Essential CV Building Tips for DO Graduates in Vascular Surgery Residency

Your CV as a DO graduate applying to vascular surgery residency is more than a list of accomplishments—it’s your professional narrative, evidence that you are ready for a technically demanding, high‑stakes specialty. Vascular surgery program directors often review hundreds of applications, and many will spend less than a minute on an initial CV scan. A strategically structured, focused document can determine whether you get an interview or are quickly filtered out.

This guide walks you through how to build a strong CV for vascular surgery as a DO graduate, whether you’re targeting an integrated vascular program (0+5) or traditional vascular surgery residency (5+2) after general surgery. You’ll find specific residency CV tips, osteopathic‑specific strategies, and examples tailored to your goals.

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1. Understand What Vascular Surgery Programs Look For in a CV

Before you decide how to build a CV for residency, you need to understand what vascular surgery program directors care about—especially for a DO graduate.

1.1 Core priorities for vascular surgery programs

Across both MD and DO applicants, vascular surgery program directors commonly look for:

• Strong academic performance

  • Solid COMLEX/USMLE scores (especially if you’re a DO who also took USMLE)
  • Honors or strong performance in surgery and critical care
  • Evidence of consistent effort and reliability

• Demonstrated commitment to vascular surgery

  • Vascular electives or sub‑internships (away rotations)
  • Shadowing or early exposure to vascular surgeons
  • CV content that consistently points to vascular interest, not just “general surgery”

• Technical and procedural aptitude

  • Reports or comments on technical skills from surgery rotations
  • Simulation lab involvement, skills courses, or workshops
  • Participation in suture clinics or vascular lab experiences

• Scholarly activity relevant to vascular surgery

  • Research in vascular, endovascular, cardiology, interventional radiology, or related fields
  • QI projects (e.g., CLABSI reduction, limb salvage pathways, DVT prophylaxis protocols)
  • Presentations or posters at vascular or surgical meetings

• Professionalism and teamwork

  • Long‑term commitments (leadership roles, ongoing volunteer work)
  • Evidence of reliability (e.g., climbing responsibilities over time)
  • Peer mentoring, teaching roles, or committee work

1.2 DO‑specific considerations in vascular surgery

As a DO graduate in vascular surgery, you face two key realities:

1. You may be less familiar to some academic vascular programs.
   A program that has traditionally trained mostly MDs may look for objective markers that reassure them you’ll thrive in a high‑intensity surgical training environment—scores, rigorous rotations, research, and strong letters.

2. Your osteopathic background can be an asset—but only if framed correctly.
   Use your CV to show:

   • Holistic patient care
   • Comfort with complex, multi‑comorbid patients (common in vascular surgery)
   • Commitment to continuity of care and long‑term follow‑up

Your CV’s job is to bridge any perceived gaps and make it clear that you are not only capable of surgical training but specifically aligned with the culture and demands of vascular surgery residency.

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2. Structure and Formatting: Building a Residency-Ready CV Framework

A clear, professional structure is essential. A disorganized CV suggests disorganized clinical work. Before you worry about content, make sure the framework is solid.

2.1 Recommended CV sections for a vascular surgery applicant

Use this general order, which works well for a medical student CV or early graduate CV applying to an integrated vascular program:

1. Contact Information
2. Education
3. Exams & Certifications
4. Clinical Experience / Rotations (Surgery & Vascular Focused)
5. Research & Scholarly Activity
6. Presentations & Posters
7. Publications
8. Leadership & Professional Involvement
9. Teaching & Mentoring
10. Awards & Honors
11. Volunteer & Community Service
12. Technical Skills & Additional Training
13. Interests (brief, optional)

For a DO who first matches general surgery and later applies to a vascular surgery residency (5+2), you’ll also have:

• Postgraduate Training (Internship/Residency) near the top, just after Education.

2.2 Formatting principles that signal professionalism

• Length: 2–4 pages is typical for a residency CV with research; more than 5 pages can feel unfocused for a student or new graduate.
• Font & spacing:
  • Use a clean font (Calibri, Arial, Garamond, Times New Roman, 11–12 pt).
  • Ensure consistent margins (0.5–1.0 inch) and line spacing (1.0–1.15).
• Headings: Use bold and slightly larger size for section headings; keep consistent hierarchy.
• Bullets: Use concise bullet points (1–3 lines each). Avoid paragraphs in bullets.
• Tense:
  • Present tense for current roles: “Serve as…”
  • Past tense for completed roles: “Led…,” “Developed…”
• Dates & locations: Right‑justified or clearly aligned, consistent format (e.g., “Aug 2023 – May 2024”).
• File name: Use a professional format when you upload:
  LastName_FirstName_VascularSurgery_CV.pdf

These may sound minor, but in a competitive osteopathic residency match environment, small signals of professionalism can influence a program director scanning 80 CVs in an evening.

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3. Crafting Each Section Strategically for Vascular Surgery

This is where your CV moves from generic to targeted. Below is how to approach each section with vascular surgery—and your DO background—in mind.

3.1 Contact Information

Include:

• Full name (matching ERAS)
• Professional email (e.g., firstname.lastname@…)
• Mobile phone
• City, state (optional)
• LinkedIn or professional website (optional, only if well maintained)

No photos, no personal demographic data, no unprofessional email handles.

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3.2 Education

List in reverse chronological order:

• DO degree

  • Name of osteopathic medical school, city/state
  • Month/year of graduation
  • Honors (e.g., Sigma Sigma Phi, Dean’s List), if meaningful
  • Thesis track, scholarly concentrations (if applicable—e.g., “Scholarly Concentration in Surgical Research”)

• Undergraduate education

  • Degree, major, institution, graduation date
  • High‑level honors (summa, magna, cum laude; Phi Beta Kappa)

Avoid clutter (e.g., high school details are usually unnecessary at this level).

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3.3 Exams & Certifications

As a DO graduate in the vascular surgery match, this section is critical.

Include:

• COMLEX Levels 1, 2 CE (+ 2 PE if applicable historically), and 3 (if taken)

  • Use the format: “COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE: score, percentile (if favorable), date”

• USMLE Step scores (if taken)

  • Many competitive integrated vascular programs are more accustomed to USMLE; including Step scores helps programs compare you directly to MD applicants.

• Certifications

  • BLS, ACLS, ATLS (if held), Ultrasound courses, Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) or Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery (FES) if completed.

Strategy tip (DO specific):
If COMLEX scores are strong but USMLE is modest, list both; don’t hide USMLE—it invites questions. Frame your strengths in your personal statement, but your CV should be transparent.

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3.4 Clinical Experience: Highlighting Surgical and Vascular Exposure

This is one of the most scrutinized parts when applying to an integrated vascular program.

What to include

• Core third‑year surgery rotation
• Fourth‑year advanced or sub‑I rotations:
  • General surgery
  • Vascular surgery (home or away)
  • Interventional radiology, cardiology (if vascular‑oriented)
  • SICU/Trauma ICU or Medical ICU (for critical care exposure)

How to format entries

Example entry:

Acting Intern – Vascular Surgery
Riverside University Hospital, Department of Surgery – Vascular Service, City, State
Aug 2024 – Sep 2024

• Managed pre‑ and post‑operative care of patients undergoing open and endovascular procedures including carotid endarterectomy, infrainguinal bypass, EVAR, and limb‑saving interventions.
• First assisted in OR cases under supervision; practiced vessel exposure, suturing, and graft handling.
• Participated in daily vascular lab review and multidisciplinary limb salvage rounds.

Use 2–4 bullet points per entry, emphasizing:

• Type of patients and procedures seen
• Your responsibilities (not just what the team did)
• Any leadership or teaching you took on (e.g., orienting other students)

For DO graduates, away rotations at ACGME vascular surgery or strong academic general surgery programs are especially powerful signals on your CV.

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3.5 Research & Scholarly Activity: Making Your Work Vascular-Relevant

You do not need a PhD or dozens of publications, but vascular surgery is research‑sensitive. Programs like to see curiosity, data literacy, and follow‑through.

What counts as relevant research?

Include:

• Vascular surgery research (clinical, outcomes, QI)
• Cardiology, interventional radiology, stroke, atherosclerosis, diabetes complications
• Surgical QI and outcomes research (SSI reduction, ERAS protocols, DVT prophylaxis, ICU pathways)

Organize entries as:

Research Title (or Project Topic)
Institution, Department, City, State
Role: e.g., Student Investigator, Research Fellow | Dates
Mentor: Dr. [Name], MD/DO

• Briefly describe hypothesis or main goal
• List your responsibilities (data collection, chart review, analysis, abstract writing)
• Note outcomes (abstract accepted, manuscript submitted, poster presented)

If you did a dedicated research year before or after graduation, label it clearly:

Research Fellow – Vascular Surgery Outcomes
University Hospital Vascular Surgery Division, City, State
Jul 2023 – Jun 2024

Focus less on volume, more on depth and impact. One or two well‑developed vascular projects can be more impressive than a dozen unrelated case reports.

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3.6 Presentations, Posters & Publications

Your medical student CV should separate these categories, especially for vascular surgery where academic visibility matters.

• Publications

  • Peer‑reviewed journal articles (accepted or in press)
  • Book chapters (surgical or vascular, if any)
  • Use standard citation format; bold your name.

• Presentations & Posters

  • National meetings (e.g., SVS, VESS) carry significant weight.
  • Regional and institutional research days also matter.
  • Indicate:
    • Title
    • Authors
    • Meeting/organization
    • Location
    • Date
    • Type (oral vs poster)

Example:

Doe J, Smith A, Patel R. Outcomes of endovascular vs open repair for popliteal artery aneurysms in a community teaching hospital. Society for Vascular Surgery Vascular Annual Meeting (Poster), Chicago, IL, Jun 2024.

This shows direct alignment with vascular surgery and your ability to carry projects to completion.

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3.7 Leadership & Professional Involvement

Programs want residents who will become leaders in the field. As a DO graduate, this section also demonstrates your initiative within both osteopathic and broader surgical communities.

Examples to include:

• Vascular or surgery interest group leader
• Class leadership (student government, curriculum committees)
• Osteopathic professional organizations:
  • ACOI, ACOS, state osteopathic societies
• Roles within QI or patient safety committees

Format entries similar to jobs:

President, Surgery & Vascular Surgery Interest Group
XYZ College of Osteopathic Medicine, Jul 2022 – May 2023

• Organized suture workshops, vascular case conferences, and a “Careers in Vascular Surgery” panel with local fellowship‑trained surgeons.
• Coordinated resident‑student mentorship pairings for 25 pre‑clinical students.

Show outcomes, not just titles.

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3.8 Teaching & Mentoring

Teaching is a core competency for academic and many community vascular programs.

Include:

• Peer tutoring (anatomy, OMM, physiology, etc.)
• Clinical skills precepting for OMS‑I/II students
• Lab teaching assistant roles
• Workshop leadership (e.g., suturing, ultrasound)

Highlight:

• Number of learners (approximate)
• Frequency (weekly, monthly, ad hoc)
• Any formal feedback or recognition if available

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3.9 Awards & Honors

List meaningful honors related to:

• Academic excellence
• Clinical performance (e.g., “Outstanding Student in Surgery”)
• Research awards (best poster, best oral presentation)
• Leadership or service

Avoid overloading this section with minor certificates; focus on items that will matter to a reviewer in 10 seconds.

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3.10 Volunteer & Community Service

For vascular surgery, this section shows:

• Comfort with chronic disease populations
• Commitment to underserved communities, which often parallels vascular patient demographics (e.g., diabetes, PAD, smoking‑related disease)

Examples:

• Free clinic work (especially with adult medicine or cardiovascular risk)
• Vascular screening events (ABI screening, carotid screenings)
• Community health education about smoking cessation, diabetes, foot care

Emphasize duration and continuity over one‑time events.

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3.11 Technical Skills & Additional Training

This is especially relevant for a vascular surgery residency applicant.

List:

• Simulation training (sim OR, vascular anastomosis models)
• Ultrasound skills (e.g., POCUS, vascular access, basic DVT scanning)
• Suture workshops, microvascular workshops (if any)
• Basic procedural exposure (arterial line placement, central lines, dialysis catheters) with caution—never overstate independence.

Example:

• Basic ultrasound competency: FAST exam, IVC assessment, vascular access under supervision.
• Simulation experience: vessel anastomosis and graft suturing on synthetic models in surgery skills lab.

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3.12 Personal Interests (Optional, but High Yield)

A brief interests section can humanize you and serve as interview ice‑breakers. Include:

• 2–4 specific, authentic interests
• Ideally align some with traits valued in surgery:
  • Endurance sports (stamina; long cases)
  • Team sports (teamwork)
  • Musical instruments (fine motor skills)
  • Long‑term hobbies (commitment, discipline)

Avoid generic terms like “travel” or “reading” without specifics.

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4. Special Strategies for DO Graduates Targeting Vascular Surgery

4.1 Bridging the DO–MD perception gap on your CV

Although the osteopathic and allopathic pathways are now unified under one accreditation system, implicit biases still exist in some competitive academic specialties. Your CV should subtly address this by:

• Demonstrating objective academic strength

  • Strong COMLEX and/or USMLE scores
  • Honors in surgery, ICU, or advanced rotations

• Showing you’ve thrived in ACGME or MD‑dominant environments

  • Away rotations at major academic centers
  • Research collaborations with MD programs

• Highlighting osteopathic strengths without making them the only focus

  • Training in holistic, patient‑centered care
  • Comfort with musculoskeletal and pain issues (common in chronic vascular disease)

4.2 Using osteopathic-specific experiences wisely

If you have significant OMM or osteopathic leadership experience:

• Include them, but de‑emphasize if your primary target is high‑acuity, procedural training.
• Frame OMM/osteopathic activities as demonstration of:
  • Teaching ability
  • Patient communication skills
  • Commitment to comprehensive care

Example:

OMM Teaching Fellow

• Taught weekly labs to first‑year students, emphasizing neuromusculoskeletal examination, communication, and patient comfort—skills directly transferable to positioning and examination of vascular surgery patients.

This makes your osteopathic background feel relevant, not separate, from your surgical trajectory.

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4.3 Tailoring your CV for different vascular pathways

Applying to an integrated vascular program (0+5) as a DO

Emphasize:

• Early commitment to vascular surgery (interest group roles, electives, research)
• Strong foundational surgery performance (sub‑I, OR experience)
• Academic metrics (boards, class rank/honors)
• Research that directly or tangentially involves vascular disease

Applying to vascular residency (5+2) after general surgery

Emphasize:

• Performance and responsibilities as a general surgery resident
• Case logs that highlight vascular or endovascular exposure
• QI projects or morbidity/mortality (M&M) work involving vascular patients
• Leadership roles within your residency program

Both groups benefit from a well‑curated medical student CV foundation, but your emphasis shifts as you accumulate postgraduate experience.

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5. Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Even strong candidates weaken their application with preventable CV errors. Watch for:

5.1 Being “busy” instead of focused

A big risk in competitive fields is trying to show involvement in everything.

Avoid:

• Long lists of unrelated activities (sports, social clubs, random short‑term volunteering)
• Many superficial research projects with no outputs

Instead:

• Prioritize experiences that connect logically to surgery/vascular care.
• Show depth (e.g., 2‑year involvement, promotion in role) over breadth.

5.2 Overstating responsibilities or independence

Programs are quick to spot exaggeration. Avoid language like:

• “Performed carotid endarterectomies”
  when you mean “assisted with exposure and closure.”

Use terms such as:

• “Assisted with…”
• “Participated in…”
• “Managed pre‑ and post‑operative care under supervision.”

Credibility is essential for a field that routinely handles life‑ and limb‑threatening disease.

5.3 Poor organization and inconsistency

Common errors:

• Inconsistent date formats
• Different citation styles across publications
• Random order of experiences (not reverse chronological)

These errors suggest inattention to detail—unacceptable in vascular surgery, where millimeters matter.

5.4 Neglecting proofreading and external review

Always:

• Run a spell‑check and grammar check.
• Ask:
  • A senior resident (ideally in vascular or general surgery),
  • A faculty mentor, and
  • A non‑medical friend (for clarity and readability) to review your CV.

They will catch jargon, typos, and logical gaps you missed.

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6. Putting It All Together: Action Plan for DO Graduates

To turn these residency CV tips into action, follow this stepwise approach.

6.1 If you are 1–2 years before applying

1. Clarify your vascular surgery interest early.

   • Join or start a vascular interest group.
   • Seek a vascular surgeon mentor and meet regularly.

2. Plan targeted clinical experiences.

   • Aim for at least one vascular elective or away rotation.
   • Seek SICU or MICU rotations with heavy vascular pathology.

3. Engage in 1–2 solid research or QI projects.

   • Preferably with potential for poster or publication.
   • Focus on vascular, cardiology, or critical care angles.

4. Document as you go.

   • Maintain a running CV or log of experiences and responsibilities.
   • Capture details (dates, mentors, project titles) before you forget.

6.2 If you are in your application year

1. Draft a full CV early.

   • Use the structure described above.
   • Don’t wait for perfection—get a working version first.

2. Refine for vascular alignment.

   • Reorder bullets to highlight vascular‑relevant content.
   • Remove outdated or low‑yield activities that add clutter.

3. Cross‑check with ERAS content.

   • Ensure that dates, titles, and descriptions match.
   • Use your CV to guide what you emphasize in the “Experiences” section.

4. Have mentors review with a vascular lens.

   • Ask: “Does this CV convincingly tell a vascular surgery story?”
   • Implement critical feedback, even if it means cutting favorite but irrelevant items.

5. Finalize and export as PDF.

   • Check formatting on multiple devices (laptop, tablet).
   • Upload well before deadlines to avoid last‑minute issues.

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FAQ: CV Building for DO Graduate in Vascular Surgery

1. How should a DO graduate list COMLEX and USMLE on a vascular surgery CV?

List both exam series clearly in a dedicated “Exams & Certifications” section. For example:

• COMLEX-USA Level 1: [score], [date]
• COMLEX-USA Level 2 CE: [score], [date]
• USMLE Step 1: [score or Pass], [date]
• USMLE Step 2 CK: [score], [date]

Do not hide USMLE scores. Many integrated vascular programs appreciate being able to directly compare you to MD applicants. If scores are average, focus on improvements over time and strengthen other parts of your CV.

2. How much research do I need on my CV to match an integrated vascular program as a DO?

There is no strict number, but 1–3 meaningful vascular‑related projects with at least one tangible outcome (poster, abstract, or publication) is very helpful. Quality beats quantity. A well‑executed project in peripheral arterial disease or endovascular outcomes can impress more than five unrelated case reports. Show continuity—multiple activities with the same vascular mentor look particularly strong.

3. Should I include osteopathic-focused activities and OMM experiences on my vascular surgery CV?

Yes, but strategically. Include major OMM roles (e.g., OMM fellow, teaching assistant, leadership in osteopathic societies) in Leadership or Teaching sections. Frame them as evidence of:

• Teaching skill
• Communication
• Hands‑on patient care

Avoid making OMM the central theme of your CV if you are targeting a technically intense procedural specialty. Your overarching story should still point clearly toward vascular surgery.

4. What’s the biggest CV mistake DO graduates make when applying to vascular surgery residency?

A common mistake is presenting a generic surgical CV that doesn’t make a clear case for vascular surgery specifically. Listing “Surgery Interest Group” without vascular‑specific experiences, research, or mentors can make your interest look late or superficial. As a DO, you especially benefit from a CV that repeatedly—and credibly—signals: “I have sought out, understood, and committed to vascular surgery.”

Align your rotations, research, leadership, and even volunteer activities around vascular themes wherever possible. A focused, coherent CV is far more powerful than a long, unfocused one in the vascular surgery match.

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By intentionally structuring your CV, aligning your experiences with vascular surgery, and showcasing the strengths of your osteopathic training, you can present a compelling, credible profile as a DO graduate ready for the demands of vascular surgery residency.