Clerkship Applications Going Digital

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I was on the Clerkship Website today when I noticed that clerkships for class of 2014 will be done digitally. This will hopefully be a great improvement over the paper system and sitting up until midnight to email your applications.

I know a lot of people in my class complained about the system. This is the first I'm seeing of a digital application system. I'm curious to know more about how it works.

Originally Posted by Sig Savant

I was on the Clerkship Website today when I noticed that clerkships for class of 2014 will be done digitally. This will hopefully be a great improvement over the paper system and sitting up until midnight to email your applications.

I know a lot of people in my class complained about the system. This is the first I'm seeing of a digital application system. I'm curious to know more about how it works.

Our clerkship director explained it to me as the digital application being a "mini match" process. All students fill out this universal digital application and submit it by a certain date. You rank programs for each month you have externships and that somehow gets sent to the programs you are interested in. The directors have the convenience to pick and choose who they want each month and I think those results are instantly sent back to the students. Therefore students know right away whether they landed their first choice externship or not.

I think this a more organized process and ensures student's applications don't get lost. I think everyone wins with this.

I know nothing of this process, so forgive my ignorance. From what you've both said, it sounds great, but I do see one potential drawback (again, I could be way wrong), and that would be that punctual students won't have a leg up. Like you said, a lot of people were waiting until midnight to send in apps. Now it seems everyone's will be sent in at once? So the eager students no longer have a slight advantage.

Also, if someone could comment on whether or not you are limited to the number of programs you apply to, I'd appreciate it. I know in a previous thread some schools (NYCPM?) limited the number of programs their students could apply to. Will this no longer matter now that it's a "mini match"?

Originally Posted by MaxillofacialMN

I know nothing of this process, so forgive my ignorance. From what you've both said, it sounds great, but I do see one potential drawback (again, I could be way wrong), and that would be that punctual students won't have a leg up. Like you said, a lot of people were waiting until midnight to send in apps. Now it seems everyone's will be sent in at once? So the eager students no longer have a slight advantage.

Also, if someone could comment on whether or not you are limited to the number of programs you apply to, I'd appreciate it. I know in a previous thread some schools (NYCPM?) limited the number of programs their students could apply to. Will this no longer matter now that it's a "mini match"?

I didn't want to say it since it would label me as a gunner but yes one major drawback of this system is that the more punctual students lose out with this process. In the past, students were waiting till midnight because the externship cycle process would go live at 12:01am. So these students were actually being very punctual in trying to have their applications sent in first. Students who were not prepared for this 12:01am submission were the ones who were missing out.

But even if you were punctual you still ran the risk of your faxed or emailed applications getting lost or deleted. So in all honesty this digital application should solve any potential problems.

Each school has a different amount of months you can do externships at. If you want to apply to multiple programs for a particular month I say go for it. In fact with this digital application I believe you can rank the programs you would want in order for each month. Therefore if you don't get your first choice program for a particular month your application automatically is sent out to your second choice program.

I believe this is how it works but I'm not totally positive. This is all very new.

Originally Posted by Ankle Breaker

I didn't want to say it since it would label me as a gunner but yes one major drawback of this system is that the more punctual students lose out with this process.

Having been through this process as both a student and now a resident, I can tell you that despite what you might be hearing otherwise, selections are typically not "real time" or "first come first serve." Typically applications are reviewed on a weekly rolling basis, and divided into filed according to a "yes, maybe, no" type system before final decisions are made. That being said, I'm glad the feedback from previous years applicants' has been heard and the process is evolving.

Best,
GSR