MD & DO Co’22 ERAS Panic Thread

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So I am applying psych this year with decent board scores. I have 3 to 4 letters with two psych’s writing (although the last one said they can only do it within the week prior to the September deadline - yikes). 2 letters in, 2 more to go. One of them is in the process of writing thankfully given we need at least 3. Got two auditions so far as well. I have about 72 programs saved on ERAS all in the Midwest + a few in some southern states. Is 72 programs really excessive at this point? Lol.
 
Can we add an LOR after September? I am doing my IM SubI in September and was wondering if I can add it in October? it will be my 4th LOR
 
EmilKraepelin55 said:
So I am applying psych this year with decent board scores. I have 3 to 4 letters with two psych’s writing (although the last one said they can only do it within the week prior to the September deadline - yikes). 2 letters in, 2 more to go. One of them is in the process of writing thankfully given we need at least 3. Got two auditions so far as well. I have about 72 programs saved on ERAS all in the Midwest + a few in some southern states. Is 72 programs really excessive at this point? Lol.
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Yes, I think 72 is a bit excessive for psych if you are a US MD with average stats and no red flags tbh. I'm a psych applicant basing this on Charting Outcomes, my psych advisors, and residents in my home program. YMMV, and it is true that last year was apparently super weird and regional for psych. You could check the Google applicant spreadsheet thing, too, if you want to see yield from people with similar stats? But you do you!
 
DaenerysTargaryen said:
Yes, I think 72 is a bit excessive for psych if you are a US MD with average stats and no red flags tbh. I'm a psych applicant basing this on Charting Outcomes, my psych advisors, and residents in my home program. YMMV, and it is true that last year was apparently super weird and regional for psych. You could check the Google applicant spreadsheet thing, too, if you want to see yield from people with similar stats? But you do you!
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Gotcha! But I am actually a USDO, so perhaps my number is justified. But I am just looking for input. Thanks for the reply!
 
FutureDoctor5000 said:
Can we add an LOR after September? I am doing my IM SubI in September and was wondering if I can add it in October? it will be my 4th LOR
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pretty sure you can add a letter whenever you want

I'm also doing a sub I in september, my plan was to tell my attending day 1 or 2 that im hoping for a letter and if we could revist the topic 10 days before applications go out, explaning that I would really appreciate it being submitted before the 29th
 
ohmanwaddup said:
pretty sure you can add a letter whenever you want

I'm also doing a sub I in september, my plan was to tell my attending day 1 or 2 that im hoping for a letter and if we could revist the topic 10 days before applications go out, explaning that I would really appreciate it being submitted before the 29th
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That was my plan to, the problem would be that at most SubI’s you won’t be working with the same attending every week or day.
 
EmilKraepelin55 said:
So I am applying psych this year with decent board scores. I have 3 to 4 letters with two psych’s writing (although the last one said they can only do it within the week prior to the September deadline - yikes). 2 letters in, 2 more to go. One of them is in the process of writing thankfully given we need at least 3. Got two auditions so far as well. I have about 72 programs saved on ERAS all in the Midwest + a few in some southern states. Is 72 programs really excessive at this point? Lol.
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Yea I think 72 is prbly a bit excessive for USMD/DO for psych. But ultimately it comes down to what you are comfortable with. The average # of apps was 30ish for Md’s and 50 for DO
 
To all those that were wondering about the supplemental application and whether we had to do it for each program participating that you are applying to the answer is NO according to this directly from the FAQ's on the AAMC website
"No, applicants only need to complete one supplemental ERAS application. Their responses will be shared with all programs that are participating and to which they applied."
The site also said that you have to do it for both prelim and categorial spots for IM but not for surgery prelim spots.
P.S. Sorry If this was already answered
 
For those talking about letters from SubIs that run past Sept 29th-My subI runs into the last week of September but my attending and I discussed getting letter uploaded for a few days before Sept 29th and he was totally cool with it. I think this is fine as it doesnt really matter if your SubI is complete before the deadline just talk to your attendings and you should be good. I was told by several residency advisors that an attending only needs a few days to a week with you to get enough info to write a solid letter. Obvi the longer they know you the better but we dont need to have known the attending or have been working with the attending as long as wed think
 
fldoctorgirl said:
The MSPE should make mention of our board scores, right?
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You would think so considering we specifically had to opt-out of them publishing it on our portal. That said, I would take well-written English on my letter at this point, but even that wasn't a given.
 
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Does anyone know how to get rid of a 2nd blank page on their PS on ERAS? It has nothing on it...
 
fldoctorgirl said:
Does anyone know how to get rid of a 2nd blank page on their PS on ERAS? It has nothing on it...
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Did you already copy and paste from Notepad? I know there are issues with formatting if you put it in from Word without using something like Notepad first...
 
DaenerysTargaryen said:
Did you already copy and paste from Notepad? I know there are issues with formatting if you put it in from Word without using something like Notepad first...
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I did. I honestly don't think it changed anything for me though? But I can try it again. It's weird, it's literally just a blank page with nothing on it that ERAS inputs.
 
fldoctorgirl said:
I did. I honestly don't think it changed anything for me though? But I can try it again. It's weird, it's literally just a blank page with nothing on it that ERAS inputs.
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Can you click on it and backspace until it goes away. It's probably just some extra "space" or "new line" input that has not been deleted.
 
fldoctorgirl said:
I did. I honestly don't think it changed anything for me though? But I can try it again. It's weird, it's literally just a blank page with nothing on it that ERAS inputs.
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This is my issue too but, does it actually matter if its there?
 
DrStephenStrange said:
Can you click on it and backspace until it goes away. It's probably just some extra "space" or "new line" input that has not been deleted.
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It's not. There is no extra space.

MedScat said:
This is my issue too but, does it actually matter if its there?
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I don't know tbh. I finally trimmed it down to be one page of actual text, and now ERAS wants to stick a blank page on there cause why not lol
 
fldoctorgirl said:
It's not. There is no extra space.


I don't know tbh. I finally trimmed it down to be one page of actual text, and now ERAS wants to stick a blank page on there cause why not lol
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I mean when they look at it, it will clearly be one page so who cares? I’m sure you’re not the first person to have a weird eras blank second page.
 
How many iterations of the PS are y'all doing? I did a first draft and 2 docs said it needed work for different reasons which contradict each other. I am starting to think as long as I get something not offensive then it will be in the 90% of "average" ones that don't help or hurt. At what point do you just call it and turn it in?
 
djtallahassee said:
How many iterations of the PS are y'all doing? I did a first draft and 2 docs said it needed work for different reasons which contradict each other. I am starting to think as long as I get something not offensive then it will be in the 90% of "average" ones that don't help or hurt. At what point do you just call it and turn it in?
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depends how good ur app is imo. If you have a below avg application then spend some more time on it. If youre application is average then its up to you if you want to make it stand out. If you have the time i would try and make it as good as it can be. I heard for Psych the PS matters more? not sure whT youre applying for
 
djtallahassee said:
How many iterations of the PS are y'all doing? I did a first draft and 2 docs said it needed work for different reasons which contradict each other. I am starting to think as long as I get something not offensive then it will be in the 90% of "average" ones that don't help or hurt. At what point do you just call it and turn it in?
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Advice I got from writing lab was polar opposite of “expert” physician advice.

I have no idea who to trust. I’m applying IM so I’m going with a more structured, logical sort of style
 
Deecee2DO said:
depends how good ur app is imo. If you have a below avg application then spend some more time on it. If youre application is average then its up to you if you want to make it stand out. If you have the time i would try and make it as good as it can be. I heard for Psych the PS matters more? not sure whT youre applying for
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Yea it is a pretty decent overall app and not Psych so thats good haha. I just have nothing remarkable about me or choosing the specialty so the PS is painful.
 
djtallahassee said:
Yea it is a pretty decent overall app and not Psych so thats good haha. I just have nothing remarkable about me or choosing the specialty so the PS is painful.
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Docs are terrible writers usually. unless you are gettting conflicting advice from program directors, id recommend reaching out the people you know who actually write for a living
 
ohmanwaddup said:
Docs are terrible writers usually. unless you are gettting conflicting advice from program directors, id recommend reaching out the people you know who actually write for a living
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This. Listen to your advisors regarding content for sure, but don't worry too much about their grammatical edits if you have others you trust to provide that feedback.
 
Finally supposed to be getting Step 2 score back after waiting 5ever, ahhhhhhhh

I had a dream last night that I checked my score and every time I refreshed the page it was a different score. One of them was a 116.

update: I passed, just a little above a 116 😂
 
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Alright y'all....airpods or airpods pro? I am not a big headphone user in general, so main purpose for buying them is for interviews.
 
fldoctorgirl said:
Alright y'all....airpods or airpods pro? I am not a big headphone user in general, so main purpose for buying them is for interviews.
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this is my current issue lol. Ive got a webcam and ringlight picked out, but im wondering what to use for a good microphone
 
fldoctorgirl said:
Alright y'all....airpods or airpods pro? I am not a big headphone user in general, so main purpose for buying them is for interviews.
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My school sent out a survey to the previous class and the number one recommendation was EarPods. AirPods die quickly on Zoom and other virtual platforms apparently. Safest to use something you can plug in.
 
DrStephenStrange said:
I didn't think people send them that early. In fact, I thought sending them early was regarded poorly by programs because they are already doing their best to go over hundreds of applications around that time.
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Yeah I always thought this was a post interview around December/January thing
 
Cranjis McBasketball said:
Yeah I always thought this was a post interview around December/January thing
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That's the "I'm ranking you number 1" type email before rank order lists are certified. But there is also the "letter of interest" type email people send to programs they are interested in before interview spots run out, and that usually happens after a few interview invites have gone out not 1-2 weeks into the application cycle.
 
DrStephenStrange said:
I didn't think people send them that early. In fact, I thought sending them early was regarded poorly by programs because they are already doing their best to go over hundreds of applications around that time.
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Thats a good point. Guess I'm just anxious for this politics game of having to show extra extra interest is over
 
Has anyone ever gotten an LOR from a physician they didn't do a rotation with? There's a mentor I've been with all 4 years who knows me well personally and I was supposed to do an elective with him but it fell through bc of COVID. I still would like him to write me a letter, but not sure how much he'd be able to talk about my clinical abilities.
 
iforget2 said:
Has anyone ever gotten an LOR from a physician they didn't do a rotation with? There's a mentor I've been with all 4 years who knows me well personally and I was supposed to do an elective with him but it fell through bc of COVID. I still would like him to write me a letter, but not sure how much he'd be able to talk about my clinical abilities.
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I got one from the IM chair at my school who I didn't rotate with, but he is also a neurologist, and I'm applying neurology. So I thought I'd knock out two birds with one stone (IM chair and Neuro LOR in one).
 
DrStephenStrange said:
I got one from the IM chair at my school who I didn't rotate with, but he is also a neurologist, and I'm applying neurology. So I thought I'd knock out two birds with one stone (IM chair and Neuro LOR in one).
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What did he go off of for your letter? Personal statement and CV?
 
iforget2 said:
What did he go off of for your letter? Personal statement and CV?
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He requested my preceptor evaluations, my transcript, and we also had an interview together. I didn't have my personal statement done then.
 
If someone is "director of xyz", is that the same as being chair of that department? Like, director of the ICU is the ICU chair? Or is that not how it works? Trying to decide how to designate a letter on ERAS. My school gave us a really lazy attempt from our "department chair" that basically says read the MSPE since our letter would be the same as the MSPE. Not sure if I can designate this other letter as a department chair letter or if that exclusively applies to someone from your school.
 
Ya'll think 880 words is too long for PS? Its about 1 and 1/4 pages on word doc 12 point single spaced times new roman. Heard 650-850 was magic number?
 
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