Orthopedic Surgeon Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Orthopedic Surgeon resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
If you have a passion for sports medicine and the human body, an interest in surgical procedures, and a desire to help people live healthier, more active lives, you might have what it takes to become an orthopedic surgeon. This is a highly specialized field that requires years of training and practice before you can start working independently.
Because orthopedic surgeons tend to work with highly trained specialists in other fields—like physical therapists and prosthetists—they must have a strong understanding of how all of these disciplines intersect. And because they often collaborate with other doctors on a patient’s care, they need to be able to communicate effectively and build strong relationships with their peers.
If you’re ready to make a career out of helping people heal their bodies, here are some tips and an example resume to help you write a compelling orthopedic surgeon resume that hiring managers will love.
How to Write an Orthopedic Surgeon Resume
Here’s how to write an orthopedic surgeon resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most effective way to showcase your experience and qualifications. But rather than simply listing your responsibilities, you can make your bullet points much more interesting by using them to tell a story about your work.
For example, rather than saying you “treated patients with broken bones,” you could say you “treated 15 patients with broken bones during weekend shift at local hospital, resulting in zero wait times for patients and 100% satisfaction rate from patients and their families.”
Notice how the second bullet point is much more specific and provides more detail about what you did and the results of your work.
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
Most orthopedic surgeon job applications are submitted online. When you apply, your resume will go through an applicant tracking system (ATS). This program will search for specific keywords related to the position, like “orthopedic surgery” or “joint replacement.” If your resume doesn’t have enough of the right terms, the ATS might reject your application.
To increase your chances of getting an interview, use this list of keywords as a guide:
- Joint Replacement
- Knee Problems
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Hip Replacement
- Orthopedics
- Spine Surgery
- Sports Medicine
- Shoulder Surgery
- Fracture Care
- Orthopedic Trauma
- Arthroscopy
- Sports Injuries
- Surgery
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
- Upper Extremity
- Hand Surgery
- Orthopedic Rehabilitation
- Pediatrics
- Internal Medicine
- Bone Densitometry
- Closed Reduction
- General Surgery
- Shoulder Arthroscopy
- Trauma Surgery
- Joint Pain
- Trauma
- Knee Replacement
- General Orthopaedics
- Joint Instability
- Joint Reconstruction
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As an orthopedic surgeon, you need to be proficient in the use of a wide range of technology in order to treat your patients. This might include experience with surgical equipment, implants, and prosthetics, as well as familiarity with electronic health records (EHR) software. Additionally, orthopedic surgeons need to be able to use technology to communicate with other members of the healthcare team, including doctors and nurses.
Some of the programs and systems that orthopedic surgeons are typically expected to be proficient in include: surgical equipment, implants, and prosthetics, electronic health records (EHR) software, and medical imaging software, like MRI and CT scans.