Exams! Letters! Statements! Submissions! With so many elements to the residency application process, it can be difficult to keep track of what to do and when to do it. Staying organized and maintaining a sense of where you are in the application cycle is critical in ensuring there are no missed steps. Because the process for international and foreign medical graduates is a bit more extensive, it is especially important to mark deadlines and ongoing tasks on a long-term calendar. Please keep in mind that this is a rough outline that is intentionally general to apply to all calendar years; for specific dates and additional questions, you should check the ERAS, ECFMG, USMLE, and NRMP websites.
Early June
MyERAS begins; students can start registering and working on their application. International medical graduates must first obtain their ERAS token serial number from ECFMG.
June-July
Thoroughly research residency programs. This is the time to create a list of programs that are of interest to you and are focused on your desired specialty. Be sure to apply to a wide range of programs, from university to community-based, rural to urban, and low to high-tier.
Schedule and complete USMLE Steps 1, 2, and 2CS exams, preferably before the beginning of September when programs start accepting applications.
Mid-July
Deadline for standardized interview video (SIV) for emergency medicine candidates only.
July-August
Request letters of recommendation (a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 4) from potential letter writers through preferably in-person meetings. For more information regarding this, review our previous blog posts about LORs.
Request your USMLE transcripts, and authorize their release before applying.
Request your Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) and medical school transcripts.
Fill out the ERAS application itself; this includes contact, biological, educational, training, experience, licensure, and research information.
Write your personal statement.
Upload a high quality professional photo of yourself onto the application.
Mid- to Late August
Submit your Online Applicant Status and Information System (OASIS) documents, preferably 2 weeks before applying to programs.
Early September
Applicants can begin submitting their apps through ERAS to residency programs. Certify your ERAS application (only after it is absolutely finalized), assign required documents to respective programs, and begin submitting applications.
Mid-September
Residency programs begin receiving ERAS applications.
National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) opens; register ASAP for the Match.
Early October
Residency programs begin receiving MSPE scores.
November-December
Send follow-up emails from programs that you have not yet heard back from to confirm ongoing interest.
Prepare for and partake in interviews.
Late November
November 30th is typically the last day to register for NRMP if you have not yet done so; otherwise, there is a $50 late fee.
Late December
Deadline to take the USMLE Step 2CS if you have not done so already.
Mid-January-February
At this time, you will be able to create your NRMP Rank Order List.
March
You will receive your email confirming eligibility for the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP).
Match week takes place here, during which you will find out if you were Matched, partially Matched, or Unmatched.
May
This concludes the ERAS application season; make sure you have copies of everything before it automatically gets deleted from the ERAS system on the 31st.
Are You Next?™
Sources
http://blog.matcharesident.com/2018-19-residency-application-cycle-complete-img-timeline-checklist/
https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-residency/article/eras-timeline-md-residency/
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/medical_education_residency/the_match/residency-timeline.pdf
