Essential CV Building Tips for Orthopedic Surgery Residency Success

Building a standout CV for orthopedic surgery residency is both an art and a strategy. Orthopedics is one of the most competitive specialties; your CV must do more than list experiences—it must tell a clear, compelling story of your trajectory toward becoming an orthopedic surgeon.

This guide walks you through how to build, optimize, and present your medical student CV specifically for orthopedic surgery residency programs, with practical examples and residency CV tips you can apply immediately.

---

Understanding the Orthopedic Surgery Residency CV Landscape

Orthopedic surgery residency programs are flooded with strong applications. Nearly everyone has solid grades, decent exam scores, and some research. Your CV is one of the primary tools programs use to distinguish who has genuine orthopedic potential from who simply looks good on paper.

What Programs Look for in an Ortho CV

Across programs, PDs and faculty tend to focus on:

• Sustained interest in orthopedics

  • Ortho electives (home and away)
  • Longitudinal ortho research
  • Consistent ortho-related activities over years, not weeks

• Evidence of work ethic and grit

  • Long-term commitments rather than “one-and-done” volunteer events
  • Leadership roles with clear responsibility
  • Time-intensive jobs or projects

• Technical curiosity and problem-solving

  • Research in biomechanics, outcomes, imaging, engineering, or quality improvement
  • Projects that show you can handle data, protocols, and complex systems

• Teamwork and leadership

  • Team captain, committee chair, student organization leadership
  • Experiences working in high-stress, team-based environments (e.g., EMS, athletics, OR roles)

• Professionalism and reliability

  • No red flags, consistent progression
  • Clear documentation, well-organized CV, no exaggerations

Your CV should highlight these qualities explicitly, rather than hoping the reader “connects the dots.”

CV vs. ERAS Application

Your “CV” in the residency world exists in two forms:

1. ERAS Application – the structured, official format programs see first.
2. Standalone CV document – may be requested by:
   • Faculty writing letters
   • Visiting/Sub-I coordinators
   • Research mentors
   • Networking contacts at conferences

Both must be aligned and accurate. Think of ERAS as the database version and your CV as the exportable, sharable version of your professional story.

---

Structure and Formatting: The Foundation of a Strong Ortho CV

Before content, you need a format that screams “organized, detail-oriented, professional”—exactly what ortho programs want from a future surgeon.

Core Sections of an Orthopedic Surgery CV

A clean, orthopedics-focused CV typically includes:

1. Contact & Identification
2. Education
3. Examinations & Certifications
4. Honors & Awards
5. Research Experience
6. Publications, Presentations & Abstracts
7. Clinical Experience (including Orthopedic-specific)
8. Teaching & Mentoring
9. Leadership & Professional Involvement
10. Volunteer & Community Service
11. Work Experience (if meaningful)
12. Skills & Interests (brief, curated)

You don’t need every section; include only what is genuine and relevant.

General Formatting Rules

• Length:
  • MS1–MS2: 1–2 pages
  • MS3–MS4 / Applying: 2–4 pages is typical for ortho due to research and presentations.
• Font and layout:
  • Font: 10.5–12 pt (e.g., Times New Roman, Garamond, Calibri)
  • Margins ~0.5–1 inch
  • Use consistent bullet styles, spacing, and date alignment
• Order: Most recent first within each section (reverse chronological).
• File name: LastName_FirstName_MD_CV_OrthoResidency.pdf

Example: Clean CV Entry Format

Instead of:

Research: Worked on ortho project with Dr. Smith.

Use:

Clinical Research Assistant – Department of Orthopedic Surgery
University Hospital, City, State | 06/2022 – Present

• Designed and maintained REDCap database for prospective study on outcomes after ACL reconstruction (n=150+ patients).
• Screened patients in clinic, obtained consent, and collected pre- and post-op data.
• Performed preliminary statistical analysis in R; presented results at regional orthopedic conference.

Note the structure: role, department, institution, dates, and impact-focused bullets.

---

Content Strategy: How to Build CV for Orthopedic Surgery Residency

This is where you differentiate your orthopedic surgery residency application from other competitive candidates. Below is a section-by-section strategy tailored to ortho.

1. Education

This is straightforward but can still tell a story.

Include:

• Medical school (with expected graduation date)
• Undergraduate degree (major/minor, honors)
• Additional degrees (MS, MPH, PhD, engineering)

Example:

Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) – Expected May 2026
State University School of Medicine, City, State

• Class rank: Top 15% (if available and favorable)
• AOA (elected 2025)

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, magna cum laude
Tech University, City, State | 2015 – 2019

For ortho, engineering or biomechanical backgrounds reinforce your fit; make them visible.

2. Examinations & Certifications

PDs scan this fast; keep it simple and accurate.

• USMLE/COMLEX scores (if you’re voluntarily sharing on a non-ERAS CV)
• Certifications: BLS, ACLS, ATLS (if completed), basic surgical skills courses

Example:

USMLE Step 1: Pass (2024)
USMLE Step 2 CK: 251 (2025)
Certifications: BLS, ACLS, Fundamentals of Orthopaedic Surgery Skills Course (AAOS, 2024)

Only include what is taken and resulted; do not list “planned” exams as official items.

3. Honors & Awards

This section signals academic excellence and peer/mentor recognition.

Common items:

• AOA or Gold Humanism Honor Society
• Clerkship honors, especially in surgery and ortho
• Research awards (e.g., “Best Poster,” “Resident/Fellow Research Award”)
• Institutional scholarships

Write brief context if the award is not self-explanatory.

Example:

Honors in Orthopedic Surgery Clerkship – State University SOM (2024)
Best Clinical Research Presentation – Annual Department of Orthopedic Surgery Research Day (2023)
Dean’s Merit Scholarship – Full tuition scholarship awarded to top 5% of matriculants (2021–2025)

If you have many, group them logically (e.g., “Research Awards,” “Clinical & Academic Honors”).

---

Research and Scholarly Output: The Heart of Ortho CVs

Orthopedic surgery is highly research-heavy. Strong scholarly output can substantially boost your ortho match chances, especially if other metrics are average.

4. Research Experience

Separate Research Experience (the process) from Publications & Presentations (the products).

For each research position, include:

• Role/title
• Department/lab
• Supervisor name and degree (especially if ortho faculty)
• Dates
• Project focus and your specific contributions

Example:

Orthopedic Research Fellow – Sports Medicine Division
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University Hospital | 07/2023 – 06/2024
Mentor: John R. Smith, MD

• Led prospective cohort study on time to return to sport after revision ACL reconstruction.
• Developed standardized rehabilitation protocol checklist and data collection forms.
• Co-authored 2 manuscripts (1 published, 1 under review) and 3 regional presentations.

Where possible, emphasize:

• Study design (prospective/retrospective, RCT, database study)
• Your role (data collection, analysis, manuscript writing)
• Output (papers, abstracts, presentations)

5. Publications, Presentations & Abstracts

This is often the most scrutinized section in an orthopedic surgery residency CV.

Organize into subheadings:

• Peer-reviewed publications
• Manuscripts under review / in preparation (only if reasonable and honest)
• National/international presentations
• Regional/local presentations
• Posters and abstracts

Use a consistent citation format (e.g., AMA). Underline or bold your name.

Example:

Peer-Reviewed Publications

1. Doe J, Smith JR, Patel A. Return-to-sport outcomes after revision ACL reconstruction: A 2-year follow-up study. Am J Sports Med. 2024;52(3):123–131.
2. Doe J, Lee T, Brown M. Trends in opioid prescribing after total hip arthroplasty: A multi-center analysis. J Arthroplasty. 2023;38(9):987–995.

Podium Presentations (National/International)

1. Doe J, Smith JR. Return-to-sport outcomes after revision ACL reconstruction. Podium presentation at: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting; 2024; San Francisco, CA.

Key residency CV tip:
Count quality and trajectory over sheer volume. A few solid ortho projects showing increasing responsibility (e.g., from data collector → first author) often read better than many superficial involvements.

What if You Have Limited Ortho Research?

You can still present a strong narrative if you:

• Highlight non-ortho research showing strong methods and productivity.
• Show current ongoing ortho projects (clearly labeled as such).
• Emphasize other orthopedic signals: rotations, mentorship, conferences attended.

Example of ongoing project entry:

Ongoing Research Projects
Doe J, Chen L. Outcomes after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty in patients under 60 years old. Data collection ongoing; anticipated abstract submission to AAOS 2026.

Be honest about status; programs can and do follow up.

---

Clinical, Leadership, and Non-Clinical Experiences That Strengthen Your Ortho Profile

Your experiences outside the lab are where you show that you’re more than a statistic machine.

6. Clinical Experience (With Orthopedic Focus)

This is not a place to restate all your required rotations; focus on:

• Sub-internships / Acting Internships (home and away)
• Elective rotations in orthopedics (sports, trauma, joints, pediatrics, spine)
• Extra experiences such as:
  • Ortho call shadowing
  • Fracture clinic assistance
  • OR observer roles pre-clinically

Example:

Sub-Internship in Orthopedic Surgery – Trauma Service
Level I Trauma Center, University Hospital | 07/2025

• Took first call on new orthopedic trauma consults under senior resident supervision.
• Assisted in OR for 20+ procedures, including intramedullary nailing and ORIF of long bone fractures.
• Presented weekly case reviews and postoperative outcomes at trauma conference.

Avoid listing routine third-year clerkships unless highlighting honors or something specifically ortho-related.

7. Teaching and Mentoring

Orthopedics is a teaching-intensive specialty. Programs value applicants who can communicate effectively and enjoy teaching.

Include:

• Anatomy or musculoskeletal tutor roles
• Clinical skills TA
• Peer mentor for junior students
• Workshops you organized/run (e.g., “Suture Skills for MS1s”)

Example:

Anatomy Teaching Assistant (MSK & Spine Blocks)
State University SOM | 08/2023 – 12/2023

• Led 2–3 dissection groups weekly; focused on upper and lower extremity anatomy.
• Created review slide decks used by 80+ first-year students.

Highlighting MSK/anatomy content reinforces your orthopedic interest.

8. Leadership & Professional Involvement

This section demonstrates initiative, responsibility, and your ability to function within organizations—key traits in residency.

Examples relevant to the ortho match:

• Ortho interest group officer (especially President/VP)
• Class representative for surgery/orthopedics
• Committees (curriculum, diversity, wellness)
• Roles in sports medicine or biomechanics clubs

Example:

President – Orthopedic Surgery Interest Group
State University SOM | 05/2023 – 05/2024

• Organized monthly talks with orthopedic faculty and residents, averaging 60+ attendees.
• Developed “Ortho Skills Night” workshop introducing basic casting and splinting to pre-clinical students.
• Coordinated 1:1 mentorship pairings for 40+ students with orthopedic surgeons.

Programs like to see that you’ve worked specifically to build or improve your home ortho community.

9. Volunteer & Community Service

While less central than research, service shows empathy, humility, and commitment to patient populations.

Stronger ortho-relevant examples include:

• Adaptive sports coaching
• Working with patients with disabilities or mobility issues
• Free clinics with musculoskeletal focus

Example:

Volunteer – Adaptive Sports Program
City Adaptive Athletics | 09/2022 – Present

• Assisted athletes with limb differences and spinal cord injuries in wheelchair basketball and adaptive climbing events.
• Helped fit and adjust orthotics and adaptive equipment under PT supervision.

Even non-ortho service is valuable—but list sustained, meaningful commitments over brief one-time events.

10. Work Experience

For non-traditional students or those with prior careers (EMT, athletic trainer, engineer), this can strongly support your orthopedic story.

Example:

Mechanical Design Engineer – Orthopedic Implants Division
MedDevice Corp, City, State | 2017 – 2020

• Contributed to design modifications of tibial components for total knee arthroplasty implants.
• Collaborated with orthopedic surgeons to refine implant geometry based on intraoperative feedback.

If your prior work is non-medical, emphasize transferable skills: leadership, teamwork, attention to detail, manual dexterity, reliability.

11. Skills & Interests

This should be brief and curated, not a brain dump.

Skills examples:

• Statistical software (R, SPSS, Stata)
• Database tools (REDCap)
• Programming (Python, MATLAB)
• Languages (with proficiency level)
• 3D printing, CAD for ortho-related modeling

Interests:

Include 3–5 specific, authentic interests that could spark conversation in an interview:

• “Competitive rock climbing”
• “Marathon running”
• “Carpentry and furniture building”
• “Coaching youth wrestling”

These can subtly reinforce qualities valuable in orthopedics: perseverance, hand skills, teamwork, resilience.

---

Strategy: How to Build Your Ortho CV Over Time (MS1–MS4)

Your CV is not built in one year; it’s a multi-phase project. Here’s how to be intentional.

MS1: Foundation and Exploration

Goals:

• Explore orthopedics without overcommitting.
• Build skills that will pay off later.

Actions:

• Join the Orthopedic Surgery Interest Group and attend events.
• Seek an ortho or sports medicine mentor.
• Get involved in one research project (ortho or general surgery).
• Aim for strong grades, especially in anatomy.

CV moves:

• Add “Orthopedic Surgery Interest Group – Member”
• Add initial research role.
• Start a “Works in Progress” tracking document for future CV updates.

MS2: Commit and Deepen

Goals:

• Strengthen your orthopedic-specific activities.
• Prepare for Step and later research productivity.

Actions:

• Take on a more defined role in a research project (aim for authorship).
• Consider a leadership position in ortho or surgery-related organizations.
• Attend a regional or national ortho meeting if possible.

CV moves:

• Update your research experience with clearer roles.
• Add any posters/abstracts from early projects.
• Record leadership positions with impact-focused bullets.

MS3: Clinical Validation and Visibility

Goals:

• Excel on rotations, especially surgery and ortho.
• Translate your preclinical experiences into clinical credibility.

Actions:

• Crush your surgery clerkship; target honors if possible.
• Perform strongly on your home orthopedics rotation.
• Discuss letters of recommendation early with key ortho faculty.
• Continue research; aim to submit a manuscript or abstract.

CV moves:

• Add “Honors in Surgery” and “Honors in Orthopedic Surgery” if achieved.
• Update clinical experiences with concrete responsibilities.
• Move any accepted manuscripts into “peer-reviewed publications.”

MS4: Final Polishing and Strategic Presentation

Goals:

• Solidify your story: “This person is clearly going into orthopedic surgery.”
• Use your CV to support letters, ERAS, and interviews.

Actions:

• Undertake sub-Is at home and away if applicable; document key tasks in CV-ready language.
• Finalize as many publications/presentations as realistically possible.
• Ask mentors to review your CV and align it with your personal statement and letters.

CV moves:

• Reorder sections to highlight your strengths (e.g., heavy research at the top if that’s your anchor).
• Remove minor, less relevant items that clutter the narrative.
• Ensure there are no contradictions between your CV, ERAS entries, and what letter writers describe.

---

Common Pitfalls in Ortho CVs—and How to Avoid Them

Even strong applicants make avoidable mistakes. Watch for:

1. “Laundry List” Syndrome

Listing every minor activity dilutes the impact of your best experiences.

Fix:
Prioritize depth over breadth. If an item:

• Lasted less than a few hours total, or
• Has no clear relevance or impact

…consider removing it or combining it with other activities.

2. Vague or Inflated Descriptions

Programs can spot fluff quickly.

Instead of:

“Participated in various research activities and helped improve patient care.”

Use:

“Collected perioperative data for 85 patients undergoing TKA; contributed to analysis of post-op complications and helped develop standardized order sets.”

Be precise; don’t claim “led” if you mostly assisted.

3. Poor Organization or Inconsistency

Uneven formatting sends subtle red flags about attention to detail.

Fix:

• Standardize:
  • Date formats (e.g., 06/2023 – 08/2023 throughout)
  • Bullet punctuation (either all end with periods or none)
  • Institution name formats
• Check spelling of all faculty names, journals, and institutions.

4. Under-representing Orthopedic Interest

Some students worry about appearing “too ortho” and end up looking unfocused.

Fix:

• If you are truly committed to orthopedics, let your CV reflect that:
  • Orthopedic research
  • Ortho electives and sub-Is
  • Ortho conference attendance
  • Ortho interest group leadership
• Still include some broader clinical and service experiences to show you understand patients beyond bones and joints.

5. Misalignment with Letters and Personal Statement

Programs notice mismatches, such as:

• Your CV lists extensive trauma research, but your statement only mentions sports.
• A letter emphasizes teaching, but your CV barely mentions it.

Fix:

• Share your current CV with letter writers early.
• Adjust bullets so your CV supports the themes in your personal statement and anticipated letters.

---

FAQs: Orthopedic Surgery Residency CV

1. How many publications do I need for a competitive orthopedic surgery residency application?

There is no strict cutoff, but for orthopedic surgery:

• Many matched applicants have at least a few ortho-related abstracts, posters, or publications.
• A typical strong ortho match profile might include:
  • 1–3 peer-reviewed publications (not all must be ortho, but at least some MSK-related)
  • Several posters/abstracts from national or regional meetings
• If you lack publications, strong, clearly described ongoing projects and excellent clinical performance can partially compensate, but you should work actively to generate at least some scholarly output.

2. Should I include Step scores and GPA on my standalone CV?

For the medical student CV you send to mentors or away rotation coordinators, including Step 2 CK (and Step 1 if numeric) is optional but often helpful if they’re strengths. Do not guess or round. Avoid listing GPA or class rank unless:

• Your school uses them formally, and
• Your standing is clearly favorable (top quartile, AOA)

Remember: on ERAS, you must report scores accurately; never misrepresent them on any version of your CV.

3. How do I list “in progress” papers or projects without overstating them?

Create a subsection like “Manuscripts in Preparation” or “Ongoing Projects,” and be transparent:

• Use phrases like “manuscript in preparation” or “data collection ongoing.”
• Include all authors if known; don’t assign authorship prematurely.
• Do not label anything as “submitted” or “under review” unless it truly is.

Programs understand that not all work will be published by application time; they mainly want to see active engagement and reasonable productivity.

4. Is it okay to use the same CV for all specialties if I’m applying to a backup?

For ortho applicants using a backup specialty, you should maintain:

• A master CV listing everything.
• Slightly tailored versions:
  • Ortho-focused CV for orthopedic surgery residency programs.
  • Backup-specialty-focused CV emphasizing experiences most relevant to that field.

Do not fabricate or remove major items, but you can:

• Reorder sections to highlight different strengths.
• Expand or condense certain bullets depending on the audience.

---

A well-crafted CV for orthopedic surgery residency is more than a checklist—it’s a strategic narrative of your growth into a future orthopedic surgeon. By planning your experiences early, documenting them carefully, and presenting them clearly, you significantly strengthen your ortho match prospects and give programs a clear reason to invest in you for the next five years.