MCQ Quiz: CV Workshop

The Curriculum Vitae (CV) is an essential document for any pharmacy student preparing for residencies, fellowships, or clinical positions. More than just a resume, a CV is a comprehensive record of your academic, professional, and scholarly journey. As detailed in the Personal and Professional Development 4 curriculum “, a dedicated “CV Workshop” helps students master the skills needed to create a powerful and professional document that showcases their qualifications. This quiz will test your knowledge on the key components, formatting standards, and best practices for creating an effective pharmacy CV.

1. What is the primary difference between a CV and a resume?

• a. A resume is longer and more detailed than a CV.
• b. A CV is a comprehensive, multi-page document of all academic and professional experiences, while a resume is a brief, tailored summary.
• c. A CV is only used for non-healthcare jobs.
• d. There is no difference; the terms are interchangeable.

Answer: b. A CV is a comprehensive, multi-page document of all academic and professional experiences, while a resume is a brief, tailored summary.

2. Which of the following sections should be listed first on a PharmD candidate’s CV?

• a. Work Experience
• b. Research
• c. Education
• d. Contact Information

Answer: d. Contact Information

3. In sections like “Education” and “Professional Experience,” what is the standard way to order the entries?

• a. Chronological order (oldest to newest)
• b. Reverse chronological order (newest to oldest)
• c. Alphabetical order
• d. By order of importance

Answer: b. Reverse chronological order (newest to oldest)

4. When describing your responsibilities under a work experience entry, it is best to start each bullet point with a(n):

• a. Adjective
• b. Noun
• c. Action verb
• d. Preposition

Answer: c. Action verb

5. Which of the following is an example of an effective action verb for a CV?

• a. “Was responsible for”
• b. “Duties included”
• c. “Helped with”
• d. “Counseled” or “Collaborated”

Answer: d. “Counseled” or “Collaborated”

6. The “CV Workshop” is a specific lab session in which course?

• a. PHA5024C Personal and Professional Development 4
• b. PHA5104 Sterile Compounding
• c. PHA5703 Pharmacy Law and Ethics
• d. PHA5784C Patient Care 4

Answer: a. PHA5024C Personal and Professional Development 4

7. Which of the following should NOT be included on a professional CV?

• a. Your PharmD degree information.
• b. Your contact information.
• c. A photo of yourself, your age, or your marital status.
• d. Your pharmacy intern license number.

Answer: c. A photo of yourself, your age, or your marital status.

8. The final step before submitting your CV for any application should always be:

• a. To add more colors and fancy fonts.
• b. To meticulously proofread it for any spelling or grammatical errors.
• c. To make it as long as possible.
• d. To shorten it to one page.

Answer: b. To meticulously proofread it for any spelling or grammatical errors.

9. In the “References” section of your CV, what is the standard phrase to use?

• a. A list of at least three references with their contact information.
• b. “References available upon request.”
• c. “My references are my professors.”
• d. “No references available.”

Answer: b. “References available upon request.”

10. Where should your IPPE and APPE rotations be listed on your CV?

• a. They should not be listed.
• b. Under “Work Experience.”
• c. In a dedicated section titled “Experiential Rotations” or “Pharmacy Practice Experiences.”
• d. Under “Education.”

Answer: c. In a dedicated section titled “Experiential Rotations” or “Pharmacy Practice Experiences.”

11. The PPD 4 course covers the development of a curriculum vitae.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

12. A poster presentation at a national pharmacy meeting should be listed under what section?

• a. Work Experience
• b. Leadership
• c. Presentations
• d. Education

Answer: c. Presentations

13. When listing a publication on your CV, you should:

• a. Use a standardized citation format (e.g., AMA style).
• b. Paraphrase the title.
• c. Only list your name and not the other authors.
• d. Just list the journal it was published in.

Answer: a. Use a standardized citation format (e.g., AMA style).

14. Holding a position like “President” or “Treasurer” in a student pharmacy organization should be listed under:

• a. Work Experience
• b. Education
• c. Hobbies
• d. Professional Service or Leadership Experience

Answer: d. Professional Service or Leadership Experience

15. A key skill developed in the IPPE and APPE courses is collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, which is a valuable addition to a CV.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

16. What is the primary purpose of a CV?

• a. To serve as a comprehensive and detailed summary of your professional and academic qualifications.
• b. To get you an interview.
• c. Both a and b.
• d. Neither a nor b.

Answer: c. Both a and b.

17. The “explore career pathways” objective is part of the PPD curriculum.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

18. When describing your duties as a pharmacy intern, you should:

• a. Be vague and list general tasks like “filled prescriptions.”
• b. Use bullet points with action verbs to describe specific skills and accomplishments (e.g., “Counseled over 100 patients on new anticoagulant therapy”).
• c. Write a long paragraph.
• d. Use the first person (“I did…”).

Answer: b. Use bullet points with action verbs to describe specific skills and accomplishments (e.g., “Counseled over 100 patients on new anticoagulant therapy”).

19. Which of the following certifications should be listed on a student pharmacist’s CV?

• a. Immunization certification
• b. Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
• c. Both a and b
• d. Neither a nor b

Answer: c. Both a and b

20. An active learning session on CV development is part of the PPD 4 course.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

21. It is important to tailor your CV slightly for each specific position you apply for.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

22. How should your name and contact information be formatted on a CV?

• a. In a small font at the bottom of the last page.
• b. Clearly and prominently at the top of the first page.
• c. In the middle of the first page.
• d. It is not necessary to include contact information.

Answer: b. Clearly and prominently at the top of the first page.

23. The PPD course series focuses on developing professionalism, a quality that should be reflected in your CV.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

24. An active learning session on career development is part of which course?

• a. PHA5024C Personal and Professional Development 4
• b. PHA5163L Professional Skills Lab 3
• c. PHA5781 Patient Care I
• d. PHA5782C Patient Care 2

Answer: a. PHA5024C Personal and Professional Development 4

25. A pharmacist should continuously update their CV throughout their career.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

26. A good CV is typically characterized by:

• a. A cluttered layout with very small margins.
• b. A clean, professional, and easy-to-read format with consistent use of fonts and spacing.
• c. The use of at least five different colors.
• d. A mix of different font styles on the same page.

Answer: b. A clean, professional, and easy-to-read format with consistent use of fonts and spacing.

27. When listing your PharmD education, you should include:

• a. The name of the university and college of pharmacy.
• b. The city and state.
• c. Your anticipated graduation date.
• d. All of the above.

Answer: d. All of the above.

28. An active learning session on CVs is part of which course module?

• a. The PPD 4 course.
• b. The Diabetes Mellitus Module
• c. The Women’s Health Module
• d. The Geriatrics Module

Answer: a. The PPD 4 course.

29. The purpose of a CV workshop is to:

• a. Have your CV written for you.
• b. Receive feedback on your CV from peers and faculty to improve it.
• c. Take a test on CV formatting.
• d. Learn about different job openings.

Answer: b. Receive feedback on your CV from peers and faculty to improve it.

30. The “refine their interviewing skills” objective is within the PPD 4 curriculum.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

31. Which of the following should you quantify on your CV whenever possible?

• a. Your daily responsibilities.
• b. The number of patients counseled or MTM cases completed.
• c. Your leadership roles.
• d. Your level of interest in the job.

Answer: b. The number of patients counseled or MTM cases completed.

32. A CV is a static document that should never be changed.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: b. False

33. The experiences gained during IPPEs are important to include on a CV because they demonstrate:

• a. Exposure to real-world pharmacy practice.
• b. The application of classroom knowledge.
• c. The development of professional skills.
• d. All of the above.

Answer: d. All of the above.

34. The file format for an electronically submitted CV should ideally be:

• a. A Microsoft Word document (.doc)
• b. A PDF document (.pdf)
• c. A text file (.txt)
• d. An image file (.jpg)

Answer: b. A PDF document (.pdf)

35. A “personal statement” or “objective” at the top of a CV is:

• a. Always required.
• b. Generally considered outdated and takes up valuable space.
• c. The most important part of the CV.
• d. Required to be at least 200 words.

Answer: b. Generally considered outdated and takes up valuable space.

36. A key skill for a pharmacist is clear and professional written communication, which is directly demonstrated by the quality of their CV.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

37. How should you list professional organization memberships on your CV?

• a. In a dedicated section, often including any leadership roles held.
• b. You should not list them.
• c. In the “Hobbies” section.
• d. In the “Education” section.

Answer: a. In a dedicated section, often including any leadership roles held.

38. The lecture on career development is part of which course?

• a. PHA5023C Personal and Professional Development 3
• b. PHA5163L Professional Skills Lab 3
• c. PHA5781 Patient Care I
• d. PHA5782C Patient Care 2

Answer: a. PHA5023C Personal and Professional Development 3

39. A CV should be meticulously honest. It is a serious professional and ethical violation to falsify information.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

40. An active learning session covering CV development is part of which course?

• a. PHA5024C Personal and Professional Development 4
• b. PHA5163L Professional Skills Lab 3
• c. PHA5781 Patient Care I
• d. PHA5782C Patient Care 2

Answer: a. PHA5024C Personal and Professional Development 4

41. The length of a student pharmacist’s CV is typically:

• a. Strictly one page.
• b. 2-4 pages, depending on experience.
• c. At least 10 pages.
• d. The length does not matter.

Answer: b. 2-4 pages, depending on experience.

42. Which of the following would NOT be appropriate to list on a professional CV?

• a. Your GPA, if it is strong.
• b. Dean’s List or other academic honors.
• c. Your personal religious or political affiliations.
• d. A major research project you contributed to.

Answer: c. Your personal religious or political affiliations.

43. The experiences from the community and hospital IPPEs provide content for a student’s CV.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

44. What is the best way to handle a gap in your work history on a CV?

• a. To be honest and prepared to explain it in an interview if asked.
• b. To alter the dates to cover the gap.
• c. To leave the dates off entirely.
• d. To make up a job for that time period.

Answer: a. To be honest and prepared to explain it in an interview if asked.

45. When listing skills on a CV, it is better to:

• a. List generic skills like “hard worker.”
• b. List specific, demonstrable skills like “Proficient in sterile compounding techniques” or “Experience with Epic EHR system.”
• c. Not list any skills.
• d. List as many skills as possible, even if you are not proficient.

Answer: b. List specific, demonstrable skills like “Proficient in sterile compounding techniques” or “Experience with Epic EHR system.”

46. A “CV Workshop” is designed to help students:

• a. Get direct feedback to improve their CV.
• b. See examples of effective CVs.
• c. Learn about common mistakes to avoid.
• d. All of the above.

Answer: d. All of the above.

47. The PPD curriculum is designed to help students build the experiences and skills that will eventually be documented on their CVs.

• a. True
• b. False

Answer: a. True

48. An active learning session on career development is part of which course module?

• a. The PPD 4 course.
• b. The Diabetes Mellitus Module
• c. The Women’s Health Module
• d. The Geriatrics Module

Answer: a. The PPD 4 course.

49. The overall goal of a CV is to:

• a. Present a compelling and accurate picture of your qualifications for a position.
• b. List every single thing you have ever done.
• c. Fit on a single page.
• d. Use as many different fonts as possible.

Answer: a. Present a compelling and accurate picture of your qualifications for a position.

50. The ultimate reason to learn how to create a strong CV is to:

• a. Effectively market yourself to secure desired professional opportunities like residencies or jobs.
• b. Pass the PPD course.
• c. Have a document to give to family members.
• d. Fulfill a requirement for graduation.

Answer: a. Effectively market yourself to secure desired professional opportunities like residencies or jobs.