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Medical doctor skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Stephen Weeks,

Charles Wolgemuth

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical medical doctor skills. We ranked the top skills for medical doctors based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 30.4% of medical doctor resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a medical doctor needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 medical doctor skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how medical doctors use patients:

Examined patients, ordered laboratory test and other diagnostic procedures and followed up with acute and chronic diseases
Worked as a general practitioner treating patients and performed minor procedures.

2. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how medical doctors use patient care:

Organized regular office meetings for any concerns, issues, updates and suggestions for improvement of practice and patient care.
Maintained employee records and ensured competence and compliance of employees as outlined for clinical standards of quality patient care.

3. Internal Medicine

Here's how medical doctors use internal medicine:

Handled all internal medicine problems.
Performed daily Internal Medicine, Obstetric and Pediatric consultations, Pediatric and adult rehydration, first aid and basic life support.

4. Primary Care

Here's how medical doctors use primary care:

Provided primary care and administered necessary medication.
Provided primary care in office for children, adults and elderly.

5. Diagnosis

Here's how medical doctors use diagnosis:

Recorded patient's clinical evolution with personal diagnosis and conclusions.
Perform assessment, physical examination, checkup, diagnosis, and treatment of the patient.

6. Medical History

Here's how medical doctors use medical history:

Recorded patient's medical history, vital signs and test results in medical records.
Filed and researched patient's medical history.

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7. Family Practice

A family practice is a specialization that constitutes those comprehensive medical services provided to people corresponding to all age groups and genders. It includes healthcare coverage for all diseases whether chronic or acute. Apart from the clinical cures, the practice also includes therapy treatments. Family practice is delivered by physicians who are commonly referred to as family doctors.

Here's how medical doctors use family practice:

Worked as a family practice physician in the care of children, adults, and pregnant woman.
General Family practice, including care for women and children .

8. Emergency Medicine

Here's how medical doctors use emergency medicine:

Practiced emergency medicine in busy community hospital International Rescue Committee: Volunteer, 1980's.
Served the population in Emergency Medicine Service Standards in shifts as one of the three physicians for one year

9. Medical Services

Here's how medical doctors use medical services:

Researched & collected patient data, to ensure formulation of optimal medical services / course of action.
Provided onside medical services on a contract basis for various companies' employees.

10. Medical Care

Here's how medical doctors use medical care:

Attended home and guest football (soccer) games and provided emergency on field medical care in need.
Coordinated and provided primary medical care for college students in a college with over 5,000 students.

11. Emergency Room

Here's how medical doctors use emergency room:

Worked in the Emergency Room in response to trauma and clinical emergencies.
General care provider across the lifespan at Clinics and Emergency Rooms.

12. EMR

Here's how medical doctors use emr:

Maintain accurate EMR documentation of all services given to patient under strict confidentiality.
Displayed technical proficiency in using NaturaeSoft electronic medical record (EMR).

13. Surgery

Here's how medical doctors use surgery:

Performed minor surgery and wound care, administered injections and IV fluids.
Worked in all rotational wards - Pediatrics, General Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics &Gynecological wards.

14. Medical Treatment

Here's how medical doctors use medical treatment:

Monitored and directed all medical treatment activities.
Provided healthcare for adults as well as follow up and medical treatment.

15. Vital Signs

Vital signs are a set of values indicating different body systems' performance. They are measurements of the body's most basic functions. The four major vital signs used in medicine to assess a patient are body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure.

Here's how medical doctors use vital signs:

Performed health assessments, and monitored vital signs.
Updated weight, height measurements and vital signs.

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What skills help Medical Doctors find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on medical doctor resumes?

Dr. Stephen Weeks

Professor, Chair of Biology, The University of Akron

Generally, employers like to see "hands-on" skills for graduates. So, lab-based classes, internships, volunteer work (e.g., in hospitals or other health care settings), and experience in research labs look great on resumes. Because biology is such a diverse field, I cannot point to specific skills for the entire range of biology. Generally, however, having good writing skills will almost certainly be helpful for any biology career.

What medical doctor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Charles Wolgemuth

Professor Director of Undergraduate Studies, University of Arizona

This is, of course, going to depend on the specific industry that a student is applying to. However, one skill that I have heard that is largely sought out is problem-solving. Any activities that allow a graduate to improve their problem-solving abilities will be beneficial, especially if the activity provides a demonstrable outcome to highlight the graduate's problem-solving abilities. In addition, computers continue to play a larger role in most industries, and the ability to code is a skill that will be more and more sought after.

What type of skills will young medical doctors need?

Melissa Matusek

Director of Marketing and Communications, American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons

When DPMs enter the workforce after residency, the skills needed are many. First, they must have flexibility since the landscape and job descriptions of the profession of foot and ankle surgery are constantly changing. Those just out of training also must be motivated because the first few years out of training is when the stakes are high, when you are spending your time building a practice to prove your worth to patients and the profession.

Plus, aside from continuing to develop surgical skills and learn about the medical management of patients, there is an ever-changing need for a deep understanding of how the business of medicine works. Physicians are entering different work environments that place a variety of demands on them. Patients are also becoming more and more fixated on the costs of their health to themselves and are relying more and more on insurance coverage. These topics and skillsets are beyond the general knowledge base of resident physicians. They also need to be well-versed and adept in the changes in healthcare and insurance/billing practices.

The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons offers not the surgical skills courses needed for foot and ankle surgeons but also a coding and billing course to help practice management skills and show surgeons at all levels how to get paid for the services they perform.

What soft skills should all medical doctors possess?

Youngmin Kim

Assistant Professor of Physics, Colorado Mesa University

CODING. CODING. CODING. It doesn't really matter which specific language it will be. On professional level, the coding language will be specific anyway, but any background experience in coding will help graduates to learn and adapt quickly. This is a must requirement for anybody willing to find jobs through the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Do you want to know more?

List of medical doctor skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a medical doctor resume and required skills for a medical doctor to have include:

Patients
Patient Care
Internal Medicine
Primary Care
Diagnosis
Medical History
Family Practice
Emergency Medicine
Medical Services
Medical Care
Emergency Room
EMR
Surgery
Medical Treatment
Vital Signs
General Medicine

EKG
Physical Exams
Health Education
Laboratory Results
Blood Pressure
Emergency Care
Diagnostic Tests
CPR
Laboratory Tests
Disease Prevention
Obstetrics
Medical Procedures
IV
Surgical Procedures
Critical Care
Test Results

ICU
Hypertension
Patient Education
Infectious Disease
Health Promotion
Pregnant Women
Prenatal Care
Chronic Disease
Ultrasound
MRI
Suturing
Allergies
Cervical
ECG

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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Updated January 8, 2025

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