Essential CV Building Tips for DO Graduates in Emergency Medicine Residency

Understanding the Purpose of Your EM Residency CV as a DO Graduate

Your CV is not just a list of experiences; it is a strategic document that tells program directors, “I am ready to thrive in Emergency Medicine.” For a DO graduate, especially in the single accreditation system, your CV is also a subtle advocate for your osteopathic training, clinical readiness, and fit for high-acuity, team-based care.

Compared with the ERAS application, your CV serves several key purposes:

• It’s often reviewed before or alongside your ERAS file during holistic review.
• It’s used during interviews as a quick reference by faculty who may not have read your full application.
• It’s required for away rotations, scholarship applications, research projects, and letters of recommendation.
• It gives you control over how your narrative is structured, beyond ERAS categories.

For Emergency Medicine (EM), where programs often receive thousands of applications, a strong, well-organized CV helps your application stand out by clearly showcasing:

• Clinical readiness for the EM match
• Procedural and resuscitation experience
• Adaptability, composure, and teamwork under pressure
• Osteopathic distinctiveness (e.g., OMT, holistic care, communication skill set)

Your goal is to create a CV that is:

• Clear: Easy to skim quickly
• Relevant: Prioritizes EM-oriented content
• Professional: Free of errors, consistent, and visually clean
• Strategic: Amplifies strengths and minimizes gaps

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Core Structure: What Your EM Residency CV Must Include

Think of your CV as a standardized, predictable document. Program directors don’t want creativity in layout; they want clarity and consistency. Below is a recommended structure specifically tailored to a DO graduate pursuing Emergency Medicine.

1. Contact Information and Professional Header

Place this at the top, centered or left-aligned:

• Full name (as it appears in ERAS)
• Degrees (e.g., John A. Smith, DO)
• Phone number (professional voicemail)
• Professional email (e.g., firstname.lastname@domain.com)
• City, state (you can omit full address)
• LinkedIn or professional website (optional, only if up-to-date and polished)

Residency CV tips:

• Don’t include nicknames unless used consistently in professional settings.
• Use a neutral, non-institution-specific email (Gmail or similar).
• No photos or headshots on the CV—U.S. residency programs do not expect or need this here.

2. Education

List in reverse chronological order:

• DO medical school: Full institution name, city, state, dates (start–anticipated graduation)
• Undergraduate: Degree, major, institution, city, state, graduation date
• Additional degrees or certificates (e.g., MPH, MBA)

Include selected highlights if they are strong and relevant:

• Class rank or quartile (if available and favorable)
• Honors (e.g., Cum Laude, Dean’s List)
• Thesis titles (if clinically or EM relevant)

Avoid crowding this section with minor distinctions; keep it high-yield.

3. Medical Licensure and Board Exams

This area is particularly important for DO graduates:

• COMLEX Level 1, Level 2 CE, Level 2 PE (if applicable), Level 3 (if taken)
• USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK (if taken)

Format example:

• COMLEX Level 1: Passed, 2023
• COMLEX Level 2 CE: Score: XXX, 2024
• USMLE Step 2 CK: Score: XXX, 2024 (if taken)

If scores are weaker, you can list as Pass without highlighting score, but be consistent across exams.

Include:

• State license (if you have a training or full license)
• DEA / ACLS/PALS/ATLS (certifications can go in their own section, but listing ATLS under EM-focused credentials is valuable)

4. Clinical Experience and Rotations

This is often where EM programs focus first for an osteopathic residency match candidate.

Create separate subsections:

a. Emergency Medicine Rotations

Include:

• Institution name, department, city, state
• Dates (month/year)
• Type: Core EM, Sub-Internship (Sub-I), Away EM rotation, EM elective
• Grade or evaluation highlight (if strong and available)

Example:

Emergency Medicine Sub-Internship – Level 1 Trauma Center
University Hospital, City, State — 07/2024

• Managed 10–15 patients per shift under supervision, including sepsis, acute coronary syndrome, and polytrauma
• Performed over 25 procedures (laceration repairs, splinting, I&Ds, wound management)
• Received “Outstanding” in professionalism and clinical judgment on final evaluation

b. Other Clinical Rotations

Summarize briefly:

• Internal Medicine, ICU, Surgery, Pediatrics, OB/GYN, etc.
• You don’t need bullet points for every rotation; reserve details for those strengthening your EM narrative (e.g., ICU, anesthesia, trauma surgery).

DO-specific tip:
If you had osteopathic-focused inpatient rotations where OMT was used in acute or subacute care, mention it:

Integrated OMT for musculoskeletal complaints and respiratory optimization in hospitalized patients with COPD and pneumonia.

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Highlighting EM-Relevant Strengths as a DO Graduate

To succeed in the EM match, your CV must make it easy for reviewers to see your EM identity and your readiness for shift-based, high-acuity work.

1. Clinical Skills & Procedures

EM programs value procedural readiness. Create a Procedures & Clinical Skills section, especially if your rotations tracked these.

Group them:

• Airway & Resuscitation: Bag-valve-mask ventilation, basic airway management, assisting with intubations
• Vascular Access: Peripheral IV placement, arterial puncture, assisting with central lines
• Wound & Ortho: Laceration repair, splinting, joint reductions (assisted/performed)
• Bedside Diagnostics: POCUS exposure (eFAST, cardiac, biliary, DVT—whether observed, assisted, or independently performed)

Format:

Procedures & Skills (Approximate Numbers)

• Laceration repairs: 30+ (independently performed)
• Splinting and immobilization: 20+
• I&D of abscesses: 10+
• Peripheral IV placement: 50+
• Exposure to POCUS in EFAST, cardiac, aorta: assisted in 25+ exams

Be honest. Overinflated or fabricated numbers can be obvious.

2. Osteopathic Identity and OMT

As a DO graduate, you can strengthen your residency CV by showing how your osteopathic training enhances EM care.

Options to include:

• A short Osteopathic Training & Skills subsection:
  • Note OMT courses completed, any OMT-focused leadership or clinics.
  • Highlight how you’ve used OMT in acute or urgent care (e.g., headache, back pain, rib dysfunction affecting breathing).

Example:

Osteopathic Clinical Skills

• Applied OMT for acute neck and low back pain in urgent care settings, improving pain and mobility without escalation of opioid use.
• Integrated structural exams in patients presenting with chest wall pain to distinguish musculoskeletal from cardiac etiologies.

This is particularly valuable for DO graduate residency applications where programs appreciate holistic assessment and non-pharmacologic management—both highly relevant in the ED.

3. Research and Scholarly Activity

Even if you don’t have massive research experience, you should present whatever you do have clearly:

Create subsections:

• Peer-Reviewed Publications
• Abstracts & Posters
• Oral Presentations
• Quality Improvement & Education Projects

Use standard citation format; bold your name in author lists.

Example:

Smith JA, Patel R, Nguyen T. Implementation of a Triage Sepsis Protocol in a Community ED: A Quality Improvement Project. Ann Emerg Med. 2024; XX(X):XX–XX. (Submitted)

If you have case reports, EM interest group projects, or chart reviews, include them—particularly anything that shows:

• Familiarity with EM literature
• Engagement with acute care topics
• QI projects related to throughput, triage, sepsis, stroke, or trauma pathways

If you don’t yet have EM-specific research, it’s still helpful to show any scholarly work, then consider how to build EM-relevant experience before applications (see further below).

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Building and Strengthening Your CV Before the EM Match

If you’re still in school or in a gap year, you can strategically answer: “How to build CV for residency—especially EM—as a DO?” by focusing on a few high-impact categories.

1. Clinical and Elective Strategy

For a strong osteopathic residency match in EM:

• Prioritize at least two EM rotations:
  • One at your home or core site (if available)
  • One away rotation at a program you’re seriously interested in

On these rotations, deliberately build experiences that translate well onto your CV:

• Ask to be involved in codes, resuscitations, and traumas
• Seek opportunities to perform supervised procedures
• Ask attendings for feedback and save strong evaluation quotes for future use in letters and your personal statement

Bullet-point ideas for your CV:

• “Actively participated in trauma activations, contributing to primary surveys and documentation.”
• “Engaged in daily ED sign-out, presenting patient cases succinctly and developing differential diagnoses.”

2. EM-Focused Extracurriculars

To distinguish yourself among EM match candidates:

Join or lead an EM Interest Group (EMIG):

• Leadership titles (President, Vice President, Education Chair) belong on your CV.
• Describe impact, not just participation:
  • “Organized monthly simulation sessions for 30+ students on airway management and trauma resuscitation.”

Volunteer roles relevant to EM:

• EMS ride-alongs
• Disaster preparedness drills
• Community CPR or naloxone training events
• ED-based volunteer or patient liaison roles (if allowed)

On your CV, emphasize:

• Acute care exposure
• Communication under stress
• Systems thinking (coordination with EMS, hospital triage, etc.)

3. Teaching and Mentoring

Teaching experience signals leadership and communication—critical in Emergency Medicine.

Examples to include:

• Peer tutor in anatomy, physiology, or OMM
• Small group facilitator for first- or second-year students
• EM skills workshops (e.g., suturing, splinting)

Describe:

• Audience size
• Frequency
• Any syllabi or sessions you developed

Example bullet:

• Co-led monthly first-year OMM review sessions for 20–25 students, focusing on clinical reasoning and practical skills.

4. Quality Improvement and Systems Projects

Residency programs value residents who can improve ED operations and patient safety.

Sample QI projects:

• Reducing door-to-antibiotic time for sepsis
• Improving handoff documentation between ED and inpatient teams
• Streamlining ED discharge instructions for asthma or chest pain

When adding to your CV:

• State the problem, intervention, and outcome if available.
• Mention if you used PDSA cycles, data analysis, or EMR reporting.

Example:

• Collaborated with ED leadership on a QI initiative to standardize sepsis screening, reducing average time-to-antibiotics by 18% over 6 months.

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Formatting, Style, and Common Pitfalls in EM Residency CVs

A strong CV is not just content; it’s also presentation. Many otherwise qualified DO graduates weaken their applications with cluttered, inconsistent, or overly long CVs.

1. Length and Layout

Aim for:

• 2–4 pages for a typical DO graduate residency CV
• Use 11–12 pt font (Calibri, Arial, Times New Roman)
• 0.5–1 inch margins
• Consistent section titles (bold, all caps, or slightly larger font)

Use clear headings:

• EDUCATION
• LICENSURE & BOARD EXAMS
• CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
• RESEARCH & SCHOLARSHIP
• LEADERSHIP & SERVICE
• TEACHING EXPERIENCE
• HONORS & AWARDS
• PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
• SKILLS & CERTIFICATIONS

2. Bullet Points that Show Impact

Every bullet point should answer: “So what?”

Weak:

• “Participated in EM interest group meetings.”

Stronger:

• “Coordinated monthly EM interest group sessions, increasing student participation from 10 to 30+ over one academic year.”

Use action verbs:

• Led, organized, coordinated, developed, implemented, analyzed, taught, mentored, collaborated, presented.

Whenever possible, quantify:

• Number of students, patients, events, or months
• Percent changes in a metric (throughput, attendance, etc.)

3. Consistency and Professionalism

For an Emergency Medicine residency, attention to detail is non-negotiable.

Check for:

• Consistent date format (e.g., “Aug 2023 – May 2024”)
• Uniform use of city, state abbreviations
• Matching bullet style and indentation
• Spelling of institution names and credentials

Have:

• At least one mentor or advisor review your CV
• A non-medical friend scan for formatting issues (they often notice visual problems easily)

4. Avoiding Common Mistakes

Overloading with pre-med achievements:
Your medical student CV should emphasize medical school–era experiences. Include earlier activities only if they are:

• Highly significant (e.g., national awards, military service)
• Directly relevant to EM (e.g., paramedic or EMT experience)

Including personal information:
Do NOT include:

• Photo
• Date of birth
• Marital status
• Immigration status (can be addressed elsewhere if needed)

Using casual language or humor:
Your CV is a professional document; save personality and narrative voice for your personal statement and interviews.

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Tailoring Your CV for Emergency Medicine Programs

You won’t rewrite your CV for each program, but you can slightly tailor it to emphasize Emergency Medicine and your DO strengths.

1. Ordering Your Sections Strategically

For EM:

1. Contact / Header
2. Education
3. Licensure & Board Exams
4. Emergency Medicine Clinical Experience
5. Procedures & Clinical Skills
6. Research & Scholarly Activity (EM-focused projects first)
7. Leadership & Service (EM-related first)
8. Teaching
9. Honors & Awards
10. Professional Memberships & Interests

This ordering helps reviewers quickly see why you belong in their ED.

2. Aligning with Program Priorities

If you know a program emphasizes:

• Community EM: Highlight community volunteer work, EMS collaboration, and underserved care.
• Ultrasound or Critical Care: Move POCUS experience or ICU rotation details higher in your clinical or skills sections.
• Education: Emphasize teaching roles, curriculum development, or sim lab involvement.

3. Integrating Your CV with the Rest of Your Application

Your CV should echo but not duplicate your ERAS entries and personal statement:

• Use the CV to organize global themes (e.g., EM commitment, osteopathic approach, leadership).
• Use the personal statement to tell the story behind some of those bullet points.
• Ensure dates, titles, and roles are identical across all documents.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Do I need a separate CV if I already completed my ERAS application?

Yes. While ERAS holds your official application, many EM programs, letter writers, and away rotation sites will ask for a traditional CV. It also gives you more control over:

• Section order
• Visual hierarchy
• Emphasis on EM-specific strengths and your osteopathic training

Think of the CV as a polished, customizable summary that complements your ERAS profile.

2. How can I strengthen my CV for Emergency Medicine if I don’t have much research?

Research is helpful but not mandatory for a successful EM match. You can build a strong profile by emphasizing:

• Robust EM rotations (home and away)
• EMS or acute care exposure (volunteering, scribing, EMT experience)
• Leadership in EM interest groups or student organizations
• Quality improvement projects related to ED flow, sepsis, stroke, or trauma
• Teaching and mentoring activities

If you have limited time, prioritize high-yield EM clinical and QI experiences over trying to start a large research project late.

3. How should I list my osteopathic skills and OMT on my residency CV?

Create a short Osteopathic Skills or Osteopathic Clinical Training subsection. Focus on how OMT and osteopathic principles impacted patient care, especially in acute or urgent settings:

• Describe specific OMT applications (e.g., rib raising in COPD patients, somatic dysfunction evaluation in chest pain).
• Connect osteopathic training to EM-relevant skills: holistic assessment, musculoskeletal differentiation, pain management, communication.

This highlights your distinct value as a DO graduate while maintaining relevance to Emergency Medicine.

4. What are the biggest red flags or pitfalls on a DO graduate residency CV for EM?

Common concerns include:

• Disorganized or excessively long CVs (5–6+ pages) without clear structure
• Inconsistent dates, titles, or institution names compared with ERAS
• Overemphasis on pre-med activities with little medical school or EM content
• Typos, grammatical errors, or formatting inconsistencies
• Vague, non-impactful bullet points (“helped with” instead of “led,” “coordinated,” etc.)

Address these by prioritizing EM-relevant content, tightening your language, and having multiple reviewers check your document.

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By approaching your CV as a strategic, EM-focused narrative of your training and strengths as a DO graduate, you can present yourself as a highly prepared, distinct, and reliable future Emergency Medicine resident. Your CV should help reviewers immediately understand: who you are, what you’ve done, and why you are ready to thrive in their emergency department.