ERAS question...

[DermPlease]

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We were told by the deans at our school that we should submit ERAS as early as possible by Sept 1, to increase our chances at securing interviews.

Is this something that applies to dermatology applicants? Or a general advice for people applying to other specialties? I was under the impression that dermatology programs don't give out interviews until past application deadline and they have a chance to review/compare every applicant. In that way, no reason to apply early, right?

Please help! Thank you!!!

 

[asmallchild]

We were told by the deans at our school that we should submit ERAS as early as possible by Sept 1, to increase our chances at securing interviews.

Is this something that applies to dermatology applicants? Or a general advice for people applying to other specialties? I was under the impression that dermatology programs don't give out interviews until past application deadline and they have a chance to review/compare every applicant. In that way, no reason to apply early, right?

Please help! Thank you!!!

Yes you typically hear from dermatology programs later in the year but I would still recommend submitting as early as possible for competitive prelim and transitional years

 

[DermPlease]

Yes you typically hear from dermatology programs later in the year but I would still recommend submitting as early as possible for competitive prelim and transitional years

Thank you for you reply. One more question. What is considered early enough? I have a research article that is in preparation and would like to submit that before I submit ERAS. So I can list it under publication. Thanks!

 

[asmallchild]

Thank you for you reply. One more question. What is considered early enough? I have a research article that is in preparation and would like to submit that before I submit ERAS. So I can list it under publication. Thanks!

I would still submit September 1st, I believe you are able to make addendums to ERAS (am I incorrect?)

 

[volcoff]

I would still submit September 1st, I believe you are able to make addendums to ERAS (am I incorrect?)

I'm pretty sure you can't change anything about your experiences or publications after submitting. I think the norm is to at some point send an email to programs updating any significant changes re: publications, posters, etc, perhaps sometime early november if possible.

You can probably wait a little (2 weeks into mid sept) if waiting to hear back about a publication, otherwise would just submit your ERAS app and update programs later.

 

[sensitive skin]

Programs start sorting applications as they get them. However, interviews do not go out until after Nov 1 when Dean's Letter is released. If you're an internal applicant (ie, rotator or student of the school) you might get early interview offers from that program, or even interview while you're on your rotation.

I agree with the above advice.

 

[sore eye asses]

I think you'd be safe to wait until oct. 1st if it meant adding a pub to your app. it's not easy to notify programs of additional things after eras is submitted. just my two cents. i didn't get a single interview until november, but some people get derm interviews in late oct. I never heard of someone getting a derm interview before oct. 1st, which is why i rec waiting until then to submit.

however, if you're applying for competitive TY years, then def apply sept 1st.

it's a crummy process.

good luck.

 

[311]

Got my first interview on Oct 15, so not sure if submitting oct 1 would be a good idea although prob only a few schools start looking this early. I got the feeling that some schools shut down applications unofficially a lot earlier than stated. I think submitting sept 1 is good, you can always update AOA status and email updated CVs

 

[dermathalon]

Submitting by Sept 1 is helpful in setting up prelims and TY interviews early so that you can schedule them ahead of the peak derm interview season (Dec/Jan) so that you aren't in the situation of canceling prelim/TY interviews since derm interviews will likely take precedence. That being said, the detriment of applying by Sept 1 is that you can't change the CV once it's locked, loaded, and submitted. This a bigger deal for applicants that decided on derm late especially if they are waiting to add submissions/publications to their CV.

I think waiting a couple weeks in is just fine. I waited into the third week (and I did NOT decide on derm late) and didn't have one issue except that there was one TY interview that I couldn't make due to clash with derm interviews.

Although it is true that you can update CV with letters later on, this can be a pain in the *** if you have to sent out updates to over 60 schools, especially if you have to update AOA status, publications, and new CVs. It can sometimes be worth it to wait an extra week to put the extra details and then just submit once.

So there are pros and cons to submitting early or a little later. That said, I would be wary about submitting into October because I know for a fact that if you apply too late you'll get looked at late too (and you don't want that) even though most don't technically offer interviews until Nov 1.

Again, gotta individualize the application process and there is no one size fits all...have I started to sound like a broken record yet...

 

[Hoser]

I would submit it as early as you can. I submitted around Sept 20th and missed out on some TY interviews. I had enough after it was all said and done but earlier would have been better. I agree that for derm submitting in mid sept didn't matter. I had one pre-nov 1st derm invite with submitting when I did.

 

[vicinihil]

To take a tangent....regarding TY and Prelims, how are you guys applying for this? I'm couples matching so it is preferable my fiancee and I end up in the same place. Since I'm applying to A LOT of derm programs, should I apply to 1-2 prelim/ty programs in these locations in hopes that I get a spot? It seems like an awful waste of money but I don't know what else to do.

For example, I am an east-coaster but will be apply to Portland, Seattle, CO, etc. Should I bother applying to 1 prelim at each of those locations along with the advanced derm spot or is it more worthwhile to suck it up and spend a year apart in the MINUSCULE chance we couples match there.

 

[Dral]

Something that I didn't really do, but people have mentioned in the past is waiting to apply for intern year programs as you get derm interviews. It's sorta a gamble since derm invites go out so late and the intern year program could be done interviewing or have their spots filled, but it's always worth a shot.

You might try applying for one or two in the places where you think you might get interviews...but again, we all know how random the interview process is.

 

[vicinihil]

Just so I have some idea about the expected timeline for this process.

I understand that Derm interviews usually take place in December and January. At what point should we expect to begin hearing from programs for interviews/rejections?

 

[Dral]

I think I heard my first invite/rejection(s) around the middle of October. I got one or two at the end of October. A few more came in November with the majority end of November and beginning of December.

The last one was January 5th...undoubtedly a spot that opened up because of someone declining an interview invite for some reason or another.

Rejections will trickle in the whole time. Don't let it get you down. My best was getting two rejection notices from the same program....the second one as I was checking email on my phone walking out of a prelim year interview at that program's hospital. heh.