MD & DO Co’22 ERAS Panic Thread

[Ho0v-man]

Okay. So Eagle Scout >>>>> AOA at this point.

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[Neopolymath]

Okay. So Eagle Scout >>>>> AOA at this point.

Last year was all about the letter of interest. This year it's all about merit badges.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Last year was all about the letter of interest. This year it's all about merit badges.

I mean that’s basically what AOA is.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Okay. So Eagle Scout >>>>> AOA at this point.

Its likely more rare in residency applicants.

You can select up to 25% of a graduating class for AOA (no idea if schools shoot for this or do significantly less).

Historically around 5% of Scouts end up making it to Eagle Scout, and until very recently 50% of the population wasn't eligible at all.

My personal experience (and granted this was 12 years ago), its one of those things that won't absolutely make or break your application but if you're on the edge of an interview invite it might push you into the "gets an invite" category.

Its obviously not as important as board scores, clinical grades, or anything directly medicine related but its a nice little extra thing that can be helpful.

Basically I agree with this post and had a similar experience.

I put Eagle Scout on my application. It came up in almost every interview as a positive thing and one PD told me it was one of the reasons they wanted to interview me.

 

[efle]

My school decided not to award AOA to anybody this year, with no announcement about it. Just was absent. Weird to think for some schools/PDs it carries weight. Especially when boyscouts is apparently a big deal lol

 

[deleted1064759]

My school decided not to award AOA to anybody this year, with no announcement about it. Just was absent.

Considering your school gave AOA after the match anyway, I bet they just got sick of the meetings involved with the selection committees lol.

I'm wondering if AOA helps with fellowships though. I'd hope not because I know several schools that don't have it and others that are moving in that direction.

 

[MedScat]

Anyone have advice about whether to input all work experiences even if they're the same job? For example, I worked at multiple restaurants throughout my life. I think showing that I worked for many years is important but it would be a very similar description for each one....

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Anyone have advice about whether to input all work experiences even if they're the same job? For example, I worked at multiple restaurants throughout my life. I think showing that I worked for many years is important but it would be a very similar description for each one....

Can you make a generic entry like for all of them and just include the whole time span and mention it was multiple locations for the same job?

 

[MedScat]

Can you make a generic entry like for all of them and just include the whole time span and mention it was multiple locations for the same job?

I was thinking that but, it asks for cities and states and not all of my jobs were in the same place so I dont want it to come off as being dishonest or something idk

 

[AzBasRad]

Can you make a generic entry like for all of them and just include the whole time span and mention it was multiple locations for the same job?

This is the way to go. Work experience can potentially show 2 things: (1) No unaccounted time since starting undergrad if you worked full time, or (2) Interesting/ unique skills gained through work experience. Don't unnecessarily lengthen your ERAS application/ CV. If I were you, I would put down the City & State where you started and include the other locations in the description.

 

[fldoctorgirl]

Um. What.

"
Dear Applicant,

For the ERAS 2022 recruitment cycle, some programs in internal medicine, dermatology, and general surgery will have a supplemental application in addition to the regular MyERAS application. The supplemental application will feature new questions designed to help you share more information about yourself so residency programs can better understand how your interests and experiences fit with their program environment and mission.

Please read the following important information if you plan to apply to one of these specialties:

WHAT:
A short, free supplemental ERAS applicationwith new questions designed to showcase your past experiences and interests will be available for the ERAS 2022 cycle. Responses to the supplemental application components will be collected securely outside of the ERAS software.

Applicants will be asked to provide:

• Geographic information (by region or by urban/suburban/rural setting);
• Information about their most meaningful work, volunteer, or research experiences; and
• An indication of their top residency programs of interest."

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

An indication of their top residency programs of interest."

I thought asking this was a match violation.

 

[fldoctorgirl]

I thought asking this was a match violation.

I'm very confused on how this will work. It says a list of participating programs will come out in August. How does this work if not all programs are participating....

 

[DOVinciRobot]

I thought asking this was a match violation.

It is

 

[NicMouse64]

Is this essentially going to be an unspoken application cap. If you can only say your top 30 programs, then unlikely any not on that list will give you an interview......

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

I would guess they're trying to do an interest token type thing, like some people have suggested in the past, but that really only works if it's an all in kind of thing - if only some of your programs are using the supplemental app, there's nothing to stop you from just listing those programs?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

It is

And yet eras is asking it.

 

[NicMouse64]

And yet eras is asking it.

Yeah I highly doubt that they would implement something that the NRMP is not ok with.

 

[DOVinciRobot]

And yet eras is asking it.

I'm curious to see what the wording is, because the NRMP rules they send out were very clear that programs cannot petition applicants regarding specific program preferences. I bet it's completely optional, or a signaling thing like ENT did (which turned out to not really work very well).

 

[NicMouse64]

I'm curious to see what the wording is, because the NRMP rules they send out were very clear that programs cannot petition applicants regarding specific program preferences. I bet it's completely optional, or a signaling thing like ENT did (which turned out to not really work very well).

Maybe it's only pre interview.

 

[sunshinefl]

I thought asking this was a match violation.

It’s a match violation for a program to ask you where you are ranking them, or to offer to rank you higher if you do likewise.

I don’t think it would be a violation if what the program receives is like “special star” or “no special star” in the “signaled top interest” column.

 

[NicMouse64]

It’s a match violation for a program to ask you where you are ranking them, or to offer to rank you higher if you do likewise.

I don’t think it would be a violation if what the program receives is like “special star” or “no special star” in the “signaled top interest” column.

yeah if it's pre interview I don't imagine its a violation.

 

[sipping_cipro]

Anyone have a summary about how this worked out for ENT? I figure, say, you're a strong applicant for IM but not BWH/MGH/JH/UCSF level, like mid 240s, half H half HP, and you'd really like to go to a place like northwestern or washU or vandy or somewhere. I feel like in this scenario, a place like those I mentioned might be more willing to interview you if they knew you were interested enough in spending a token there.

 

[efle]

Wait, we know how tokens worked for ENT? The match rate was abysmal due to the applicant:seat ratio this year, to my knowledge we don't know anything about how many ENT interviewees hit their #1 rank (or #2, #3 etc). We only know that info for the overall cohort.

 

[efle]

Glad to see they're doing this though. If an ERAS cap won't happen, specialties creating their own interest signals is the next best solution.

 

[NicMouse64]

Wait, we know how tokens worked for ENT? The match rate was abysmal due to the applicant:seat ratio this year, to my knowledge we don't know anything about how many ENT interviewees hit their #1 rank (or #2, #3 etc). We only know that info for the overall cohort.

Since charting outcomes doesn't come out this year, where are you getting this info?

 

[efle]

Since charting outcomes doesn't come out this year, where are you getting this info?

They still release yearly per-specialty data tables

ENT this year had 450 US MD applicants and only 310 matched

 

[fldoctorgirl]

I don’t think it would be a violation if what the program receives is like “special star” or “no special star” in the “signaled top interest” column.

I'm cool with this, I actually repeatedly wished for a way to signal to programs that I'm technically above stats for that I'm not just using them as a safety. My only confusion comes from how it works if not all programs participate. It should be all or nothing in my opinion.

 

[efle]

I'm cool with this, I actually repeatedly wished for a way to signal to programs that I'm technically above stats for that I'm not just using them as a safety. My only confusion comes from how it works if not all programs participate. It should be all or nothing in my opinion.

Not all colleges offer early decision, but the competitive ones all do and it's several fold easier to get a spot when you signal commitment up front. I think this kind of system will trend towards that.

 

[NicMouse64]

They still release yearly per-specialty data tables

ENT this year had 450 US MD applicants and only 310 matched

Did I see a 70% match rate for anesthesia there?

edit nvm....

 

[efle]

Did I see a 70% match rate for anesthesia there?

edit nvm....

iirc it gets messy because this table shows all applicants to a specialty, including those who are using it as a backup. So many of the 30% who didnt match anesthesia matched something else instead. With ENT the applicants almost always prefer ENT, so the yearly data closely approximates the charting outcomes preferred specialty match rate.

 

[NicMouse64]

iirc it gets messy because this table shows all applicants to a specialty, including those who are using it as a backup. So many of the 30% who didnt match anesthesia matched something else instead. With ENT the applicants almost always prefer ENT, so the yearly data closely approximates the charting outcomes preferred specialty match rate.

Also saw that there was a separate for advanced, which was more like 90% overall match rate.

 

[calivianya]

Dang. IR and DR both were ugly for DOs this year. I feel reassured in my decision to apply IR, DR, and IM, even though it sucks.

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

From a derm PD on twitter: "Applicants will be able to "signal" top programs (exact number tbd, likely 3-5) in the supplemental application tool. A signal would not guarantee an interview, but would lead to holistic review of that application & could factor into interview selection. More info to follow."

ETA: "There will be additional information coming out including guidance on signaling, code of conduct, etc. You would not signal home program or aways."

 

[fldoctorgirl]

From a derm PD on twitter: "Applicants will be able to "signal" top programs (exact number tbd, likely 3-5) in the supplemental application tool. A signal would not guarantee an interview, but would lead to holistic review of that application & could factor into interview selection. More info to follow."

ETA: "There will be additional information coming out including guidance on signaling, code of conduct, etc. You would not signal home program or aways."

Hopefully nearly all programs participate. I can't see the downside of participating and why a program would choose not to, especially with things likely remaining online this year. It seems like it would get really messy if you have to rank your top 3-5, but none of your actual top programs participate...

 

[NicMouse64]

Hopefully nearly all programs participate. I can't see the downside of participating and why a program would choose not to, especially with things likely remaining online this year. It seems like it would get really messy if you have to rank your top 3-5, but none of your actual top programs participate...

I'm dual applying IM and Anesthesia with most of the focus on Anesthesia, I'm gonna put a couple of IM reach schools on there for the preferences. Honestly it might end up working in favor of people who are using IM as a backup.....

 

[Ganon]

This is such a massive change for someone like me who is a “meh” applicant to IM.

 

[Steve_Zissou]

Yo, anyone know what months interviews for residency actually happen?

 

[NicMouse64]

Yo, anyone know what months interviews for residency actually happen?

was wondering the same

 

[DrStephenStrange]

Yo, anyone know what months interviews for residency actually happen?

I believe October-January/February, pick interviews are usually around November-December.

 

[Ganon]

I built my schedule assuming I can fit the interviews I need within Nov/Dec. It just seems like such a crapshoot to try to plan

 

[Steve_Zissou]

I believe October-January/February, pick interviews are usually around November-December.

My fiancee and I are trying to schedule a vacation in the winter, so I'm thinking it may be wise to wait till February to do the vacation. That way, I can be certain that I won't miss out on residency interviews I really want.

 

[DOVinciRobot]

Yo, anyone know what months interviews for residency actually happen?

November, December and January. Things ramp up kinda that end if Nov to beginning of Dec period.

 

[Ho0v-man]

My fiancee and I are trying to schedule a vacation in the winter, so I'm thinking it may be wise to wait till February to do the vacation. That way, I can be certain that I won't miss out on residency interviews I really want.

This is the way.

 

[Lawpy]

So we're gradually heading to an app cap scenario?

 

[Ho0v-man]

So we're gradually heading to an app cap scenario?

I wouldn’t be surprised if they came out with a separate application system just to signal your top programs. It’ll be 5 ish programs at first and then eventually be unlimited. This med students will be required to apply to the same programs twice. After all, no one wants to interview someone who didn’t feel like they should be on the unlimited top programs list.

 

[Prehealth1011]

My fiancee and I are trying to schedule a vacation in the winter, so I'm thinking it may be wise to wait till February to do the vacation. That way, I can be certain that I won't miss out on residency interviews I really want.

February is the best month for vacation

November-December (except last week of December) are the high yield months not just for interviews but also to schedule later interviews. You have very little time from the moment you get the invite to accepting it. In other words, try not be scrubbed-in and retracting in the OR so you don't get waitlisted at some places

 

[Steve_Zissou]

February is the best month for vacation

November-December (except last week of December) are the high yield months not just for interviews but also to schedule later interviews. You have very little time from the moment you get the invite to accepting it. In other words, try not be scrubbed-in and retracting in the OR so you don't get waitlisted at some places

****ing hell, well that’s good to know. I’m going to have to set up some more chill rotations then. Right now I have nothing set up in October, November, or December. Maybe I’ll do an online rotation for all of December so I have the down time just in case.

 

[fldoctorgirl]

****ing hell, well that’s good to know. I’m going to have to set up some more chill rotations then. Right now I have nothing set up in October, November, or December. Maybe I’ll do an online rotation for all of December so I have the down time just in case.

I scheduled super chill rotations from October to January and my "residency advisor" that our school assigns us told me I need to be doing more rotations at residency programs (ie sub-is) during that time. For IM. A specialty where auditions are typically not encouraged, particularly for high stat applicants. While having a crazy restrictive policy for days off allowed for interviews. Crazy how out of touch these people are. TLDR: make these months hella chill.

 

[Ho0v-man]

I scheduled super chill rotations from October to January and my "residency advisor" that our school assigns us told me I need to be doing more rotations at residency programs (ie sub-is) during that time. For IM. A specialty where auditions are typically not encouraged, particularly for high stat applicants. While having a crazy restrictive policy for days off allowed for interviews. Crazy how out of touch these people are. TLDR: make these months hella chill.

If you pursue a medical education during this time, you’ll decrease your chances of matching. It’s a great system.