Residency 2021 Preparation

EXAMS
- Most Important part of your application - Do GOOD on your Steps
- Don’t apply without taking both board exams
- Make sure to do a lot of UWorld and take an NBME before taking the actual
exam
- It takes 3 weeks for CK result to come out vs CS exam results are released in
time periods
- If take CS exam March 29-May 3, results released June 24-July 22
- If take CS exam May 24-July 18, results released Aug 19- Sep 16
- If take CS exam July 19- Sep 12, results released Oct 14- Nov 11
Preparing for application
- It’s good to create your list early and start preparing
- Try to do electives, observership or externship at programs you will be
applying too
- Start asking for LOR’s from Doctors you have done rotations with
- Find some volunteer or research opportunities
- Reach out to friends who you know that are in residency
- Network by attending conferences such as ACP and AAFP in Kansas
Timeline
June 6 - applicants can register on MyERAS (obtain token - $100) and start
working on application

Sep 5 - start applying to programs (Apply on time)

Sep 15 - Residency programs start receiving application/NRMP opens up

Oct 1 - MSPE’s released to programs

Jan- Urology residency match results available

March- NRMP Main residency match results available/Supplemental Offer and

Acceptance Program (SOAP) starts

May 31- MyERAS closes

Register
Applicants must register with both ERAS and NRMP

ERAS- https://apps.aamc.org/myeras-web/#/landing

NRMP- http://www.nrmp.org

First obtain ERAS token and fill out application

Once NRMP opens up Sep 15, create login and then add your
NRMP ID to your ERAS application
ERAS Dashboard
ERAS Dashboard
Need to fill out all portions on ERAS Dashboard:
1. Personal information
2. Add your picture
3. Create your CV by putting in all experiences such as work/volunteer/research
4. MSPE and school transcript
5. Release your USMLE transcript ($80)
6. ECFMG status report (try to be certified before applying)
7. Personal Statement (assign them to the programs)
8. LOR’s (assign them to the programs)

READY to APPLY!!!
ERAS CV
- Contact information
- Address
- Citizenship
- Additional info- ALS, BLS, PALS
- Medical Education
- Undergraduate
- Work experience
- Volunteer experience
- Research experience
- Publications
- Languages
- Hobbies/Interests
LOR’s
● Start asking for LOR’s early as possible, your letter writers will need time.
● Upload at least by last week of August.
● Know what LOR’s to use for what specialty: ex. Internal Medicine(you can use
IM letters, or other specialties related to IM such as Cardiology, Pulmonology,
Heme Onc) ; ex. Family Medicine( you can use FM letters, or OBGY/PEDS
letter)
● Helps to have at least 2 letters from the specialty itself so try to do an elective
in it as well as a core.
● 3 of the letters must be clinical, 1 letter can be a general or personal letter in
whom you know doctor will write you a really good letter.
● Make sure letter writers specify in the letter which specialty you are applying
to, because it gives more weight on the letter.
● Recent letters - not older than 6 months
LOR’s cont.
To upload the letter you need to:

- the doctor name

- title/department
- specialty to which this letter will be assigned to
- specify if you waive the rights to view the LOR.

After you have filled everything out you send them the request through email to
upload the letter
Personal Statement
● Important part of the application that you should not overlook
● Tell your personal story - emphasize on clinical experience, volunteer,
research, or life events
● Relate it to the specialty you are applying in. You can use different personal
statements for different specialties.
● Not your CV- Don’t put your CV in your Personal Statement
● Can use it to explain gaps in education or any failures
● 1 page long, Courier new 10 pt font, single-spaced, 0.3 side margins and 0.8
top/bottom margins
● Write it, read it, edit it, have multiple people read it, edit it….
MSPE/Dean’s Letter
● Have to submit form along with $100 fee to Windsor Office
● Takes 4-8 weeks to process
● Must complete at least 5 rotations to apply for MSPE
● Must take Step 2 CK by end of July
● It is based on your academic performance and rotation evaluations
● Released to residency programs Oct 1
Applying to Residency

Search programs on ERAS and then save them to your program list

After you have saved all the programs you want, go to your basket and pay

Once you have paid, it will move them from your saved list to programs applied

Research programs because applying can be expensive

Once you submit your application, you CANNOT go back and change anything
other than personal information

Even though its expensive apply broadly- MINIMUM 100-150 programs per
specialty
Searching for programs
1. Use Freida- https://freida.ama-assn.org/Freida/#/
- You can use the filters in freida to scale up the IMG(50-100) and scale down
the US(0-50)
2. Go on website and look up program requirements
3. Match a Resident- can buy list for around $100
Factors to consider when researching programs:
- Categorical (3 year) or Preliminary (1 year) position
- Community or University Hospital
- Location- What state the program is in
- Visa status
- Score requirement
- Year of Graduation
- Are there IMG’s at the program and what percentage
- Are there Windsor grads there
- How many residency position they have in the program
- Do I know anyone at the program/any connects
- Opposed vs Unopposed
- Salary, benefits, stipends, etc
Applying to residency
Factors that increase chance of Matching
● Apply Early/on time - Sep 15
● ECFMG Certified
● Good step scores and successful completion of all exams by September 15
● Step 3
● Clinical Research
● Externships
● Rotations where you are applying for residency
● LORs
● Volunteer
● Networking(Attend conferences - ACP or Kansas)/Connections
Interview tips
- Be confident
- Dress to Impress
- Professionalism/Good body language
- Be genuine, polite to everyone and be yourself
- Be on time
- Turn your anxiety into Excitement
- Get a good night rest before the interview
- If you arrived early to the city, then try to drive to the hospital the day before
- Research the program and people who you may interview with
- List of common questions that you might encounter during interviews
- Don’t lie
- Practice with a partner
Interviews
- Occur October to February, Most from November to January
- Interviews last 30 min to an hour and have around 3 to 5 interviewers
- The interview really begins as soon as you start your communication with the
program, every single moment is used to critique you
- Research the program
- Dress professional/well groomed
- Show enthusiasm and interest in the program
- Have good eye contact when answering questions
- Look over common interview questions
- Have questions ready for interviewer
- Cost- Fist 10 programs is $99, then $26 for each program if applying to 31 or
more
What programs look for:
● Someone who works hard
● Is motivated
● Passionate
● Works well in a team and works well independently
● Doesn’t complain
● Caring and empathetic towards patients
● Takes positive criticism well
● Someone who is adaptable - able to manage difficult situations
● Smart enough to pass boards
Practice Interview questions
- Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
- Why this program? Why medicine?
- Why this specialty?
- What are your future career goals?
- What are your strengths and weakness?
- Why should we choose you?
- Know your CV and everything you have put on it

Know behavioral type questions:

- Difficult problem or challenge I faced and how I adapted to it?

- Tell me about a time you had a difficult conflict with a colleague and how you
dealt with it?
- Tell me about a time you made a mistake and how you handled it?
Questions to ask Residents
- Why did you choose this program?
- Is the faculty approachable?
- What are the programs strengths?
- Where do the residents live?
- How is the neighborhood around the hospital/where you live?
- What do you and other residents do for fun?
- In what areas could improvements be made to the program?
- What are your plans after graduation?
- What EMR do you use?
Questions to ask Interviewer
- Which type of practices do graduates go in after residency?
- What changes do you anticipate in the program in the next three years?
- What are the program’s strengths?
- What makes the program unique?
- What is programs passing rate on the boards?
- What community service programs does your residency offer?
- In what ways is the program an innovator in education?
After the interview
Make notes about the program- so it’s easier when it comes to your ROL

Send thank you emails to everyone you interviewed with.

Send thank you cards a few weeks later before ROL is due

Arrange for 2nd looks and be prepared to present a patient (Ask Program
Coordinator)

Stay active during this time because programs will ask what you are currently
doing - elective rotation, volunteer, research
Rank Order List (ROL)
Consider all factors in which you may want to rank a program:

- Location
- University or Community Program
- How I felt at the program

Rank programs according to where you want to go, Do Not rank according to
where you think you did the best

ROL is due February 26th, you can certify ROL before that and still edit it if
needed
Match Day/SOAP
Match Day - 3rd Monday in March:

- Monday you find out if you matched, and Friday where you matched

If unmatched- Soap begins that Monday 11 am:

- SOAP Status should say ELIGIBLE

- You can apply to a total of 45 programs
- View list of unfilled programs and apply
- You can’t contact programs until they contact you first such as by phone
interview (Have to wait for them to contact you first)
- Soap offers are given in 3 rounds - Wed 12 pm, Wed 3 pm, Thur 9 am
- Can accept, reject or let it expire
- Thursday 11 am SOAP finishes, at 12 pm list is available of the rest of unfilled
programs. If still unmatched, now you can contact these programs directly
Improve Application for next year
● Graduate from medical school
● Get ECFMG Certification
● Take Step 3 and Pass
● Research Publications
● Audition rotations at programs you will apply at
● Volunteer
● Stronger LORs
● Stronger Personal Statement