A vita is similar to a resume in that it documents your academic and professional experiences. However, unlike a resume, a vita includes additional headings summarizing such experiences as research, clinical, presentations, workshops and publications. A vita is used for individuals considering graduate or professional school and/or working in an academic or research setting.  Vitas are considered “lifelong” documents because they accumulate. In other words, information on a vita begins at the college level and accumulates throughout one’s life. This is why a vita eventually becomes several pages in length, unlike a resume that is one page in length and highlights current professional experiences within the past three years. This does not mean that a vita can be filled with “stuff.”  Make certain that your vita includes quality and not quantity. As with a resume, a vita must be neat, well organized, contain no “typos” or misspellings and have relevant information. Take a look at the major sections of a Vita as well as a sample Vita for more detailed information.