Essential CV Building Tips for Non-US Citizen IMGs in PM&R Residency

Understanding the PM&R Residency CV as a Non‑US Citizen IMG

As a non-US citizen IMG (international medical graduate) targeting Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, your CV is more than a summary of your training—it is evidence that you understand the culture of US graduate medical education, can clearly communicate your achievements, and already think like a future physiatrist.

Program directors in PM&R often say they quickly scan a CV to answer a few questions:

• Has this applicant demonstrated real interest in PM&R?
• Can they work in a multidisciplinary, patient-centered environment?
• Do they have the academic and clinical foundation to succeed in a busy residency?
• For a foreign national medical graduate, do they show reliability, adaptability, and commitment to US training?

Your goal is to build and format your CV so those answers are obvious within seconds.

This article focuses on how to build a CV for residency in PM&R specifically as a non-US citizen IMG, with practical, actionable residency CV tips you can start using immediately.

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Core Principles of a Strong PM&R Residency CV

Before diving into sections and formatting, anchor your CV in a few core principles that matter for the physiatry match.

1. PM&R-Relevant, Not Just “Impressive”

Many non-US citizen IMGs pack their medical student CV with anything that looks competitive: random observerships, unrelated research, and long lists of courses. For PM&R, you’re better served by depth of relevant experiences than breadth of unrelated activities.

Ask of each entry:
“Does this help a PD see me as a future physiatrist?”

Relevant experiences often include:

• Rehabilitation medicine, neurology, orthopedics, sports medicine
• Chronic disease management, disability, pain, function
• Team-based care, communication, and patient education
• Longitudinal care, quality of life, community reintegration

2. Clarity and Professionalism Over Flashiness

For a foreign national medical graduate applying to PM&R, clear, US-style formatting is essential:

• Reverse chronological order (most recent first)
• Consistent date formats (e.g., “Jul 2023 – Jun 2024”)
• No photos, colors, or graphics
• Simple, readable font (if you’re submitting a PDF outside ERAS)

Program directors may view dozens of applications per hour. Your CV should be:

• Skimmable
• Well-organized
• Free of grammar or spelling errors

3. Evidence of Professional Growth

Competitive PM&R applicants show a trajectory:

• Early exposure → deeper rotations → research/leadership → teaching, QI, or advocacy
• Local opportunities → national or international involvement when possible

You want your CV to tell a narrative of consistent interest and increasing responsibility in rehabilitation-related fields.

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Essential Sections for a PM&R Residency CV

Your CV should include the following sections in this approximate order. These recommendations apply whether it is an ERAS CV or a supplemental CV you might email to programs or mentors.

1. Contact Information and Personal Details

Keep this simple and professional:

• Full name (matching all official documents)
• Current mailing address (US address if you have one during rotations)
• Professional email (e.g., firstname.lastname@domain.com)
• Phone number with country code
• Optional: LinkedIn profile (only if updated and professional)

Avoid including:

• Photo
• Date of birth
• Marital status
• National ID numbers

If you are a non-US citizen IMG, do not write your visa status here; that belongs in the application system or personal statement. If you mention it at all, do so briefly and factually (e.g., “Eligible for J-1 visa sponsorship”).

2. Education

For a foreign national medical graduate, this section is foundational. List:

• Medical school name, city, country
• Degree (e.g., MD, MBBS, or equivalent)
• Dates attended (month/year – month/year)
• Graduation status (Expected or Actual graduation date)
• Class rank (if strong and available, e.g., “Top 10% of class”)
• Honors (e.g., “Distinction in Internal Medicine, Surgery”)

If you have additional degrees:

• Bachelor’s degree (with major)
• Master’s or PhD (especially if in related fields such as neuroscience, kinesiology, biomechanics, public health)

Example format:

Medical University of X, City, Country
Doctor of Medicine (MD), Expected Jul 2025

• Class Rank: 15/220 (Top 10%)
• Honors: Distinction in Neurology, Orthopedics

3. US Clinical Experience (USCE)

For the physiatry match, USCE is critical for IMGs. Separate it clearly as “US Clinical Experience” to show residency programs you understand its importance.

Include:

• Title: “Clinical Elective in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation,” “Inpatient Rehabilitation Observership,” etc.
• Institution, department
• City, state, country
• Dates (month/year – month/year)
• Type: hands-on elective vs observership
• 2–4 bullet points focused on responsibilities and skills, not just tasks

PM&R-Focused Example:

Inpatient PM&R Elective – University Hospital, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
City, State, USA | Aug 2024 – Sep 2024

• Participated in daily multidisciplinary rounds managing 15–20 inpatients with stroke, spinal cord injury, and TBI.
• Performed functional assessments under supervision using FIM scores and assisted in designing individualized rehab plans.
• Observed EMG and spasticity management clinics (including botulinum toxin injections); presented two short talks on spasticity and neuropathic pain.

If you lack PM&R-specific USCE, highlight related fields:

• Neurology, orthopedics, sports medicine, pain management, geriatrics
• Inpatient medicine or ICU with functional/rehab-related aspects

4. International Clinical Experience / Core Rotations

Because you are a non-US citizen IMG, programs know most of your clinical training occurs outside the US. Summarize key rotations, emphasizing those linked to PM&R:

• Neurology, orthopedic surgery, rheumatology
• ICU, geriatrics, pediatrics (with rehab-relevant content)
• Psychiatry (chronic pain, functional disorders)

You don’t need to list every rotation. Focus on subinternships, electives, or roles with greater responsibility, especially where you:

• Led a team or presented at rounds
• Took primary responsibility for patients
• Worked on discharge planning or long-term functional outcomes

5. Research and Scholarly Activity

Research is not mandatory to match PM&R, but it can significantly strengthen a medical student CV for residency, especially for a foreign national medical graduate.

a. Research Experience (Projects)

List each project separately:

• Project title or topic
• Role (e.g., Research Assistant, Co-investigator)
• Institution and department
• Supervisor’s name (when helpful)
• Dates
• 2–4 bullet points describing what you did and what skills you used or gained

PM&R-Relevant Examples:

• Studying functional outcomes after stroke rehabilitation
• Investigating predictors of falls in older adults
• Projects on chronic low back pain, musculoskeletal disorders, or sports injuries
• Quality improvement in rehab units (reducing readmissions, improving therapy adherence)

Focus your bullets on:

• Study design, data collection, chart review
• Statistical methods (even if basic)
• Presentations and outcomes (poster, abstract, thesis)

b. Publications

Use a consistent citation style (e.g., AMA). Separate into:

• Peer-reviewed journal articles
• Abstracts
• Conference proceedings
• Accepted, in-press, or submitted (clearly labeled)

Order them from most recent to oldest. Emphasize those related to PM&R, neurology, orthopedics, or disability-related topics.

c. Presentations and Posters

Conferences can be powerful signals, especially for non-US citizen IMGs. Highlight:

• National/international conferences (AAP, AAPM&R, local PM&R societies)
• University or hospital academic days

Format suggestion:

Doe J, YourLastName A, Smith K. “Functional Outcomes After Post-Stroke Inpatient Rehabilitation.” Poster presented at: 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation; Nov 2024; San Diego, CA.

If few or no PM&R-focused presentations exist, include other topics but mention how they relate to:

• Chronic disease management
• Patient quality of life
• Longitudinal outcomes

6. Teaching, Leadership, and Mentorship

PM&R is deeply collaborative and education-focused. Teaching and leadership experiences are particularly valued.

Include:

• Teaching assistant roles (anatomy, physiology, neuroanatomy)
• Peer tutoring or mentoring junior students
• Organizing journal clubs or case presentations
• Leadership in student organizations (especially neurology, ortho, rehab, sports medicine, public health, disability advocacy)

Focus bullet points on:

• Group size and frequency (“Mentored a group of 10 first-year students weekly”)
• Topics and skills taught (neurological exam, musculoskeletal exam, gait analysis)
• Measurable impact (improved exam pass rates, increased club membership)

For a non-US citizen IMG, leadership or teaching helps compensate for limited time in the US; it shows initiative, communication, and responsibility.

7. Volunteer and Extracurricular Experience

This section is where you can strongly show your long-standing interest in function, disability, and quality of life, which are central to PM&R.

Look for experiences such as:

• Volunteering at rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities, or disability support organizations
• Community-based programs for people with stroke, spinal cord injury, or developmental disabilities
• Adaptive sports events, Special Olympics, wheelchair basketball or racing events
• Pain or chronic disease support groups

Example Entry:

Volunteer – Community Stroke Support Group, City Hospital
City, Country | Jan 2022 – Dec 2023

• Facilitated monthly support sessions for 15–20 stroke survivors and caregivers, focusing on functional independence and psychosocial adjustment.
• Led education segments on fall prevention, energy conservation, and home exercise programs.

These experiences strongly connect your personal values to the PM&R philosophy.

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PM&R-Specific Strategies to Strengthen Your CV as a Non‑US Citizen IMG

1. Intentionally Build PM&R Exposure (Even Outside Formal Rotations)

As a foreign national medical graduate, you may have limited formal PM&R rotations in your home country. You can still construct a strong PM&R story:

• Seek out rehab units at your teaching hospital and ask to shadow physiatrists or senior therapists.
• Ask neurology or orthopedic attendings about PM&R clinics or consult services you can join.
• Participate in rehab team meetings (if available) and note this on your CV.

Even short experiences—if properly framed—show initiative.

Example CV bullet:

• Shadowed inpatient rehab multidisciplinary rounds (PM&R, PT, OT, SLP) weekly for 3 months; observed goal-setting and functional outcome tracking in post-stroke patients.

2. Align Research and Quality Improvement with PM&R Themes

If it’s too difficult to join formal PM&R research, direct your existing or future research toward function and outcomes, which are central physiatry interests:

• Functional status after trauma, stroke, or surgery
• Chronic pain and non-opioid management approaches
• Falls, frailty, and functional decline in geriatrics
• Musculoskeletal injuries in athletes or workers

When writing CV bullets, use PM&R language:

• “Functional outcomes,” “activities of daily living (ADLs),” “mobility,” “participation,” “independence,” “quality of life,” “return to work,” “assistive devices.”

This makes your background clearly translatable to PM&R.

3. Develop Skills That Physiatrists Use Daily

Even if your rotations are not labeled “PM&R,” highlight skills physiatrists value:

• Neurologic and musculoskeletal examinations
• Gait analysis and balance assessment
• Chronic pain assessment and biopsychosocial approach
• Interdisciplinary communication and care coordination

Translate your experiences:

Instead of:
“Completed internal medicine ward rotation, caring for 15 patients daily.”

Try:
“Managed inpatients with stroke, heart failure, and COPD; participated in discharge planning focusing on functional status, fall risk, and home support.”

4. Use Your International Perspective as a Strength

As a non-US citizen IMG, you bring unique insights into:

• Rehabilitation in low-resource settings
• Cultural attitudes toward disability
• Family and community-based care models
• Global health and disability advocacy

Create a CV section for “Global Health and Disability-Related Activities” if you have:

• Projects or electives in rural rehabilitation
• Work with NGOs serving people with disabilities
• Advocacy for accessible environments or inclusive education

Programs in PM&R increasingly value diversity and global understanding of disability.

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Formatting, Style, and Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Keep the Structure Clean and Consistent

Common structure:

1. Contact Information
2. Education
3. US Clinical Experience
4. International Clinical Experience / Core Rotations
5. Research and Scholarly Activity
6. Teaching and Leadership
7. Volunteer and Extracurricular Activities
8. Certifications and Courses
9. Skills and Languages

Use:

• Consistent date alignment (all on the right or left)
• One style for headings and subheadings
• Bullet points starting with strong action verbs: “led,” “coordinated,” “analyzed,” “developed,” “presented,” “assisted,” “implemented”

2. Tailor for PM&R Without Over-Claiming

Do not exaggerate your PM&R experience. Instead:

• Accurately describe your role (observer vs hands-on).
• State “observed” if you did not independently manage patients.
• Avoid implying procedural competence (e.g., injections, EMG) unless formally trained and supervised, and even then use careful language: “Observed,” “Assisted with,” “Participated in.”

Honesty builds trust; PM&R is a small specialty and many attendings know each other.

3. Translate Non-US Systems for US Reviewers

For a non-US citizen IMG, some terms may not be familiar. Clarify:

• Replace unfamiliar titles with approximate US equivalents in parentheses:
  “House Officer (equivalent to PGY-1)”
• Explain grading honors briefly if unusual:
  “Gold Medal (top ranking in class)”

Avoid acronyms that are local and not internationally recognized, or spell them out in full first.

4. Don’t Overload with Irrelevant Detail

Program directors don’t need:

• Every conference you simply attended
• Every minor duty in a rotation
• Non-medical jobs from many years ago (unless they strongly show transferable skills like leadership or overcoming hardship)

Prioritize content that:

• Supports your PM&R interest
• Demonstrates academic capability
• Highlights professionalism and teamwork

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Action Plan: Step-by-Step CV Building for PM&R as a Non‑US Citizen IMG

To make this practical, here is a staged plan over 12–18 months before you apply.

9–18 Months Before Application

• Identify at least one PM&R elective or observership you can realistically obtain (home country or US).
• Seek research in neurology, musculoskeletal medicine, or rehab-related outcomes.
• Join or start a student interest group related to PM&R, neurology, or orthopedics.
• Begin volunteering with people living with disability or chronic illness.

Update your CV every 2–3 months so you do not forget details.

6–9 Months Before Application

• Finalize US clinical experience dates and documentation.
• Submit abstracts to conferences (even local) with PM&R-related topics.
• Ask mentors for feedback specifically on your CV, focusing on US readability and PM&R alignment.

3–6 Months Before Application

• Polish CV formatting; correct all language/grammar.
• Prioritize the most PM&R-relevant experiences near the top of each section.
• Ensure consistency between what appears on your ERAS application, your CV, and your personal statement.

0–3 Months Before Application

• Make final updates: new presentations, electives, or certifications.
• Save a PDF version to send to letter writers or PM&R mentors.
• Practice describing your CV entries out loud—your interviews will reference them heavily.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Do I need publications to match into PM&R as a non-US citizen IMG?

Publications are not mandatory, but they add value, especially for a foreign national medical graduate. Programs primarily want to see:

• Genuine interest and exposure to PM&R
• Strong US clinical experience (ideally in PM&R or related specialties)
• Solid clinical performance and professionalism

If you lack publications, try to have some scholarly activity: posters, small projects, presentations, case reports, or QI projects. Make them as PM&R-related as possible (function, outcomes, disability, pain, musculoskeletal issues).

2. How much PM&R experience is “enough” on my CV?

There is no fixed number, but a competitive PM&R residency CV for an IMG often includes:

• At least one PM&R elective or observership (US preferred, but home-country experience is still valuable)
• Supplementary related rotations in neurology, orthopedics, or sports medicine
• At least one or two experiences (research, volunteer, leadership) specifically tied to disability, rehab, or chronic disease management

If you cannot obtain a US PM&R elective, maximize everything else: neurology/ortho USCE, disability-focused volunteer work, and research that touches on function and outcomes.

3. Should I include non-medical jobs or activities on my residency CV?

Include non-medical work if it demonstrates:

• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Long-term commitment
• Overcoming hardship
• Unique skills relevant to medicine (coaching athletes, working with disabled children, etc.)

For example, coaching an adaptive sports team, working in community outreach, or experience that built empathy and communication can be very relevant to PM&R. Avoid long lists of very short, unrelated jobs.

4. How is a residency CV different from the ERAS application?

ERAS collects your information into structured fields, but a separate CV can still be useful:

• To send directly to mentors or potential letter writers
• For emails to programs (e.g., expressing interest, updating them)
• For fellowship or research applications later on

Your residency CV should mirror ERAS content, but it can be:

• Slightly more detailed in bullet points
• Better organized to highlight PM&R themes
• Customized if you need to emphasize a particular aspect (e.g., research for academic programs)

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By deliberately shaping your medical student CV with PM&R in mind—and tailoring it to the expectations for a non-US citizen IMG—you transform your experiences into a clear, compelling story: one that shows you not only want to be a physiatrist, but are already thinking, acting, and growing like one.