MD & DO Co’22 ERAS Panic Thread

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We got to see some of the early NRMP data at the IMPD meeting. It will all be out shortly -- the data report comes in May. The overall data shows that the match was mostly the same, with a small signal of being worse for USMD's. Program rank lists were longer by 10-15%, presumably due to increased interview invites. Applicant rank lists were 10-15% longer, for the same reason. Although all rank lists were longer on average, the effect was more pronounced in those with longer ranklists -- some evidence of hoarding. But the difference was very small.

USMD total match rate was down by about 1% absolute (that data is already out). Top 1 / Top 4 matching was also slightly down by about 2% absolute -- so if last year 48% of people match to their top 4, this year it was 46%.

So it all depends on what you want to see in these numbers. If you want to see interview hoarding, it's there. If you want to claim the match was worse, it's there. But the effect size is very small and likely clinically insignificant.


Ug. This is the classic, boring personal statement. It's safe, and pointless. I was going to share my list of what NOT to put in your personal statement:

1. Why you went into medicine. Trust me, your reasons are probably not terribly different than anyone else's. If your pathway is really unique, great, tell me about it.
2. Why you chose IM (or specialty). In IM, it's usually "I like solving puzzles", or "I like longitudinal care of patients"
3. Repeat your CV in prose format. I already can see your CV. Repeating it doesn't add anything.
3b. Name drop faculty you have worked with. That don't impress me much.
4. Tell me about some patient or clinical story. Why would you do this, you think I don't see plenty of patients?
5. What you're looking for in a program. Usually cut-and-pasted from the program's website.
6. Some random quote from someone. Why exactly?

Here's a thought: It's called a Personal Statement. Perhaps tell me something about yourself that's not in your application.
Did they show anything on percent home matching? Wondering if people preferring to stay put this year, and schools preferring to keep known quantities, is buoying the Top 1 / 4 numbers. For example we had more than 2x as many stay for IM than any matches of the last half decade.
 
Ug. This is the classic, boring personal statement. It's safe, and pointless. I was going to share my list of what NOT to put in your personal statement:

1. Why you went into medicine. Trust me, your reasons are probably not terribly different than anyone else's. If your pathway is really unique, great, tell me about it.
2. Why you chose IM (or specialty). In IM, it's usually "I like solving puzzles", or "I like longitudinal care of patients"
3. Repeat your CV in prose format. I already can see your CV. Repeating it doesn't add anything.
3b. Name drop faculty you have worked with. That don't impress me much.
4. Tell me about some patient or clinical story. Why would you do this, you think I don't see plenty of patients?
5. What you're looking for in a program. Usually cut-and-pasted from the program's website.
6. Some random quote from someone. Why exactly?

Here's a thought: It's called a Personal Statement. Perhaps tell me something about yourself that's not in your application.
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I don't disagree with you that my personal statement was nothing extraordinary, which is why I focused on brevity. Overall, I received a good number of IV invites (>20) for both preliminary year and radiology programs, so I don't think my essay was terribly received or tanked my application. My MSPE writer also reviewed my PS and stated it was well-written, clear and concise, which was echoed by PDs, APDs and chief residents during my interviews. N=1, but I don't think its necessary for applicants to rack their brains to find something totally unique from all other applicants. I used my PS to organize and emphasize examples and narratives that I thought would portray my potential as an excellent future resident. Here's how I included stuff that was not in my application.

Paragraph 1: 100 words. "Why medicine - I grew up watching my father, a physician, making an impact in his rural community." Again not necessarily unique or different from anyone else's.

Paragraph 2: 150 words. "Why Radiology - I was initially interested in medical oncology and during my med onc rotation, a patient was admitted into our service who came into the hospital w/ diverticulitis but the DR physician picked up an incidental right sided RCC. This motivated me to look into DR and I realized that DR played a key role in the care plan of almost every single pt admitted in the hospital. The general impact of DR in the medical field as well as the broad base of clinical knowledge required in DR slowly converted me from med onc. into DR " The gist of this paragraph was to convey to PDs that I wasn't simply applying to DR as a backup to another field and I have carefully arrived at this decision

Paragraph 3: 200 words. "Discussion of CV - In one of my research projects analyzing genomic data of patients with esophagogastric cancer in a phase II clinical trial, I was analyzing genetic alterations that could explain survival differences. When I did not find any differences, the project was about to be canned. However, I suggested we look into pathway level differences that the lab published 2 months ago and the PI agreed. Eventually, I discovered a significant difference in survival due to alteration of an oncologic pathway, which became the principal message of the published manuscript". Again, I did not simply regurgitate my ERAS CV, which has the name of the project and that I was the co-first author. In my essay, I pointed out how my diligence and persistence were important for the project's successful publication.

Paragraph 4: 150 words. "What I seek from training programs - I want to work in a collaborative and collegial environment where the radiology residents and faculty depend on each other and communicate effectively with other clinicians. I am looking for a strong academic program with ample research and teaching opportunities, where I can flourish and contribute to high-quality patient care and excellent education." Nothing groundbreaking here, but I am reiterating what is important to me.

For my prelim IM and TY essays, I had 3 paragraphs and the essay was even smaller( 500 words).

Paragraph 1: exactly the same as above

Paragraph 2: "What I bring to the table - My goal throughout my medical education has always been to make an impact on my patients and my team". Then I discussed 3 examples of how I sought to improve upon my patients' diagnostic or management plans. For instance I researched and brought up a potential serotonin syndrome reaction between oxycodone and linezolid to the primary IM team while I was in my psych consult rotation just a few hours prior to pt's discharge, which changed the pt's management plan. While I was a Sub-I in medicine, a patient with history of non-alcoholic cirrhosis admitted for hepatic encephalopathy had his first bowel movement in three days after I researched and optimized his medication regimen with non-constipatory, cirrhosis-appropriate drugs. Here, my main point was to illustrate that I am dependable, thought critically about patient management and integrated well into the team across multiple rotations. My LoRs may have had 1 or 2 different examples. My MSPE mainly had generic - "Great medical student, well rounded" comments, so this was my opportunity to illustrate with patient-care examples.

Paragraph 3: Generic what I am seeking in prelim programs. "My intern year is an opportunity to grow and continue learning clinical medicine from my patients, colleagues and attendings. As a future radiologist, it is important for me to tie the radiologic images to the patient as a whole, by taking into account their clinical findings, diagnostic workup, therapeutic management and most importantly, not forgetting about the real person behind the radiologic image. Thus, for my intern year, I am looking for a collaborative and collegial environment with a strong focus on resident education, where I will care for patients with a wide spectrum of pathologies and illness-complexities"
 
You will be super thankful you didn't have to fly out and spend money once you interview with an awful program. I was so glad the only thing I lost with some of the programs was a couple hours of my life vs a flight, hotel, endless fake smiles, and 1.5 days wasted.
 
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I don't disagree with you that my personal statement was nothing extraordinary, which is why I focused on brevity. Overall, I received a good number of IV invites (>20) for both preliminary year and radiology programs, so I don't think my essay was terribly received or tanked my application. My MSPE writer also reviewed my PS and stated it was well-written, clear and concise, which was echoed by PDs, APDs and chief residents during my interviews. N=1, but I don't think its necessary for applicants to rack their brains to find something totally unique from all other applicants. I used my PS to organize and emphasize examples and narratives that I thought would portray my potential as an excellent future resident. Here's how I included stuff that was not in my application.

GOAT status!

I’ve been having such decision paralysis with how to do my personal statement that this was super helpful. Thank you so much!
 
Going to start my PS on thusrday. Hoping I can copy and paste some of what I used for my VSAS applications.

I think this is what I have been looking forward to the least in regard to the actual applications. I suck at writing, its why I went to medical school
 
Your PS doesn’t matter. Mine was pretty good and I could tell the majority of my interviewers just skimmed it.
That doesn't mean it isn't used in the ranking process or in deciding who gets an interview.
 
That doesn't mean it isn't used in the ranking process or in deciding who gets an interview.
Doesn’t mean it does either. No ones sitting around post interview thinking that the interview went well, but an applicant didn’t have a enticing personal statement so we should rank him or her lower. And the process of selecting someone to interview is moreso scores+clinical grades+/-have I heard of your school+\- research(if research matters in this field.

Yeah don’t write “hospitalitist work sounds dope AF because 7 on / 7 off sounds pretty chill. It’s not bad if you’re too dumb for GI I guess.” I’m just saying don’t stress because no one really cares unless you say something egregious.
 
5% of personal statements are difference makers in a positive way. 5-10% are difference makers in a negative way. The rest are skimmed and then ignored.

Don't worry about your PS unless you are truly special and have some amazing story. It's kind of like a book report. How many people have wrote about Where the Red Fern Grows? How many people have applied to internal medicine with a PS? I don't want to be a dick but you aren't writing anything unique that smarter people haven't already said in their PS thousands of times before. It's just improbable unless you truly are special. The literature teacher hasn't read a unique paper on that book in decades and the PD hasn't read a PS that mattered in many years either if they aren't interviewing god tier applicants for their program. The PS is just an easy way to show ties to a program or area if that's important to you and to show that you know how to jump through a hoop instead of sticking your foot in your mouth by saying something stupid.

Trust me. I wish it was different because aside from being smart and likeable there really isn't much of a way to differentiate yourself and that's what really makes the process stressful before interviews roll in. "Why would they choose me? I'm just like everyone else." In a way it's funny being on the other side because the match works and is great (alternatives are far, far worse) but so much of medical school is based on straight up luck and a path already laid out for you.

Just make it consistent with your brand you are using during app season and be done with it. There are better things to stress about.
 
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What if I have the brains AND the touch?

Edit: really hope your “that don’t impress me much” line was a Shania Twain quote, otherwise my post sounds way creepy
It was, but I have no idea why. I am not a counrty music / Shania Twain fan.
I thought the data for past years consistently showed that 80+% of people matched in their top 3 choices overall?
You are correct. Here is the data from 2020:
1619573717307.png

So I think the First Rank dropped a bit, and > Fourth was a bit higher. Something like that. We shall see in May
 
The PS is just an easy way to show ties to a program or area if that's important to you and to show that you know how to jump through a hoop instead of sticking your foot in your mouth by saying something stupid.
So it's cool if I just talk about wanting to go home for 1/3rd of it, and sprinkle some hobbies/things unique to me? Like has been said, anything else I could say about why medicine or why IM is gonna sound pretty much the same as most everyone else's reasons, I'd imagine.
 
So it's cool if I just talk about wanting to go home for 1/3rd of it, and sprinkle some hobbies/things unique to me? Like has been said, anything else I could say about why medicine or why IM is gonna sound pretty much the same as most everyone else's reasons, I'd imagine.
In my opinion, yes. Make a draft and just keep making it more and more succinct. You should put in there that you want to go back to Fl for x reason with the goal of Y because it would allow you to do Z. Make your brand and stick to your mission statement. If you talk about hobbies/other experiences then you must tie in why that illustrates your characteristics or dogs your mission statement. Don't just throw in there that you like gardening for no reason.

just about anything decent will be fine but it's a misconception that you need to talk about why X specialty since you were 4 years old for 5 paragraphs lol.
 
So it's cool if I just talk about wanting to go home for 1/3rd of it, and sprinkle some hobbies/things unique to me? Like has been said, anything else I could say about why medicine or why IM is gonna sound pretty much the same as most everyone else's reasons, I'd imagine.
I can’t believe twin wants to go to Florida for residency with me :shy: it’s just, it’s all coming full circle.

1619648401299.gif
 
IM here. Some programs asked me things like - what rotation are you doing right now, have you done your IM sub-I yet, how much ICU experience do you have (IM spreadsheet will lead you to the name of this program). Most of them didn’t seem to care though. Our school told us programs won’t even see what we’re taking in 4th year but I’m in a DO school and I generally don’t believe/ignore what they say
4th year DO going into IM. I definitely also got questions like this. I was asked about my core site, when I worked with residents, what I had been doing during 4th year, etc, and the letter from my ICU sub-I was commented on and complimented on (the experience itself was emphasized).
I feel like we just send our transcripts, no? If so, all the things we take 4th year will show up?
well, no because my school cuts off the MSPE at the end of 3rd year. They don't include any 4th year stuff. Or send the actual transcript at all. Which for my school electives would just say elective which really wouldn't be helpful anyway.
I’m just going to use my school email.

I chose my new phone service provider last December based on who offered separate cell plans for smart watches just in case I got separated from my phone. I’ve got my notification settings fixed, and my wrist buzzes very noticeably now every time I get an email to my school email.

I think this is going to work just fine - I don’t get that many emails to my school email otherwise. By the way, I also literally only got a smart watch because of this stupidity. I wouldn’t have gotten one otherwise. I just wanted to make sure I was comfortable with it before application season so I got it early.
I would use a different private email. I've heard of some delivery, forwarding, and filtering problems this year when people used their school emails.
I just want to know about interviews.....like are they gonna be online or not.
Has anyone heard anything about interviews for the coming season? Virtual? In person? A mix?
my own program just asked us for more feedback about interviewing for next season... and they even said they don't know yet whether they will be all virtual or mixed for your year.
Actually, pre-SOAP numbers were pretty close to previous years too.
they were slightly lower, but like was pointed out, that doesn't show who ended up where. just yes or no.
 
4th year DO going into IM. I definitely also got questions like this. I was asked about my core site, when I worked with residents, what I had been doing during 4th year, etc, and the letter from my ICU sub-I was commented on and complimented on (the experience itself was emphasized).

well, no because my school cuts off the MSPE at the end of 3rd year. They don't include any 4th year stuff. Or send the actual transcript at all. Which for my school electives would just say elective which really wouldn't be helpful anyway.

I would use a different private email. I've heard of some delivery, forwarding, and filtering problems this year when people used their school emails.


my own program just asked us for more feedback about interviewing for next season... and they even said they don't know yet whether they will be all virtual or mixed for your year.

they were slightly lower, but like was pointed out, that doesn't show who ended up where. just yes or no.
Gahhhh I just want to know. Flying is going to be crazy expensive and I really don’t want to pay that much.
 
I have been warned by my home program that if interviews are offered both in-person and online that we should consider that to mean in-person only for purposes of having the best shot.

I’d prefer to just have an across-the-board standard, as choosing which interview to do online vs. in person just adds another layer of neuroticism I don’t want to have to manage.
 
Psych 240-245 step 1. Currently have a list with 53 places I'd prefer for various reasons but hopefully will apply to 70-80 total. I'd probably stop if I got 20-25 interviews at places I liked but I really don't know if I'll hit close to that.

Is it overkill? I hope so. Am I terrified anyway? Yes.
Is there a reason why you’re applying to so many programs in psych with such an awesome step 1 score? I was advised to not do too many with a much lower step 1. I’m still trying to understand what goes on behind these decisions and figure out what’s best for me too. Also, I thought around 10 interviews in psych makes it so that you’re likely to match. Any reason why you’re aiming for 20-25? Thanks!
 
Is there a reason why you’re applying to so many programs in psych with such an awesome step 1 score? I was advised to not do too many with a much lower step 1. I’m still trying to understand what goes on behind these decisions and figure out what’s best for me too. Also, I thought around 10 interviews in psych makes it so that you’re likely to match. Any reason why you’re aiming for 20-25? Thanks!
20-25 may have been overkill. I'll probably have to just wait and see how I feel about the interviews I've done (assuming I have the luxury of getting a bunch).

1) I am a DO student
2) I want to get into as competitive of a program as I can so am applying to a lot of them and expect lower than average yield
3) I expect a percentile decrease on step 2
4) Advisors in med school are more miss than hit. Would take advice with a salt lamp-sized grain of salt
5) I am a DO student
6) I am risk averse

2020 Charting Outcomes curve for MD seniors:
1619967490936.png

DO seniors:
1619967515897.png
 
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20-25 may have been overkill. I'll probably have to just wait and see how I feel about the interviews I've done (assuming I have the luxury of getting a bunch).

1) I am a DO student
2) I want to get into as competitive of a program as I can so am applying to a lot of them and expect lower than average yield
3) I expect a percentile decrease on step 2
4) Advisors in med school are more miss than hit. Would take advice with a salt lamp-sized grain of salt
5) I am a DO student
6) I am risk averse

2020 Charting Outcomes curve for MD seniors:
View attachment 336096
DO seniors:
View attachment 336097
Thank you for taking the time to reply! It looks like the DO and MD charts don't differ very much though, so I don't think you'd be at a big disadvantage by being DO. I think when people tell me that 10 ranks is a good number, they're referring to having more than 10 being "diminishing returns" which I think the graphs support since 10 seems to be when both charts begin to asymptote. Still, I can see why 20 ranks can be something to aim for since it's definitely closer to 100% vs. 10 ranks. I actually haven't spoken to my academic advisor yet, so I'll see what they say. Most of the advice I've been getting so far has been from SDN or recently matched classmates, lol! Anyway, how do you plan to make your list of schools? When applying to lots of programs, are you focusing on "fit" or mostly location?
 
Is there a reason why you’re applying to so many programs in psych with such an awesome step 1 score? I was advised to not do too many with a much lower step 1. I’m still trying to understand what goes on behind these decisions and figure out what’s best for me too. Also, I thought around 10 interviews in psych makes it so that you’re likely to match. Any reason why you’re aiming for 20-25? Thanks!
Not applying psych, but applying IM, targeting mostly community, have 250+ Step 1, and planning on applying to 50 programs. I think it's just the paranoia for most of us. I've spoken to recently matched M4s at my school and all of them said "looking back, I applied to way too many programs, but I got scared." Well......we're all scared too, so we're probably all going to overapply and then say the same thing next year (hopefully). I'd rather spend more money now then look back and wonder if I would've just applied to 5 more programs should things go wrong.
 
Some people are reeeeally picky...like unable to find someone over years in a city of 1M+ and hoping now for better luck in Boston/NYC/SF

Not applying psych, but applying IM, targeting mostly community, have 250+ Step 1, and planning on applying to 50 programs. I think it's just the paranoia for most of us. I've spoken to recently matched M4s at my school and all of them said "looking back, I applied to way too many programs, but I got scared." Well......we're all scared too, so we're probably all going to overapply and then say the same thing next year (hopefully). I'd rather spend more money now then look back and wonder if I would've just applied to 5 more programs should things go wrong.
Honestly I'd write a bunch of letters and/or put some academic programs in there in case you get yield protected against pretty hard. I didn't even get an interview at my home town program where my family still lives.
 
Honestly I'd write a bunch of letters and/or put some academic programs in there in case you get yield protected against pretty hard. I didn't even get an interview at my home town program where my family still lives.
*cries* this is literally my biggest fear. Straight up almost wish I had a lower Step 1 score.....this process is so messed up.

I'm going hard in my PS about location being the biggest thing for me. I do also plan on sending out LOIs if I don't see much interview yield. I am applying to all of the academic programs in my home state as well as the ones in my med school region. I will probably have to branch out and add more programs in other states anyways, since I'm only at 30 programs right now. Any program I apply to in another state will be purely academic. The amount of crappy HCA residencies in FL is outstanding, so there aren't quite as many in-state programs to apply to as I initially thought once you subtract those.
 
Some people are reeeeally picky...like unable to find someone over years in a city of 1M+ and hoping now for better luck in Boston/NYC/SF


Honestly I'd write a bunch of letters and/or put some academic programs in there in case you get yield protected against pretty hard. I didn't even get an interview at my home town program where my family still lives.
I agree with this. There’s 3 low tier programs close to where I currently live and would like to end up. Got screened out and no love even after LOIs.

Edit: you may also realize more about what you want in a program lines up with a more academic one. I was surprised that I did.
 
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Psyc isn't an "awesome step 1 = guaranteed match" field

From my group of friends that applied to Psyc this year..n=3 unfortunately
- 240s in steps, 10ish interviews, didn't match
- COMLEX only, 10ish interviews, matched in top 3
- 210/220s in steps, <10 interviews, matched (not sure where in the rank list)

Psyc is serious about showing commitment to the field. The ones I know who matched Psyc their resume literally SCREAMS Psyc (multiple auditions, LORs, clubs etc). Psyc is basically all they talked about since M1. It's competitive in the sense that you can't be like "okay 240s, I got my one Psyc LOR, I'm good to go"
This is something that scares me because even though I'm definitely committed to psych, I'm not sure I have enough stuff to show it. I didn't take on leadership roles in specialty-specific clubs (had different leadership roles in other school clubs but not specialty ones). My research is in neuroscience but it's more in neurology field, though I'm interested in the intersection of the 2 and in neuroscience in general so I hope that this can still translate over. I've done one psych elective, hoping to get a LOR from it, and will have done a psych sub-I by the time I apply. For what it's worth, psych was one of my majors in undergrad. I know it's not a lot but not really sure what I have time to do at this point.
 
BTW, how much time are you guys blocking out to dedicate to filling out ERAS apps, work on PS, select programs, etc. Is it enough to take 2 weeks? Do we need more time? Also, there's no benefit to submitting before the morning of September 29th, right? As in, Sep 1st, 15th, or 28th won't make a difference since programs can't review until the morning of the 29th, correct?
 
BTW, how much time are you guys blocking out to dedicate to filling out ERAS apps, work on PS, select programs, etc. Is it enough to take 2 weeks? Do we need more time? Also, there's no benefit to submitting before the morning of September 29th, right? As in, Sep 1st, 15th, or 28th won't make a difference since programs can't review until the morning of the 29th, correct?
I’m taking the weekends. My school doesn’t allow us to just have straight time off. We get four weeks of independent study, but they’re already spoken for in my schedule.
 
BTW, how much time are you guys blocking out to dedicate to filling out ERAS apps, work on PS, select programs, etc. Is it enough to take 2 weeks? Do we need more time? Also, there's no benefit to submitting before the morning of September 29th, right? As in, Sep 1st, 15th, or 28th won't make a difference since programs can't review until the morning of the 29th, correct?
Besides the personal statement, which might takes months or hours depending on the person, you can literally finish it in an afternoon. I have no clue why people act like it takes several days/weeks.
 
Besides the personal statement, which might takes months or hours depending on the person, you can literally finish it in an afternoon. I have no clue why people act like it takes several days/weeks.

Probably because the match is a huge deal, so people just sort of build each part of it up more than it really is.
 
Probably because the match is a huge deal, so people just sort of build each part of it up more than it really is.
We had a meeting last week with a Gen Surg PD who said that she has read over 6000+ personal statements since she's been a PD and considered it a big part of whether she extends an interview to someone or not. So IDK I'm not going to take any risk and do a Half ass job at it because "the PS is not important". Maybe not a whole week though, but at least a day or two, then after having a few people review it for me, maybe a few more hours of necessary corrections.
 
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BTW @Ho0v-man and @Neopolymath is it better to upload your own CV or did you guys enter your info and let ERAS do it for you? Also, how long is the CV supposed to be (I'm hoping more than 1 page is fine)?
 
BTW @Ho0v-man and @Neopolymath is it better to upload your own CV or did you guys enter your info and let ERAS do it for you? Also, how long is the CV supposed to be (I'm hoping more than 1 page is fine)?
I don’t think uploading your own CV is an option? Pretty sure you enter it in
 
We had a meeting last week with a Gen Surg PD who said that she has read over 6000+ personal statements since she's been a PD and considered it a big part of whether she extends an interview to someone or not. So IDK I'm not going to take any risk and do a Half ass job at it because "the PS not important". Maybe not a whole week though, but at least a day or two, then after having a few people review it for me, maybe a few more hours of necessary corrections.

He said “beside the personal statement,” so you’re arguing against something neither of us said.
 
Thanks to all the responses regarding timing for working on ERAS. And there's no advantage to submitting as soon as ERAS opens as long as we submit before September 29th, 9 a.m., correct?
 
BTW @Ho0v-man and @Neopolymath is it better to upload your own CV or did you guys enter your info and let ERAS do it for you? Also, how long is the CV supposed to be (I'm hoping more than 1 page is fine)?
You don’t have an option to upload your own. You have to input all the info on ERAS, and then they generate a standardized CV.
 
Thanks to all the responses regarding timing for working on ERAS. And there's no advantage to submitting as soon as ERAS opens as long as we submit before September 29th, 9 a.m., correct?
Yeah, there is no advantage to submitting early. As long it's in by September 29th, you're good from what I was told by several people at my school and some PDs.
 
Thanks to all the responses regarding timing for working on ERAS. And there's no advantage to submitting as soon as ERAS opens as long as we submit before September 29th, 9 a.m., correct?
Yep. I didn’t even log in the first week you could because I assumed it would be backed up.
 
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