As one of the core elements to the residency application, the impact USMLE scores have on a candidateâs journey to residency is immense. As a result, it is crucial for applicants to have a strong understanding of the exam and each of its steps. Here, we give a brief breakdown of the USMLE and some […]
Itâs never too early to start brainstorming or drafting your letter of intent to the program where you interviewed for residency. This aspect of your application is a crucial element that provides a Program Director with unique insight on your personality, attention to detail, and the program. This is the place to express why a […]
Interview season is now upon us! Now that you have gone through medical school, passed your USMLEs, and submitted your ERAS, it is time to interview for those sought after PGY-1 positions. You have already impressed the Programs Directors on paper, now is the chance to seal the deal and impress them in person! Medical school graduates from all over the world are vying for these limited U.S residency positions so it is important to follow a few simple guidelines to ensure you make the best first impression.
In order to efficiently prepare for the medical residency Match, foreign, international, and U.S. graduates should strategize their approach in order to play to their strengths. Without a third opinion, it is difficult to recognize which qualities are worth focusing on, and which need more work. Before diving into how residency guidance and support services […]
Physician burnout does not have one concise definition, rather, it spans a series of symptoms and conditions experienced by doctors across all professions. Because of the variety in symptoms, it can be difficult to distinguish whether physician burnout may be deteriorating to major depressive disorder (MDD). As a result, physicians are hesitant to correctly diagnose […]
Sometimes, it seems like the Personal Statement (PS) is the last thing that matters in regards to other aspects of an application. However, when applying to residency, the Personal Statement provides Program Directors with the unique opportunity to gain insight into an applicantâs motivations for studying medicine and passions for their specialty. As stated by […]
What is Pre-Match? Pre-Match is when a residency program offers a medical residency applicant a placement before the main NRMP match date where 95% of the residency slots are filled. This occurs when a program would like to secure a candidate, and when that candidate also wishes to secure their position within that program rather […]
In the thick of Interview Season, you might wonder how Program Directors decide which applicants will be extended an interview and why. While a multitude of factors go into their consideration and ultimate decision, certain aspects of your application are considered more widely across programs and with more significance attached to them. The NRMP Program […]
Letters of recommendation are an essential aspect of the path to residency. A successful candidate has strong letters of recommendation from respected individuals who offer clear, unbiased information while still painting the candidate in the best light. As a candidate for residency, you should be making sure you highlight your strengths on all fronts. A […]
What is a Residency interview? The residency interview is the most decisive step in your journey to residency; without an interview, there is no residency. This is your opportunity to compare the programs youâre most interested in, and itâs your chance to observe program environments and meet your potential mentors and colleagues.The experiences and insight […]
Every year, thousands of international and foreign medical graduates compete alongside U.S. graduates for a coveted U.S. residency spot. Why are so many applicants attracted to the U.S. health system? The benefits, opportunities, and status awarded by a position as a U.S. resident or doctor is unmatched across the world. Physicians in the U.S. have […]
The Electronic Residency Application Services, shortly known as ERAS, involves processing residency applications so medical candidates can then Match into residency positions. These applications involve four components: MyERAS, Deanâs Office Workstation (DWS), Letter of Recommendation Portal (LoRP), and Program Directorâs Workstation (PDWS). It is essential that each applicant fully understands the ERAS policies and application […]
When applying for your Dream Residency, you will encounter a lot of questions: when do I apply for an externship, how do I write my personal statement, when do I submit my ERAS application? The good news is that Residents Medical has the answers to all of your questions, preparing you with steps for each […]
With the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) about to open, your application should be ready to go. Donât wait until the last day; give yourself time to properly complete it. There will be tens of thousands of ERAS applications submitted during these upcoming weeks, but Residents Medical can help strengthen your candidacy in order to […]
With only three months between medical graduation and the submission of the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), there is limited time to get ahead of the game and stand out to residency program directors. Completing ERAS includes many steps, such as creating a compelling personal statement, authorizing USMLE transcripts, obtaining letters of recommendation, application fees, […]
This yearâs Match season was unlike any other. The stakes are getting higher as the number of applicants increases but the number of positions remains the same. This year, there were only about 33,000 positions for just under 44,000 applicants. Â It can seem impossible to land a residency nowadays, and many medical graduates feel the […]
Unfortunately, there is a very real chance that many medical students wonât match for a residency program. Due to the rising number of students in medical school but a stagnant amount of residency programs available, not matching with a position is becoming more common among students across the world. In 2017, over 4,000 U.S. and […]
The USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) exams, also known as the “Board Examinations” consist of a three-step process. Regardless of whether you are a U.S. Medical School graduate or an International Medical School graduate, most if not all medical schools require at least the successful completion of USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2, […]
When should I begin studying? How long should I study for? How often should I be studying? What are the best resources to use when studying for USMLE Step 1? These are questions every medical student runs through their head when preparing for their first USMLE exam. Yes, the USMLE Step 1 exam requires the […]
If youâre asking yourself, âwhy didnât I get any interviews this seasonâ, you are not alone. Record numbers of applicants are fighting for the same amount of residency positions compared to previous years. Since the 2004 Main Residency Match, there has been a steady incline in the number of applicants vying for the limited number […]
With the ERAS application now open, now is the time to be vigilant about completing all requirements and organizing the needed documents. The personal statement is a crucial component of any residency application, as it provides program directors with a more multifaceted image of you as an applicant and future doctor. Recent studies have shown […]
So you received a residency interview – congratulations! Reaching this step is a celebratory checkpoint, but itâs not the end. For International Medical Graduates, the interview can very well be the most daunting aspect of the residency application. Once you get an interview, that itself can be the most important factor in how youâre ranked […]
The graph above, with information collected by the National Resident Matching Program, clearly indicates this bottleneck effect. As can be seen in the 2018 results column, just 30,232 PGY1 Positions were offered this year compared to the nearly 44,000 applicants in the Main Residency Match. Is it true that obtaining a Medical Residency is increasingly […]
(2016 NRMP Program Director Survey) While not a requirement, having medical research experience certainly provides candidates, especially International Medical Graduates, with a much-needed competitive edge to obtain their dream residency. According to the 2016 NRMP Program Director Survey, as detailed by program type in the graph below, 44 percent of program directors surveyed across […]
In addition to competitive USMLE step scores and strong letters of recommendation (LORs), program directors consider US clinical experience (USCE) very highly when choosing applicants for their residency programs. Medical students begin their clinical experience journey with elective rotations. These rotations give students the opportunity to explore different specialties within the field of medicine. Upon […]
Exams! Letters! Statements! Submissions! With so many elements to the residency application process, it can be difficult to keep track of what to do when. Staying organized and maintaining a sense of where you are in the application is critical in ensuring there are no missed steps. Because the process for international medical grads and […]
When it comes to the residency application, how, where, and when you apply is just as important as the content in your ERAS app. You can start certifying and submitting your 2019 ERAS application on Sept 5th, which is just a few short weeks away, but worry not – continue reading to discover how to […]
(NRMP 2018 Director Survey) Why Ask: Letters of Recommendation, or LORs, are unique in that they provide program directors with a third-party perspective about the kind of student, person, and potential resident you are. Use this opportunity to your advantage – there are many places for you to sell yourself on the ERAS application, […]
On September 15th of every year, thousands of medical graduates submit their application for residency within the United States. United States Medical Graduates (USMGâs), International Medical Graduates (IMGâs), and Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGâs), along with Osteopathic and Allopathic applicants make up the pool of potential residents. Although they all flock to the same website, Electronic […]
For many, the dream of becoming a physician starts at an early age. However, turning the dream into a reality is a complicated process. Applying to US medical schools can be a daunting. Excellent undergraduate qualifications and high MCAT scores are a must, however, that may not be enough to get an acceptance to a […]
In the United States, it has generally been the case that going to medical school ensured your career in any specialty. However, the bumpy road to becoming a doctor is now lined with even more obstacles for medical students and graduates. Currently, there is an influx of students entering medical school, yet post-graduation, they are […]
The Problem:Â The health care system in the United States is currently in desperate need of Primary Care Physicians (PCPs). However, the allure of lucrative sub-specialties tends to sway medical school graduates away from careers in Primary Care. On average a PCP earns about half the salary of a specialist. Since most medical school graduates […]
One of the issues that arises in the journey of those applying to a residency is preparing for an interview. It is important that you make a good impression, and showcase your best qualities. The most important component is to have it less like an interview and more like a conversation. First you should research […]
With the NRMP Main Residency Match 2015 quickly approaching, it is important to realistically evaluate your chances in being offered a residency position. Residency positions in the United States are highly sought after and it is becoming more and more difficult to secure a position, especially for Foreign Medical Graduates and International Medical Graduates (FMGs […]
Currently, as the pool of applicants for residency is increasing, and competition for these spots is growing exponentially, anything to add value to a candidateâs application is worthwhile. What stands out to a Program Director is what sets you apart from the average medical school graduate. Program Directors value research fellowship positions very highly when […]
Gut Feelings â Is this program a good fit for you? Do you see yourself at the program? What is the Quality of the Program? â What is the case load? Are the Teaching Attendants attentively giving instruction? How are the patients being treated? Importance of Academia â If youâre interested in research and publications, […]
The Match process is thoroughly competitive. Residency applicants are facing an increase in competition for the same number of residency spots, and every year there are students left unmatched. In 2014, 8,583 active applicants did not match. Of these 8,583 unmatched applicants, 74% were IMGs or FMGs. If this happens to you, donât panic. Hereâs […]
In Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert Pirsig said âThe range of human knowledge today is so great that weâre all specialists. And the distance between specializations has become so great that anyone who seeks to wander freely among them almost has to forego closeness with the people around himâ. This also applies […]
