A critical component of early success in academic medicine is the curriculum vitae (CV), which provides a detailed overview of the academic physician’s specific expertise and skills in a clear and organized fashion. Learning to prepare and maintain an excellent CV early in one’s career will greatly assist the academic physician throughout their professional life, given the importance of the CV and its subspecies (e.g., the bio sketch, résumé, dossier) for achievement of institutional advancement and research funding. A chronological format for the academic medicine CV is often preferred, and some experts recommend maintaining “short” and “long” versions to tailor for specific purposes. The CV should be valued as a “living document” that the academic physician commits to keeping updated through means that work best for them. Always follow appropriate CV guidelines from one’s pertinent institution or organization, and be sure to give consideration to institutional mission goals and priorities when considering specific factors to highlight on one’s CV. Bold one’s name in the bibliography, and provide annotations for “team science” contributions on scholarly products and for contributing roles on research grants and contracts. Consider the inclusion of one’s h index, the impact factor of a given journal at the time of publication, or other “altmetrics” about one’s scholarly work. Personal or autobiographical statements, which are often required to accompany the CV, should summarize one’s experience and expertise in a relevant field and succinctly convey one’s particular value to an intended proposal or institutional application. Finally, keep in mind that first impressions are lasting; therefore, ensure validity throughout one’s CV and carefully review for any typographical or grammatical errors, inconsistent formatting, or other presentation flaws.