Each year, we receive many questions from doctors about how best to format the Research, Publication and Presentation section of their resume. This also applies to Audits and Quality Improvement Projects.

Some doctors will have extensive content they want to highlight in this section. Others may have just a few items. Depending on where you sit on that spectrum, this section may be a key focus of your application or a smaller supporting section.

What can you include in this section?

You can include:

• Current or completed research projects
• Formal presentations at conferences, events (medical or non-medical) and peer-reviewed forums
• Publications in journals, books or digital platforms
• Audits
• Quality improvement projects
   

How should you organise the content?

It depends on how much you have. If you have multiple entries under each area, group them under clear subheadings:

1. Research
2. Publications
3. Presentations
4. Audits and Quality Improvement Projects

List entries under each subheading in reverse chronological order (most recent first).

If you only have a few items, consider combining subheadings. For example:

• Research Projects and Audits
• Publications and Presentations
   

What details should you include under each subheading?

1. Research

Include any research you’ve contributed to, regardless of whether it has resulted in a publication or presentation. If a project is still in progress or pending submission, include its current status.

Include the following details:

• Title and status: Start with the project title, followed by its current stage (e.g. in preparation, submitted, in revision).
• Your role: Describe your role (e.g. Research Assistant, Co-Investigator) and briefly outline your contributions.
• Dates: Provide the time period of your involvement.
• Supervisor and organisation: Include the principal investigator or supervisor’s name, as well as the organisation or research institute and department.

Example:
Title of Project (in preparation), Role: Research Assistant, Jan 2023 – Present. Responsible for data collection and analysis. Supervised by Dr A B Smith, Department of General Medicine, The Royal Children’s Hospital.

Optional: If a project has been submitted for publication, you can note ‘Submitted for publication’ without naming the journal. If it has been accepted, you can list it as a publication (see below) using the status ‘in press’ or ‘accepted’.
 

2. Publications

List publications that have been accepted, are in press, or already published. Use a consistent academic referencing style – we recommend Harvard style for medical CVs, but consistency is more important than the specific style you choose.

Include:

• Author(s) in order of appearance
• Year
• Title of article (in italics)
• Publication name (journal, book, etc., in italics)
• Volume and page numbers (if available)
• DOI (if available)

Consider bolding your name to highlight your contribution, especially if you are not the first author.

Examples:

1. You as sole author:
   Smith, J. (2020). Article Title. Journal Name, 15(4), pp. 234–250. doi:10.1234/environmentalstudies.2020.0045
2. You as one of several authors:
   Smith, J., Doe, J., & Brown, S. (2023). Title of Article. Journal Name, 10(2), pp. 123–134

For more detailed examples, see the Harvard referencing resources listed at the end of this guide.
 

3. Presentations

Include presentations delivered at medical and non-medical conferences or events. If you’re a student or early-career doctor, it’s acceptable to include formal academic presentations (e.g. university or hospital settings).

Format:

• Author(s)
• Year
• Title of presentation (in italics)
• Name of event or conference
• Date of event
• Location

Examples:

1. Sole presenter:
   Doe, J. (2024). Improving Clinical Handover. Presentation at the Australasian Junior Medical Officers Conference, 15–17 August 2024, Melbourne, Australia.
2. Co-presenter:
   Smith, J., Doe, J., & Brown, S. (2023). Reviewing Emergency Department Wait Times. Presentation at the ACEM Annual Scientific Meeting, 10–12 November 2023, Sydney, Australia.
    

4. Audits and Quality Improvement Projects

You may include these projects either with your research section or under their own heading.

Format:

• Author
• Year
• Title (in italics)
• Specify whether it is an Audit or Quality Improvement Project
• Institution or health service
• Location

Example:
Doe, J. (2023). Improving Discharge Summary Turnaround Times: A Quality Improvement Project. Northern Health, Melbourne, Australia.
 

Referencing Resources

For more guidance on formatting and referencing, see:

• Open University – Harvard Referencing Guide
• Monash University Library – Harvard Style Guide
• Swinburne University – Harvard Style Guide