Memberships
FACS, local, state and national involvement

17. Curriculum Vitae: Content
Academic Presentations
paper competitions, posters, paper presentations, abstracts
Invited Lectures
local, state or national organizations
Published Peer Reviewed Articles
Authorship order
Books and Book Chapters

18. CV: Specialized Content
Mentorship
Basic Science Research
Grant support: past, present and pending

19. Recommendations UPDATE CVs OFTEN!! Avoid listing your DEA number
Avoid listing your social security number
Look at many example CVs
Content
Structure
Get assistance for cover letters and grant proposals as needed

20. Avoid Hyperbole

21. Grants “Failure is the beginning of wisdom” -William Zinnser Sources:
NIH
Federal Sources
Industry
All other- private foundation

22. Why Grants Fail Experimental Design Research problem Investigator
Resources

23. Experimental Design Technical methodology Data collection procedures
Study group or control
Data analysis and management is vague

24. Research Problem Hypothesis is ill defined
Proposal is unimportant, unimaginative

25. Investigator Principal Investigator had inadequate expertise
Inadequate mastery of literature in the research area
Poor productivity on an NIH grant
Insufficient time devoted to the project

26. Resources Inadequate institutional setting
Lack of equipment, facilities, personnel
Restricted access to appropriate patients
Insufficient collaborative effort

27. Recommendations Request a copy of the NIH Data Book
NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts
Call the funding agency for “high priority”
topic
Be realistic with budgets
Consult a biostatistician

28. Recommendations
Why clinical research grant applications fare poorly in review and how to recover
Cancer Investigation 1987: 5(1);55-58

29. Advice

30. The End
Questions????