Essential CV Building Tips for DO Graduates in Medicine-Pediatrics

Understanding the Role of Your CV in the Medicine-Pediatrics Match

For a DO graduate pursuing a Med-Peds residency, your CV is more than a list of activities—it is your professional narrative. It supports every other part of your application: ERAS, personal statement, MSPE, letters, and interviews. Strong CV strategy can be especially powerful in the osteopathic residency match and in ACGME Med-Peds programs where many applicants are MDs.

In the medicine pediatrics match, program directors sift quickly through large numbers of applications. Your CV (and the way that information appears in ERAS) tells them in seconds:

• Whether you understand what Med-Peds actually is
• How consistently your experiences show commitment to dual training
• If you’ve used your DO background as a strength rather than an apology
• Whether you are likely to be a reliable, teachable, and collegial resident

This article will walk you step-by-step through how to build a CV for residency in Medicine-Pediatrics as a DO graduate. We’ll cover structure, content strategy, examples, and specific residency CV tips tailored to Med-Peds and osteopathic applicants.

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Core Principles of a Strong Med-Peds CV for DO Graduates

Before deciding what to add, delete, or reframe, anchor your CV around these core principles:

1. Med-Peds Alignment

Programs want to see that you chose Med-Peds on purpose, not as a compromise between categorical Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.

Your CV should clearly reflect:

• Significant exposure to both internal medicine and pediatrics
• Evidence that you understand chronic, complex care across the life span
• Interest in transitions of care (e.g., childhood-to-adult care, congenital conditions in adults, young adults with chronic diseases)
• Longitudinal commitment: not just a single two-week elective but a pattern across years

2. Osteopathic Identity as a Strength

As a DO graduate, you bring distinctive training:

• Holistic, patient-centered approach
• Exposure to OMM/OMT and musculoskeletal medicine
• Emphasis on communication, empathy, and continuity of care

Your CV should subtly highlight these strengths:

• Clinical experiences where you used OMT appropriately in pediatric or adult settings
• Community and primary-care-focused initiatives
• Teaching and leadership roles that demonstrate interpersonal skills

3. Clear, Concise, and Easy to Scan

Program directors often scan faster than they read. Your CV should be:

• Chronological, reverse order (most recent first)
• Free of dense paragraphs—use bullet points
• Consistent in formatting (dates, locations, titles)
• Focused: everything should support your candidacy as a Med-Peds physician

Avoid clutter (e.g., long lists of high school achievements, unrelated hobbies) unless they’re truly meaningful and sustained.

4. Impact Over Inventory

Think “impact summary,” not “activity log.” For each experience, clarify:

• Your role
• Your contributions
• Outcomes or skills gained
• Why it matters for Med-Peds training

Instead of:

“Volunteer, community clinic”

Use:

“Provided longitudinal primary care support for underserved adult and pediatric patients in a student-run DO clinic, focusing on chronic disease follow-up and preventive care.”

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Structuring Your Med-Peds Residency CV

A solid medical student CV for a DO graduate entering Med-Peds should typically include:

1. Contact Information
2. Education
3. USMLE/COMLEX and Certifications (optional section on CV, always included in ERAS)
4. Clinical Experience (including sub-internships and key rotations)
5. Research & Scholarly Activity
6. Teaching & Leadership
7. Service, Advocacy, and Community Engagement
8. Honors & Awards
9. Professional Memberships
10. Skills & Interests (brief, curated)

Below is how to build each section effectively.

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1. Contact Information

Top of the CV; keep it straightforward and professional:

• Full name (match ERAS exactly)
• Professional email (e.g., firstname.lastname@domain.com)
• Phone number
• City and state (full address optional)
• LinkedIn or personal professional website (optional but can be helpful if polished and updated)

Avoid including:

• Photo (ERAS handles photos separately)
• Personal identifiers like age, marital status, or immigration status (unless strategically included elsewhere if relevant, such as visa need)

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2. Education

List medical school first, then prior degrees:

Example:

Education
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), May 2025
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, PA

• Class Rank: Top 20% (if strong and confirmed)
• Relevant coursework: Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship in Internal Medicine/Pediatrics

Bachelor of Science in Biology, May 2021
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

• Honors Program; Minor in Public Health

Include:

• City, state
• Graduation month and year
• Strong academic distinctions (Dean’s List, Honors) when they add value

Do not list every preclinical course or unrelated undergraduate courses.

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3. Exams and Certifications (Optional on Formal CV, Always in ERAS)

On a standalone medical student CV, some applicants add:

Licensure and Examinations

• COMLEX-USA Level 1: Passed, 2023
• COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE: #### (if strong, otherwise consider “Passed”)
• USMLE Step 1: #### (if taken and helpful)

Certifications

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Current through 2026
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Current through 2026
• Basic Life Support (BLS), Current through 2026

For Med-Peds, visible PALS/ACLS helps reinforce dual competency for adult and pediatric care. In ERAS, exam details are structured separately, but having them on a CV you send to mentors or research PIs is useful.

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4. Clinical Experience: Centerpiece of Your Med-Peds CV

For a DO graduate residency applicant in Med-Peds, clinical entries are where you demonstrate readiness for dual training.

Organize into subsections if you have a lot of content:

• Sub-Internships / Acting Internships
• Electives (especially Med-Peds, Adult Medicine, Pediatrics)
• Longitudinal or continuity experiences
• Osteopathic clinical experiences using OMT in relevant settings

Example Format:

Clinical Experience

Sub-Internship, Internal Medicine
Mercy Hospital, Internal Medicine Service, Pittsburgh, PA
July–August 2024

• Managed 6–10 adult inpatients daily with supervision, including diabetes, CHF, COPD, and sepsis cases
• Presented at daily rounds and wrote comprehensive admission notes and discharge summaries
• Coordinated transitions of care with outpatient providers and social work

Sub-Internship, Pediatrics
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, General Pediatrics, Philadelphia, PA
September–October 2024

• Provided care to hospitalized infants, children, and adolescents with asthma, bronchiolitis, complex genetic conditions, and medically complex patients
• Collaborated with families and multidisciplinary team to optimize chronic disease management
• Conducted family-centered rounds and participated in resident education conferences

Medicine-Pediatrics Elective, Transition Care Clinic
University Med-Peds Clinic, Detroit, MI
January 2024

• Worked with Med-Peds attendings to manage adolescents and young adults with cystic fibrosis, congenital heart disease, and type 1 diabetes transitioning from pediatric to adult care
• Developed patient education materials on navigating adult health systems for youth with chronic disease
• Observed Med-Peds residents across inpatient and outpatient settings

Key Med-Peds CV Strategies:

• Show dual exposure clearly: both IM and Peds, especially any combined or Med-Peds-specific experiences.
• Emphasize complex, chronic disease and longitudinal follow-up.
• Mention any DO-specific strengths, e.g., OMT in musculoskeletal complaints, holistic counseling, motivational interviewing.

Osteopathic Clinical Entry Example:

OMM Consultation in Pediatric and Adolescent Clinic (Elective)
Community Osteopathic Health Center, Lansing, MI
February–March 2024

• Applied OMT for adolescents with tension headaches, back pain, and sports-related musculoskeletal complaints under faculty supervision
• Educated families on non-pharmacologic pain management approaches
• Collaborated with pediatricians to integrate osteopathic principles into care plans

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Research, Leadership, and Service: Building Med-Peds-Specific Value

5. Research & Scholarly Activity

Not every Med-Peds resident has extensive research, but some scholarly activity strengthens your credibility—especially in academic programs.

Include:

• Clinical research (adult, pediatric, or combined)
• Quality improvement (QI) projects
• Case reports, posters, presentations
• Educational projects relevant to IM, Peds, or transitions of care

Example:

Research and Scholarly Activity

Co-Investigator, Quality Improvement Project – Reducing 30-Day Readmissions in Pediatric Asthma Patients
Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI
January 2023–December 2023

• Analyzed EHR data to identify risk factors for pediatric asthma readmission
• Implemented standardized discharge education and follow-up appointment scheduling
• Contributed to a 12% reduction in 30-day readmissions over 6 months

Poster Presentation – “Transitioning Adolescents with Congenital Heart Disease to Adult Care: Barriers and Opportunities”
American College of Physicians Michigan Chapter Meeting, November 2023

• Presented analysis of institutional data on transition readiness among adolescents with complex heart disease
• Discussed strategies for improved coordination between pediatric cardiology and adult cardiology services

Try to have at least one scholarly activity clearly connected to Med-Peds themes:

• Chronic disease management
• Transitional care
• Healthcare disparities impacting children and adults
• Preventive care across the lifespan

If your research is primarily in one domain (e.g., adult cardiology), frame the bullet points to show how the skillset (data analysis, quality improvement, communication) supports Med-Peds training.

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6. Teaching and Leadership Experience

Med-Peds is a teaching-heavy specialty. Programs look for residents who will be:

• Strong teachers for students and peers
• Reliable leaders in multidisciplinary teams
• Role models in both adult and pediatric settings

Teaching Example:

Peer Tutor, Preclinical Systems-Based Curriculum
Osteopathic Medical School, Erie, PA
August 2022–May 2023

• Led weekly small-group review sessions for first-year DO students in cardiology and pulmonary systems
• Developed concise teaching materials and practice questions, emphasizing pathophysiology and clinical reasoning

Pediatrics Case-Based Learning Facilitator (Elective)
Children’s Simulation Center, Erie, PA
January–April 2023

• Assisted pediatric faculty with standardized patient simulations for medical students
• Provided feedback to learners on communication with parents and caregivers

Leadership Example:

President, Med-Peds Interest Group
Osteopathic Medical School, Erie, PA
May 2023–May 2024

• Organized 8 Med-Peds-focused events, including panels with DO and MD Med-Peds residents and faculty
• Coordinated shadowing experiences in combined clinics and inpatient services
• Increased group membership by 40% and established a Med-Peds mentorship program linking preclinical students with clinical Med-Peds mentors

When describing leadership, always highlight:

• Initiative: What did you start or improve?
• Scale: How many students or patients did this impact?
• Relevance: How does this connect to Med-Peds or your DO training?

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7. Service, Advocacy, and Community Engagement

Med-Peds has a strong culture of advocacy, primary care, and working with vulnerable populations. This is a place where DO applicants often shine.

Group relevant activities together:

• Free clinics serving adults and children
• School-based health programs
• Vaccination drives
• Community education on chronic diseases or health literacy
• Global health outreach (with honest, non-savior framing)

Example:

Service and Community Engagement

Volunteer Clinician, Student-Run Free Clinic
Urban Health Outreach, Detroit, MI
September 2022–May 2024

• Provided supervised care to uninsured adults and children with hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and acute minor illnesses
• Focused on preventive counseling, medication adherence, and connecting patients to long-term primary care resources

Health Educator, School-Based Wellness Program
Detroit Public Schools, Detroit, MI
January–December 2023

• Delivered age-appropriate workshops on nutrition, exercise, and stress management to middle-school students
• Collaborated with families to address barriers to accessing routine pediatric care

Here you can highlight your DO background: motivational interviewing, osteopathic attention to psychosocial factors, and holism.

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8. Honors, Awards, and Professional Memberships

This section builds credibility and shows engagement with your professional community.

Honors and Awards:

Include:

• Medical school honors (AOA or equivalent, Sigma Sigma Phi)
• Scholarship awards
• Outstanding student in Pediatrics/Internal Medicine
• Research or teaching awards

Example:

Honors and Awards

• Sigma Sigma Phi (Osteopathic Honor Society), Inducted 2023
• Outstanding Student in Pediatrics, Class of 2025, Osteopathic Medical School
• Community Service Award, Student-Run Free Clinic, 2023

Professional Memberships:

Especially relevant for Med-Peds:

• American College of Physicians (ACP)
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
• National Med-Peds Residents’ Association (NMPRA; as a student member)
• American College of Osteopathic Internists (ACOI)
• American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians (ACOP)

Example:

Professional Memberships

• Student Member, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), 2022–Present
• Student Member, American College of Physicians (ACP), 2022–Present
• Student Member, National Med-Peds Residents’ Association (NMPRA), 2023–Present

Listing NMPRA signals that you’ve invested in understanding the Med-Peds field specifically.

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9. Skills and Interests: The Finishing Touch

Use this section briefly and purposefully. It can be a conversation starter during interviews and provide dimension to your application.

Skills:

• Language proficiency (define level: native, fluent, conversational)
• EHR familiarity (if significant and relevant)
• Data or statistical skills used for research (e.g., R, SPSS)
• Teaching skills or simulation training experience

Interests:

Choose a few that are:

• Genuine and sustainable
• Potentially relatable to faculty (e.g., running, music, cooking, youth mentoring)
• Non-controversial

Avoid exhaustive lists; 3–5 interests are plenty.

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Tailoring Your CV for Different Med-Peds Programs and Audiences

The core structure should stay the same, but subtle tailoring can increase impact.

1. Academic vs. Community-Focused Med-Peds Programs

Academic programs may value:

• Research and QI projects
• Teaching and education innovation
• Scholarly output (posters, manuscripts)

Emphasize:

• Your research section and any publications
• Teaching roles (peer tutor, simulation assistant)
• Interest in academic careers, fellowship, or clinician-educator paths

Community or primary care–focused programs may prioritize:

• Longitudinal clinic experience
• Community engagement and advocacy
• Comfort with underserved populations

Emphasize:

• Free clinic and community service
• Experiences in continuity clinics
• Preventive care and chronic disease management across life span

You do not need different CVs for every program, but you might vary how you talk about experiences in ERAS activity descriptions and your personal statement to match program ethos.

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2. Leveraging Your DO Background in an MD-Dominated Med-Peds Landscape

Many Med-Peds programs are historically MD-heavy. To position yourself as a strong DO graduate residency candidate:

• List OMT/OMM experiences that are clearly relevant and collaborative, not fringe.
• Avoid overly technical jargon that MD reviewers might not know; instead, emphasize outcomes (improved function, non-opioid pain management, better mobility).
• Highlight osteopathic principles—whole-person care, social determinants, mental health integration—as strengths in chronic disease management.

Make sure your medical student CV aligns with what you say in your personal statement about osteopathy—consistent messaging builds trust.

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3. CV vs. ERAS: How They Work Together

For the osteopathic residency match and ACGME Med-Peds programs, ERAS will be your primary official application. Your CV still matters because:

• Faculty mentors and letter writers often ask for it
• Away rotation and scholarship applications may require it
• Interviewers may have a version forwarded to them by a coordinator

Ensure:

• No contradictions between your CV and ERAS entries (dates, titles, hours).
• Consistent naming for roles and projects so readers recognize them across documents.
• Your CV is updated at least every 3–6 months leading up to the medicine pediatrics match.

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Practical Residency CV Tips and Common Pitfalls for DO Med-Peds Applicants

High-Yield Tips

1. Lead with Med-Peds-Relevant Experiences
   Within each section, list items that best showcase Med-Peds alignment first.

2. Quantify Where Possible

   • “Cared for 8–10 patients daily”
   • “Organized 6 Med-Peds interest group events attended by 30–50 students”

3. Use Strong, Active Verbs

   • Managed, led, developed, implemented, coordinated, analyzed, taught, mentored.

4. Cut High School and Short-Term Extras
   Unless it’s truly exceptional and ongoing (e.g., national-level athletics that continues into college), focus on medical and college-level achievements.

5. Proofread Meticulously
   Attention to detail is non-negotiable. Ask a Med-Peds mentor, advisor, or senior resident to review your CV.

6. Keep It Length-Appropriate
   For a typical fourth-year DO student:

   • 1.5 to 3 pages is usually reasonable
   • More than 3 pages often signals lack of prioritization

7. Align With Your Personal Statement
   If your statement emphasizes transition of care and chronic disease, ensure your CV includes experiences that show this concretely.

Common Pitfalls

• Laundry List Without Impact
  Listing dozens of roles without describing what you actually did weakens your narrative. Highlight quality over quantity.

• Unclear Dates and Overlapping Roles
  Ambiguous timelines raise red flags. Use clear date ranges and indicate if roles are simultaneous.

• Misaligned to Med-Peds
  CVs that could apply equally to any specialty (surgery, radiology, psychiatry) may worry Med-Peds programs about your commitment. Highlight reasons and experiences that are distinctly dual-discipline.

• Overemphasizing OMT Without Context
  If you use OMT clinically, describe it in a way that shows collaboration and patient benefit, not as a replacement for evidence-based care.

• Including Sensitive/Controversial Interests Without Need
  Keep the interests section professional and neutral; avoid politics, polarizing advocacy, or content that can distract from your candidacy.

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FAQs: CV Building for DO Graduates in Medicine-Pediatrics

1. How is a Med-Peds CV different from a general Internal Medicine or Pediatrics CV?
A Med-Peds CV must clearly demonstrate dual commitment. This means showcasing balanced experiences in both adult and pediatric care, specific exposure to transitions of care, and interest in chronic disease management across ages. An Internal Medicine–only CV may emphasize adult inpatient and outpatient experiences, whereas a Pediatrics CV will center mainly on children and adolescents. Your CV for the medicine pediatrics match should feel like it must be for Med-Peds, not that it could just as easily be IM or Peds alone.

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2. As a DO graduate, do I need extra research to be competitive for Med-Peds?
Not necessarily. Many successful Med-Peds residents have minimal traditional bench research. What matters is demonstrating curiosity and initiative. Quality improvement projects, educational projects, or even a strong case report can be enough—especially if connected to Med-Peds themes (e.g., asthma readmissions in kids, diabetes education in adults). For DO applicants, well-executed QI or community-based work often fits more naturally with your training and can be just as valuable as lab research.

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3. How do I list osteopathic-focused experiences on my CV without confusing MD program directors?
Use clear, accessible language:

• State “Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM/OMT) Elective” rather than only abbreviations.
• Briefly describe the clinical context and outcomes (“Applied OMT in adolescent athletes with back pain, improving function and reducing reliance on NSAIDs under physician supervision”).
• Emphasize collaboration with other clinicians and alignment with standard of care.

Program directors don’t need to understand every technique; they just need to see that you are evidence-informed, patient-centered, and a collaborative team member.

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4. Should I customize my CV for each Med-Peds program?
You do not need multiple fundamentally different CVs. Create one polished, comprehensive CV, then tailor:

• Your ERAS activity descriptions
• Your personal statement emphasis
• Any supplemental application materials

However, if you are sending a CV directly to a specific program director, elective coordinator, or research mentor, you can lightly tailor:

• The order of activities (put most relevant items first)
• A short one-line objective at the top (optional) indicating your interest in Med-Peds and that specific institution’s strengths (e.g., primary care, transitions of care, or academic medicine).

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A well-crafted CV will not win the osteopathic residency match by itself—but a poorly structured or unfocused one can absolutely hurt you. As a DO graduate aiming for Med-Peds, use your CV to make one message unmistakable: you understand Med-Peds, you have prepared intentionally for it, and your osteopathic background makes you a stronger future Med-Peds physician.