MD & DO Co’22 ERAS Panic Thread

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Cranjis McBasketball said:
At the Family Med residency fair this week most programs said they were planning to offer a hybrid model where the applicant chooses if they want to do in person vs virtual..

The other bad thing with virtual is I feel like its hard to really get to know the program and you obviously cant get to know the city
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For applicants, this will only add to the stress of the entire application process. They will be forced to play a game of trying to maximize both the total number of IVs and IVs to attend in-person.

At my TY program (sponsored by the FM department), there was a meeting recently about favoring the hybrid model for the FM residency. Some faculty and coordinators leaned on the side of favoring applicants who would choose in-person interviews, a sentiment I suspect will be pervasive among the majority of programs that offer a hybrid model.

Ideally, programs should submit their rank order lists about 1 month prior to applicant's rank order list submission deadline. In that month, applicants can choose to attend in-person second looks to get a feel for the hospital and the area.
 
AzBasRad said:
Limitations on in-person away rotations were probably more deleterious for international applicants / DOs compared to virtual interviews. The biggest drawbacks were (probably still are): over-interviewing from applicants and not visiting the hospital/surrounding areas.


I remember there was an applicant from Greece during one of my DR interviews. He also attended the night-before resident social and his connection seemed fine (i.e. he wasn't lagging on zoom when he spoke). What are you applying into? YMMV but if I was in your shoes, I would probably stay put at least until I submit my rank order list and then travel during the last few months of MS4.
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Yeah I think I might end up doing that to play it safe, I just miss them a lot and have a 2 month period of doing nothing between October and January. I'm applying to med-peds and favor my home program which knows me well so I'm not terribly concerned but don't wanna make any errors I'll regret later.
 
Deecee2DO said:
Ive heard programs going virtual again this year for interviews? Not cool. and why? lol. I think this hurt people especially DOs last cycle just my opinion. Trying to stay optimistic that interviews will be in person
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My program informed us general surgery interviews will be virtual again this year. With cases rapidly rising again I would not hold out hope for in person interviews. We’ve already begun to curtail elective surgery again
 
DOVinciRobot said:
My program informed us general surgery interviews will be virtual again this year. With cases rapidly rising again I would not hold out hope for in person interviews. We’ve already begun to curtail elective surgery again
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Any changes to aways ?
 
Deecee2DO said:
Ive heard programs going virtual again this year for interviews? Not cool. and why? lol. I think this hurt people especially DOs last cycle just my opinion. Trying to stay optimistic that interviews will be in person
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One of my top (IM) programs announced fully virtual. I suspect most programs will do this. I am not a fan of the hybrid model as it basically just forces applicants to go in person or show that they weren't interested enough in the program to fly out.
 
Please god dont let there be in person interviews. Why do people want to throw away $600+ for every single program they interview at? If a person want to see the area so badly they can fly to the location and drive around on their own time.
 
AzBasRad said:
Limitations on in-person away rotations were probably more deleterious for international applicants / DOs compared to virtual interviews. The biggest drawbacks were (probably still are): over-interviewing from applicants and not visiting the hospital/surrounding areas.


I remember there was an applicant from Greece during one of my DR interviews. He also attended the night-before resident social and his connection seemed fine (i.e. he wasn't lagging on zoom when he spoke). What are you applying into? YMMV but if I was in your shoes, I would probably stay put at least until I submit my rank order list and then travel during the last few months of MS4.
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Yeah but what about tons of people now applying to more programs because they don't have to travel so you will now get more of the super star applicants taking the interview seats away from others applying. Not good especially for DO and IMG
 
Deecee2DO said:
Yeah but what about tons of people now applying to more programs because they don't have to travel so you will now get more of the super star applicants taking the interview seats away from others applying. Not good especially for DO and IMG
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Yeah, but even if the superstars apply to more programs, there is no way they match into all the seats available out there. The non-superstars are also applying to a lot more programs as well, and programs have also increase the amount of spots they have for interviews.
 
For intern year would a FM letter be just as good as a IM letter ?
 
Chelsea FC said:
For intern year would a FM letter be just as good as a IM letter ?
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For that situation, a letter demonstrating your quality and ability to handle intern year is more important than what type of doc writes it. However, IM will always enjoy IM letters should you be unable to tell who will write the better letter.
 
Not sure if this has been answered yet but is it true programs can't see whether you submitted early September vs late?
 
cybermed2424 said:
Not sure if this has been answered yet but is it true programs can't see whether you submitted early September vs late?
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No

What you're referring to is the supplemental application thing that IM, Derm, and Gen Surg programs are doing. And you have to submit your supplemental application by September 19 if you want it to be available to PDs on the first day that applications are released on September 29. If submitted between September 20-29, it will only become available to them on October 6.
 
cybermed2424 said:
Not sure if this has been answered yet but is it true programs can't see whether you submitted early September vs late?
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Yes. All applications received by September 29 will show as having been submitted the same time (that day). For the supplemental mentioned above, that date is September 19.
 
Is there a section on ERAS to put research that is submitted but not accepted yet? How about research that is accepted but not published? Im gonna be so pissed if I cant include these on my app if some arent “published” or in press yet if they are accepted. I want programs to know I have submitted some of the stuff I have been working on for months which shows I am actively involved in research. Also when it gets published can I update this and contact programs about this
 
Deecee2DO said:
Is there a section on ERAS to put research that is submitted but not accepted yet? How about research that is accepted but not published? Im gonna be so pissed if I cant include these on my app if some arent “published” or in press yet if they are accepted. I want programs to know I have submitted some of the stuff I have been working on for months which shows I am actively involved in research. Also when it gets published can I update this and contact programs about this
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yes, "Peer Reviewed Journal Articles/Abstracts(Other than Published)"
 
So. Is it bad to not have a letter from a fourth year rotation? I'm on a sub-I right now but we only work with each attending for like 2 days before they switch out. I feel like even if I ask for a letter, it won't be strong especially since we mostly work with the residents anyways. I already have 3 letters but they are all from third year.
 
Deecee2DO said:
I honestly i think its horrible. Im gona be done writing applications when im 65 years old. I might just not apply IM now
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I'm pretty sure it's one supplemental application? Like how ERAS is one app? But I could be wrong.

I just like it for the signaling as a high stat applicant targeting lower ranked programs because of location. It's honestly the answer to my prayers in my case but I can see how it's annoying for others.
 
fldoctorgirl said:
I'm pretty sure it's one supplemental application? Like how ERAS is one app? But I could be wrong.

I just like it for the signaling as a high stat applicant targeting lower ranked programs because of location. It's honestly the answer to my prayers in my case but I can see how it's annoying for others.
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If that’s the case then I’m just going to copy and paste the **** out of most of it. If I can really emphasize that I want one certain location and it makes a difference, then I’ll be happy with it.
 
Wtf is this???? Considering not even applying for any medicine prelims now and just applying to TYs only. This guide they posted doesn't even fully make sense to me, is it like 4 mini essays or something?

Also what if you apply to programs that aren't on the participating list, will AAMC still auto generate a supplemental app for you?
 
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Getting the feeling that this is partly being used to eliminate people over applying during the virtual interview era. If you 'signal' youre interested in a specific area, but apply to 100+ places in a different area, those programs are going to know youre just throwing an app there just because
 
CyrusHabs7695 said:
Getting the feeling that this is partly being used to eliminate people over applying during the virtual interview era. If you 'signal' youre interested in a specific area, but apply to 100+ places in a different area, those programs are going to know youre just throwing an app there just because
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Programs can't see where you signaled or even whether or not you participated in signaling. Only a program that you signaled will see that you signaled them (and not who else you also signaled). It also specifies that if you signal a region, it won't be shown to programs outside that region. So if I put southeast as my location preference, any Midwest programs I apply to won't see that.
 
fldoctorgirl said:
Programs can't see where you signaled or even whether or not you participated in signaling. Only a program that you signaled will see that you signaled them (and not who else you also signaled). It also specifies that if you signal a region, it won't be shown to programs outside that region. So if I put southeast as my location preference, any Midwest programs I apply to won't see that.
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If they can't see if you signaled their geographic location, doesn't that automatically mean you didn't wanna be in that area anyway?
 
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fldoctorgirl said:
Programs can't see where you signaled or even whether or not you participated in signaling. Only a program that you signaled will see that you signaled them (and not who else you also signaled). It also specifies that if you signal a region, it won't be shown to programs outside that region. So if I put southeast as my location preference, any Midwest programs I apply to won't see that.
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Yeah but say you want to stay in the SE, so you signaled that and all those programs get notification of that. The programs you apply to outside of the SE won't get a notification saying you signaled their respective geographic location, so they will know thats not where you wish to be.
 
DrStephenStrange said:
If they can't see if you signaled their geographic location, doesn't that automatically mean you did wanna be in that area anyway?
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CyrusHabs7695 said:
Yeah but say you want to stay in the SE, so you signaled that and all those programs get notification of that. The programs you apply to outside of the SE won't get a notification saying you signaled their respective geographic location, so they will know thats not where you wish to be.
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I mean....I guess so. I see what you're saying. I just see the positives of really getting to express your interest to certain programs. But I can see the flip as well.
 
fldoctorgirl said:
I mean....I guess so. I see what you're saying. I just see the positives of really getting to express your interest to certain programs. But I can see the flip as well.
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I just feel like you could express your interest in a place in the personal statement without telling the other places youre not interested. Honestly just surprised they aren't charging more money for this.
 
CyrusHabs7695 said:
I just feel like you could express your interest in a place in the personal statement without telling the other places youre not interested. Honestly just surprised they aren't charging more money for this.
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This. Right now my top 3 choices are in wildly different regions, and I anticipate that trend will continue as I add more (obviously we are talking about PRE INTERVIEW top choices).

So I can't signal a region, and the # of programs I'm going to be begging it going to be >signal#
 
Supplemental applications aside, I've recently drawn up my initial list of neurology programs and of the 40+ only 4 are advanced programs that don't have a linked/guaranteed pgy-1 year. Given that the vast majority of programs I'll be applying to are categorical or guarantee a PGY-1 spot, how many prelims should I plan to apply to? I'm considering even just dropping the programs from my list and adding in some other categoricals so I don't even have to think about applying to prelims outside of the ones that are guaranteed to those who match to an advanced program.
 
I just want to know if I apply to only prelim med programs that are NOT on the participating list, am I still going to get an automated Supplemental App on Sep 1, does anybody know?
 
Ganon said:
This. Right now my top 3 choices are in wildly different regions, and I anticipate that trend will continue as I add more (obviously we are talking about PRE INTERVIEW top choices).

So I can't signal a region, and the # of programs I'm going to be begging it going to be >signal#
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I may be naive but I really don't think this is going to be a problem. It says in the instructions that you can signal that you have no preference, and you can explain why. I don't have a regional preference either. I don't feel like it's going to be a death sentence to signal no preference.

I do think that people who are applying to multiple regions should consider signaling no preference.
 
So i am applying neurology and there is a mix of categorical and advanced programs. Can i apply to categorical program for neurology and for prelim IM program at the same hospital?
 
fldoctorgirl said:
You can select 3 geographic regions. So really this shouldn't be an issue.
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The problem is that I’m applying broadly, so for a lot of great programs it’s going to say that I don’t have a regional preference for those places.

while that in itself might not sound awful, imagine if a clone application of mine was applying, one that said the program fit my regional preference, and one that said I didn’t have the regional preference. I feel like the program would rank the regional preference.

It’s just one more layer to overcome
 
Ganon said:
The problem is that I’m applying broadly, so for a lot of great programs it’s going to say that I don’t have a regional preference for those places.

while that in itself might not sound awful, imagine if a clone application of mine was applying, one that said the program fit my regional preference, and one that said I didn’t have the regional preference. I feel like the program would rank the regional preference.

It’s just one more layer to overcome
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Maybe. I think preferences will more so be used to determine who to interview since with things being virtual this year again, everyone can just go on interviews everywhere. I personally see nothing wrong with communicating preference in some way-- there is too much unknown and mind games in this process, and to me it's like...yes, I want to be at this program. Please interview me because xyz. But again I see both sides and I am sorry if it's making things more stressful for some. I see your points.
 
Trying to get my PS to be one page on eras is painful.

Edit: finally got it to 1 actual page but ERAS is adding a second blank page....wtf. For program specific ones, is it okay to be a few lines onto page 2? Like...3. I can't find anything else to trim.
 
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fldoctorgirl said:
Trying to get my PS to be one page on eras is painful.

Edit: finally got it to 1 actual page but ERAS is adding a second blank page....wtf. For program specific ones, is it okay to be a few lines onto page 2? Like...3. I can't find anything else to trim.
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Possibly off base here, but I feel like the shorter the PS the better. I dont think these PDs are going to have the attention span to read further than 3/4-1 full page.
 
7331poas said:
Possibly off base here, but I feel like the shorter the PS the better. I dont think these PDs are going to have the attention span to read further than 3/4-1 full page.
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Yeah that's my thought, but then on the other hand I'm like if you can't read 3 sentences on a second page.....meh. We'll see. It's just hard for the program-specific ones to still keep it 1 page without cutting too much of the actual substance.
 
fldoctorgirl said:
Yeah that's my thought, but then on the other hand I'm like if you can't read 3 sentences on a second page.....meh. We'll see. It's just hard for the program-specific ones to still keep it 1 page without cutting too much of the actual substance.
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Yeah, one program wants a paragraph about why you want to go to their area specifically (rural), no way I can add that info in without going a little over a page.
 
fldoctorgirl said:
So. Is it bad to not have a letter from a fourth year rotation? I'm on a sub-I right now but we only work with each attending for like 2 days before they switch out. I feel like even if I ask for a letter, it won't be strong especially since we mostly work with the residents anyways. I already have 3 letters but they are all from third year.
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Still curious about this......anyone have any input.....

I'm struggling on what to do, I feel like even if I ask for a letter from this rotation it would be a bad one (nothing negative about me, just extremely generic as I've barely interacted with the attendings).
 
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