Medical Examiner Resume Example & Writing Guide

Medical examiners are medical professionals who investigate deaths in order to determine the circumstances surrounding them. They must collect and analyze evidence in order to determine cause of death and help police or attorneys build a case.

Medical examiners typically work in morgues or labs where they perform autopsies, collect and test evidence, and record their findings in a report. There are almost 1,400 medical examiners employed in the U.S., many of whom also teach or conduct research in addition to their regular duties.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a medical examiner or want to build a resume that will set you apart from other candidates, here are resume tips to follow plus an example for reference.

How to Write a Medical Examiner Resume

Here’s how to write a medical examiner resume of your own.

Write Compelling Bullet Points

Bullet points are the most important part of your resume because they’re the first thing recruiters will read. And if they’re not interesting or compelling, they’ll be the last thing they read.

So it’s crucial that you use them to your advantage by highlighting your most impressive accomplishments and skills. And the best way to do that is by using specific numbers, percentages, and dollar amounts whenever possible.

For example, rather than saying you “managed staff,” you could say you “managed staff of 15+ employees, reducing turnover rate by 15% in first year.”

The second bullet point is much more interesting and provides a clear sense of the scale of the project and the level of success achieved.

Identify and Include Relevant Keywords

When you apply for a job as a medical examiner, your resume is likely to be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. ATS programs rank resumes based on the number of relevant keywords that are found throughout the document. If your resume doesn’t have enough of the right keywords, your application might not make it past the initial screening process.

The best way to ensure that your resume contains the right keywords is to read through job postings and take note of the terms that are used most frequently. Then, use those same terms when you’re writing your resume. Here are some of the most common medical examiner keywords:

Showcase Your Technical Skills

As a medical examiner, you will need to be proficient in the use of a variety of software programs and systems. These might include autopsy software, toxicology software, and medical records software. You will also need to be familiar with medical terminology and be able to use medical research databases.