ERAS Question for those having repeated a year

[doctor4ever]

One on the questions on the ERAS application asks, "Has your medical education been interrupted or extended?" It then has a space for an explanation.

I'm not sure what should be written.

Any advice from students that had to repeat a course?

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[tetris]

repeating a course or a semester should not be mentioned there. that question is for people who have taken a semester off as a leave of absence for vacation or board review, for example.

in fact, you shouldn't mention a repeated course or semester anywhere in the application. it will be noted on your med school transcript.

 

[doctor4ever]

Anyone else have any thoughts about the subject?

 

[seattledoc]

If it took you more than 4 years to get through medical school, regardless of the reason, you're best off being completely open and transparent about it. If you fail to address the delay, it'll look deceptive which is alot worse than repeating a course.

 

[tetris]

but that's not the place for it. repeating a course or semester is not considered interrupting you medical education.

 

[seattledoc]

So this question about medical education being extended or interrupted comes up just after the "dates attended medical school" question. This is not by coincidence in my mind.

If your attendence spans greater than the usual 4 years it will be noticed.
I agree in part with tetris about a medical school interruption being board review, travel, etc.
Medical school "extension" is exactly what we're talking about here, taking >4 years to complete a 4 year degree, that would be an "extended " training span. If this is your situation and it goes unexplained, anyone reading it will be confused and will then have to dig to figure out the discrepancy. This would annoy me if I were evaluating the application. You're better off explaining.

Now, if you somehow played catchup and got out in 4years, all bets are off, keep quiet about it.

I'd be interested in hearing where tetris believes is the appropriate place to address this delay.

 

[tetris]

if something is not asked about in ERAS, then there's no place to address it, except for the personal statement, but to mention it there is optional. besides, something like repeating a semester or a course or a board exam is indicated in the transcript.

 

[LaCirujana]

The dates of your attendence are likely to be noticed (and be the giveaway that you took >4y to complete med school). Although I went through in 4y, I took 5 years for undergrad, plus I had been concurrently enrolled at the local university for a number of classes while still in high school. I was asked many times to explain my "8 year" undergrad career, since my dates of enrollment included the time I was both in high school and my regular undergrad time.

 

[seattledoc]

I agree with "La Cirujana", whether or not the extended time to get through med schoold is explained in your application, it will be a topic of conversation in your interviews.

 

[tetris]

yes, they have the right to ask you about it during the interview, but i don't think they'll accuse you of hiding it (or have such an attitude toward you, without explicitly accusing you). however, if they question you, just say you don't consider it an interruption of your education, there's no place to address it on ERAS, and it's evident on your med school transcript.

there is a chance that a few of the inteviewers will overlook the extended length of your education or choose not to bring it up, or at most, just mention it in passing. thus, i feel it is unwise to go out of your way to make a point of it on your ERAS application, just in order to send the message that you're being completely open about everything.

 

[sunny9505]

doctor4ever
i am in the same position. i think i was going to mention it since it does ask specifically about an extension in your medical education. just wondering - have you have decided what you are going to do? if you are going to mention it, are you going to give a specific reason for the extension?

 

[doctor4ever]

sunny9505

I decided to go ahead and check yes. I don't want them to think I'm trying to hide something. My explanation was short and to the point:

"Repeated and passed course x during the 20xx-20xx academic year"

I hope this helps others in this situation.

N.B. I don't think that programs are going to be very concerned if you check yes. Last week I got an interview invitation from Emory.

 

[Sessamoid]

I don't remember the exact wording, but if it asks about "extensions" then anything above 4 years should be included. I agree that anything else might be viewed as deceptive. As part of chief resident duties, I helped review applications for our residency program during my senior year. Any such discrepency would probably have been viewed by us as deceptive. YMMV.