Ultimate Guide to CV Building for Non-US Citizen IMGs in Global Health

Understanding the Unique CV Challenges for Non‑US Citizen IMGs

As a non-US citizen IMG aiming for a career in global health, your residency CV must do three things simultaneously:

1. Prove you can thrive in a US training environment
2. Highlight your global health commitment and experience
3. Address visa and international training concerns clearly and professionally

Many foreign national medical graduates underestimate how much strategy goes into a strong residency CV. It’s not just a list of what you’ve done; it’s a curated, structured story that leads the reader to one conclusion: you are a safe, capable, globally minded trainee who will add value to their program.

This guide focuses on how to build a CV for residency in a way that aligns with global health and international medicine, specifically for the non-US citizen IMG. We’ll walk through structure, content, strategy, and common pitfalls—with examples tailored to a global health residency track.

---

Core Principles of a Strong Global Health Residency CV

Before diving into sections and formatting, keep these core principles in mind:

1. Alignment: Everything Should Support “Global Health Resident”

Every bullet point should, where possible, tie back to at least one of these themes:

• Global or cross-cultural patient care
• Care in low-resource or underserved settings
• Public health and population-level thinking
• Leadership in multicultural or international teams
• Health equity, humanitarian medicine, or international medicine

Ask of each activity:
“If the reviewer only saw this line, would it help them remember me as a global health–oriented candidate?”

If not, consider:

• Reframing the bullet to highlight global/underserved aspects
• Moving it lower in the section or to “Additional Experiences”
• Removing it if space is limited

2. Clarity and US-Style Professionalism

Program directors read hundreds of applications. To stand out positively:

• Use US-style headings (Education, Experience, Research, Publications, etc.)
• Use month/year format (e.g., Jul 2021 – Jun 2022)
• Keep language concise and jargon-free; spell out abbreviations at first use
• Avoid long paragraphs; use bullets with measurable impact

3. Strategy for Non-US Citizen IMG Status

As a non-US citizen IMG, you must subtly address common concerns:

• “Can this candidate function in our system?” → Show US clinical exposure, system understanding, communication skills
• “Is this candidate committed to training here, not just ‘shopping around’?” → Show long-standing interest in US/global health pathways, continuity in your story
• “Will there be visa issues?” → Address in Personal Information or ERAS profile; do not make it the central theme of your CV, but make it clear you understand the process.

---

Optimal Structure: How to Organize Your Global Health CV

Below is a recommended structure for a residency CV tailored to global health and international medicine. ERAS auto-formats information, but you should still maintain your own version that follows this structure for emails, websites, and networking.

1. Contact and Personal Information

Include:

• Full name (as in your medical degree/USMLE registrations)
• Email (professional, e.g., firstname.lastname@...)
• Phone (with country code if outside US)
• Current address (and US address if you have one)
• Citizenship and visa status (brief and factual)

Example:

Citizenship: Indian
Current Visa Status: Will require J-1 visa sponsorship for residency

Keep it factual—do not apologize or over-explain. Programs want clarity, not a long story here.

2. Education

List in reverse chronological order:

• Medical school (with city, country)
• Any postgraduate degrees (MPH, MSc, PhD) – especially valuable in global health
• Relevant additional training (tropical medicine diploma, global health certificate)

Example entry:

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
XYZ Medical College, University of Health Sciences – Mumbai, India
Aug 2016 – Feb 2022

• Graduated with Distinction in Community Medicine (Top 5%)
• Global Health Elective: “Primary Care in Low-Resource Settings” – 4 weeks, rural Maharashtra

If you have a public health or global health degree:

Master of Public Health (Global Health Track)
ABC School of Public Health – London, United Kingdom
Sep 2022 – Sep 2023

• Thesis: “Barriers to Continuity of Care for Hypertension in Urban Slums in Nairobi, Kenya”
• Coursework: Epidemiology, Health Systems Strengthening, Implementation Science

This directly supports your candidacy for a global health residency track.

3. US and International Clinical Experience

For a non-US citizen IMG, this section is critical. Divide it clearly:

a. US Clinical Experience (USCE)

Include:

• Observerships
• Externships
• Sub-internships
• US-based electives

Example:

Clinical Observership – Internal Medicine
Department of Medicine, University Hospital – Boston, MA, USA
Mar 2023 – Apr 2023

• Observed inpatient general medicine teams caring for a diverse, multicultural patient population
• Participated in case discussions focusing on social determinants of health and access to care
• Attended weekly global health seminars on refugee health and international medicine

These bullets show both US system exposure and global health relevance.

b. International and Home-Country Clinical Experience

This is where your global health narrative can shine.

Example:

Rotating Internship – Community Medicine and Primary Care
XYZ Medical College Teaching Hospital – Mumbai, India
Mar 2021 – Feb 2022

• Provided primary care to patients from low-income communities in urban slums and peri-urban villages
• Led weekly health education sessions on vaccination, maternal health, and non-communicable diseases
• Collaborated with an NGO mobile clinic serving undocumented migrant workers

You can also include specific global health fieldwork rotations:

Rural Health Elective – Primary Care in Resource-Limited Setting
District Hospital – Kisumu, Kenya
Jul 2019 – Aug 2019

• Managed outpatient visits under supervision in a high-burden HIV and TB setting
• Assisted in outreach clinics to remote villages with limited access to healthcare
• Conducted basic needs assessment to identify barriers to antenatal care attendance

Use such entries to demonstrate:

• Comfort in low-resource environments
• Sensitivity to cultural and language differences
• Commitment to health equity and underserved populations

---

Experience Sections That Showcase Global Health Strength

1. Global Health and Leadership Experience

Create a dedicated “Global Health and Leadership Experience” or “Leadership & Advocacy” section if you have substantial activities.

Examples:

Student Coordinator – Global Health Interest Group
XYZ Medical College – Mumbai, India
Sep 2018 – Feb 2020

• Organized monthly seminars on international medicine, refugee health, and disaster response
• Coordinated a telemedicine partnership with a rural clinic in Nepal, including case discussions and guideline sharing
• Led a team of 12 students to implement a health promotion campaign for dengue prevention

Volunteer Physician Assistant – Refugee Health Clinic (Pre-Residency Role)
Nonprofit Health Organization – Berlin, Germany
Jan 2022 – Jun 2022

• Assisted with triage and basic medical care under physician supervision for Syrian and Afghan refugees
• Worked with interpreters to provide culturally sensitive care and education
• Helped implement a paper-to-digital transition for medical records, improving continuity of care

These experiences show that you are already functioning in multicultural, cross-border environments.

2. Research and Scholarly Work in Global Health

As a foreign national medical graduate, research demonstrates academic potential, persistence, and familiarity with evidence-based medicine. Emphasize global health themes.

Suggested subsections:

• Research Experience
• Publications
• Abstracts & Posters
• Presentations

Example research entry:

Research Assistant – Non-Communicable Diseases in Low-Resource Settings
Department of Community Medicine, XYZ Medical College – Mumbai, India
Jan 2020 – Dec 2020
PI: Dr. A. Sharma

• Conducted community-based surveys on hypertension prevalence in two urban slum communities (n=1,200)
• Analyzed data using SPSS; co-authored manuscript currently under review
• Focused on barriers to medication adherence in low-income populations

Example publication entry (use standard citation format):

Sharma A, Khan R, et al. “Hypertension Prevalence and Treatment Gaps in Urban Informal Settlements in Mumbai, India.” Journal of Global Health, 2023; 13(2): eXXXX.

If you do not yet have formal global health research, consider:

• Joining an ongoing project remotely (data analysis, literature review)
• Conducting a small quality improvement project in an underserved clinic
• Writing a narrative piece on global health experiences for reputable platforms

3. Teaching and Mentoring in Global or Underserved Contexts

Residency programs, especially those with a global health residency track, value future clinician-educators.

Examples:

Peer Tutor – Community Health and Epidemiology
XYZ Medical College – Mumbai, India
Sep 2019 – Mar 2020

• Tutored junior students in epidemiologic methods and interpretation of global health research
• Designed simplified teaching materials explaining relative risk and odds ratios with real-world examples

Volunteer Health Educator – Migrant Worker Outreach Program
NGO “Health for All” – Dubai, UAE
Jun 2022 – Dec 2022

• Conducted health education sessions in English and Hindi for South Asian migrant workers
• Topics included heat injury prevention, occupational safety, and access to health services

These roles underline your commitment to health literacy and capacity building, central to global health.

---

Practical Residency CV Tips Specifically for Non-US Citizen IMGs

1. Tailor for Global Health Without Ignoring Core Clinical Skills

Programs need to see you as:

• A safe clinician first
• A global health advocate second

For each entry, combine both:

Instead of:

Managed outpatient visits in a busy clinic.

Write:

Managed 20–25 supervised outpatient visits per day in a public clinic serving predominantly low-income, uninsured patients, focusing on chronic disease management and preventive care.

You simultaneously show:

• Clinical volume and responsibility
• Underserved/global health context

2. Address “IMG Gaps” Strategically

Many non-US citizen IMGs have:

• Gaps between graduation and application
• Time spent preparing for USMLE
• Delays due to visa or licensing processes

Turn those into structured experiences on your medical student CV / early professional CV:

Example:

Clinical and Exam Preparation Period
Remote / Home Country
Mar 2022 – Feb 2023

• Dedicated full-time to USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK preparation (Step 1: 24X, Step 2 CK: 25X)
• Simultaneously engaged in part-time volunteer work at a local free clinic (4–6 hrs/week)
• Completed online courses in “Global Health Delivery” (HarvardX) and “Implementation Science” (Coursera)

This transforms an unexplained gap into a purposeful, productive period relevant to global health and US training.

3. Show Adaptability Across Health Systems

As a foreign national medical graduate, your ability to move between systems is an asset for international medicine.

Highlight:

• Work in multiple countries or regions
• Language skills (with proficiency level)
• Familiarity with different health financing models or care structures

Create a brief “Languages and Cross-Cultural Skills” section:

Languages:

• English – Fluent (IELTS 8.0)
• Hindi – Native
• Arabic – Conversational (used clinically in refugee clinic in Berlin)

This directly supports your global health profile.

4. Use Achievement-Oriented Bullets (Not Task Lists)

Residency CV tips frequently emphasize this, but it’s especially important when your education system is unfamiliar to reviewers.

Poor bullet:

Assisted in outpatient clinic.

Better bullet:

Conducted initial history and physical exams on 10–12 patients per day under supervision, focusing on diabetes and hypertension management in an under-resourced urban clinic; presented assessment and plan to attending physicians daily.

Look for:

• Numbers: “10 patients/day”, “50 participants”
• Outcomes: “increased vaccination rates by 20%”
• Scope: “served 5 rural villages”, “collaborated with a 10-member multidisciplinary team”

5. Integrate Visa and International Status Professionally

Your non-US citizen IMG status should not dominate your CV, but it must be transparent.

Where to address:

• In the Personal Information section: short line on citizenship and visa need
• In ERAS: relevant fields already exist

Where not to dwell:

• Do not create a separate “Visa Issues” section
• Do not use apologetic language (“Unfortunately, I require a visa…”)

Keep it concise:

Citizenship: Nigerian
Visa: Will require J-1 sponsorship for residency; US B1/B2 valid through 2028

---

Step‑by‑Step: How to Build CV for Residency in Global Health

To make this practical, here is a direct workflow you can follow:

Step 1: List All Activities Without Editing

Write down:

• All clinical rotations (home and abroad)
• Observerships/externships in the US
• Research experiences (even if unfinished)
• Leadership, teaching, volunteer work
• Courses, certifications (ATLS, BLS, global health courses)
• Conferences and workshops attended

Do not judge or filter yet.

Step 2: Label Each Activity with “Themes”

For each, mark whether it shows:

• Global/underserved focus
• Clinical skills
• Leadership
• Research/scholarship
• Teaching
• Cross-cultural/language skills

This helps you see which experiences best serve your global health residency track narrative.

Step 3: Prioritize and Group by Section

Create your main sections:

• Education
• US Clinical Experience
• International & Home-Country Clinical Experience
• Global Health & Leadership Experience
• Research & Scholarly Activity
• Teaching & Mentoring
• Certifications & Courses
• Languages & Additional Skills

Place your most globally relevant and clinically strong experiences near the top of each section.

Step 4: Rewrite Bullets to Emphasize Impact and Global Context

For each entry, write 2–4 bullets:

• 1–2 about clinical responsibilities/skills
• 1–2 about global/underserved impact or context

Example transformation:

Original:

Volunteer doctor in village health camp.

Improved:

Volunteer Physician – Village Health Camp (2 weeks)

• Provided supervised primary care consultations for ~150 patients over 10 days in a remote village lacking permanent medical services
• Identified high prevalence of untreated hypertension and diabetes; initiated referral pathway to district hospital

Step 5: US-Style Formatting and Consistency Check

Ensure:

• Same date format throughout (e.g., “Jul 2020 – Jun 2021”)
• Location always includes city, country
• No spelling errors (use US spelling if applying to the US: “hematology” not “haematology”)
• Avoid including personal photos, marital status, age, or irrelevant personal details (standard in some countries, but not in US residency CVs)

Step 6: Review with Mentors Familiar with US System

Ask at least one:

• US-trained physician (ideally in global health)
• Senior IMG who matched recently

Specific questions to ask them:

• “Does my CV clearly show that I am a global health–oriented candidate?”
• “Are there any red flags or confusing entries?”
• “What would you remove or move lower?”

---

FAQs: CV Building for Non‑US Citizen IMGs in Global Health

1. Should I create a separate “Global Health CV” and “Standard CV”?

You generally do not need two completely different CVs. Instead:

• Maintain a core CV with all experiences.
• For global health residency track applications, slightly adjust:
  • Section headings (“Global Health and Leadership Experience” instead of generic “Extracurricular Activities”)
  • Order of entries (put global health experiences higher)
• For non–global health programs, keep the same CV but highlight how your global health work demonstrates adaptability, resilience, and interest in underserved care, which is valued in all programs.

2. I have limited formal global health experience. How can I still show interest?

You can still build a credible narrative by:

• Highlighting work in underserved or low-resource settings in your home country
• Taking online global health courses and listing certificates
• Attending global health conferences or webinars and including relevant presentations/posters
• Engaging in public health or community outreach (health camps, vaccination drives, migrant worker clinics)

Even small but consistent activities show genuine interest more than one short international trip.

3. How detailed should I be about my visa status on my CV?

Keep it brief and factual. A simple line in the personal section is enough:

Citizenship: Pakistani
Visa: Will require J-1 or H-1B sponsorship for residency

You do not need to explain immigration law, family situation, or prior visa rejections on your CV. If needed, those can be addressed separately during application or interviews.

4. How do I handle a multi‑year gap while preparing USMLE as a foreign national medical graduate?

Convert the gap into structured experiences:

• List it as “Clinical and Academic Preparation Period”
• Add bullets describing:
  • USMLE preparation and scores (if strong)
  • Part-time clinical volunteering, telemedicine assistance, or community health work
  • Global health or public health courses completed
  • Any research or writing you did

This shows that, even while not in formal training, you remained clinically engaged and academically active, which reassures programs.

---

By following these strategies, you will transform your CV from a simple list into a coherent, compelling narrative: a non-US citizen IMG with proven resilience, solid clinical foundations, and a sustained commitment to global health and international medicine—exactly what competitive global health residency programs are seeking.