Building Your Advocacy CV, Biosketch, or Resume-How to Build Your CV, Resume, and Biosketch

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The STARS webinar focused on building advocacy resumes, CVs, and biosketches to support patient advocates in research engagement. Presenters defined these key documents: a resume is a concise summary of skills and achievements; a CV is a comprehensive, detailed record of academic and advocacy work; and a biosketch is a narrative tailored to specific research projects or grants. Speakers emphasized the importance of documenting advocacy experiences early and maintaining a "master list" of activities, roles, dates, and impacts to update these documents efficiently. The webinar highlighted that advocacy work—though often voluntary—is valuable and should be clearly presented to demonstrate contributions to science and research. Personal statements in biosketches help connect lived experiences with research goals. Examples from experienced advocates illustrated how to structure and tailor documents for different opportunities. Tips included using plain language, focusing on impact, updating documents periodically, and customizing content depending on whether applying for grants, committees, or speaking engagements. Tools like spreadsheets and organized email folders were recommended to track involvement. The webinar concluded by encouraging advocates to regularly review their documents, make them accessible online when possible, and seek help when crafting narratives. This approach helps patient advocates communicate their expertise clearly, fostering meaningful collaboration with researchers.

Keywords

STARS webinar

advocacy resumes

CVs for patient advocates

biosketches in research

patient advocacy documentation

research engagement

advocacy personal statements

document organization tools

advocate-researcher collaboration