Eras

[Jeff698]

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I just submitted my ERAS app and watched my checking balance drop substantially. Ouch.

Surely, I'm not the only one applying for EM this year. Who else is out there?

Take care,
Jeff

 

[joaquin13]

i just submitted mine too...OUCH! Plus the NRMP fee!! Are they trying to make me live off Top Ramen for a year?

 

[Scrubbs]

Congrats to you both!!

As I suggested to many last year, have you checked out the 4th year loan for 10k? Makes interview season (and your whole 4th year) a lot easier... not to mention potential moving expenses 😀

 

[Jeff698]

I'm pretty sure by now my middle name is loan. We're looking into interview/relocation loans even as I type. Ya just gotta love low interest rates!

Take care
Jeff

PS...Yes, there is a conspiracy to suck as many dollars from us as possible. Can you say clincial skills exam? 🙁

 

[Scrubbs]

Ahhhh... CSA... We took it 4th year as guinea pigs, but luckily didn't have to pay for it 😉 I feel for you guys! Personally, I think its a completely useless test for American grads. Its purpose was always to tell if you can communicate with a patient when English is your second language...

Well, gee-wiz NBME... you think someone born and raised in the US can speak English? 😱

 

[Jeff698]

Its purpose was always to tell if you can communicate with a patient when English is your second language...

Yup. And now they can say, with a high degree of confidence, that I can at least communicate well enough in English to make sure my check didn't bounce. Grrr. 🙂

Take care,
Jeff

The pull of Game Cube is strong. I am weak.

 

[DrQuinn]

The pull of Game Cube is strong. I am weak.

What's on the gamecube that is so good? I've got a GC but nothign strikes my fancy lately, have a PS2 and rarely play it, going ot get an Xbox when Halo 2 comes out (I play PC first person shooters now).

🙂 I have a job so I can buy games. 🙂
Q

 

[Jeff698]

What's on the gamecube that is so good?

I have a seven and four year old so I got the GC for them. Really, I did. I swear.

Anyway, we're currently playing Ty, the Tasmanian Tiger.

Pathetic, yes. Fortunately, I've come to grips with my parenthood. At least I don't wear black socks with shorts. Yet.

Take care,
Jeff

 

[joaquin13]

how many programs are everyone applying to? When should we expect to start hearing about interviews, etc? I noticed some programs downloaded all my info already.

How are the EM programs in Florida doing with all the hurricanes? Are the hospitals on generators?

 

[Jeff698]

I'm following the advice of an advisor and applying to 30 programs. I can tell you there aren't 30 programs I'm all that excited about so I was just picking places I thought I might like to live.

I applied to all of the Florida programs with the assumption they'd still be there. My thoughts are with them.

Take care,
Jeff

 

[grouptherapy]

At least I don't wear black socks with shorts. Yet.

short of neglecting laundry day, i have no idea why this sort of abomination still occurs

 

[las olas]

How do you see if the programs have downloaded the info?

 

[grouptherapy]

adts button. click on that and then the specific program you applied to

 

[Jeff698]

adts button. click on that and then the specific program you applied to

I think most programs are downloading on a fairly regular basis now. All of the ones I checked have d/l mine.

What I'm curious about, however, is how they deal with incomplete applications. Certainly anyone from my school, and I suspect most/all schools, won't have their dean's letter until November. I'm still one LOR short and my school hasn't uploaded my transcripts yet.

I guess they just keep adding to their little electronic files until they see one that's complete and then decide whether or not to issue an invitation.

Oh, the confusion! Woe is me! <hand on forehead in melodramatic fashion>

Take care,
Jeff

 

[southerndoc]

Jeff, you'll be fine. You'll receive a few interview invitations before your LOR's and Dean's Letter are even in.

The programs have a couple options to "screen" applicants. They can choose to have ERAS only show them complete applications (most will consider apps without dean's letters as complete because they know they are released on a certain date). Programs can also screen by USMLE score, class rank, whether you're AOA, etc. and then review your application when it passes the screen. I received about 4 interview invitations before a single LOR was in, so you should start receiving them soon.

 

[Seaglass]

I got two pre-Deans letter invites but the floodgates didn't really open until the second or third week of November.

 

[joaquin13]

How do they usually send you the invites? Via email? What is the message center in Eras for?

Also, just curious...what type of LOR is everyone using? I am doing an EM rotation now and hoping for good LORs, any ideas from people who already have 3-4 LORs? Are they all EM?

 

[Jeff698]

Also, just curious...what type of LOR is everyone using? I am doing an EM rotation now and hoping for good LORs, any ideas from people who already have 3-4 LORs? Are they all EM?

I have two, both from EPs. One is from a prehospital research rotation and the other is from a third year EM rotation. Neither of those is on the SLOR form. I still have two EM rotations to go and I'm hoping to get my SLOR from one or both of them.

Take care,
Jeff

 

[dchristismi]

Also, just curious...what type of LOR is everyone using? I am doing an EM rotation now and hoping for good LORs, any ideas from people who already have 3-4 LORs? Are they all EM?

I'm also applying for EM... My LORs are from (assuming they all come through!)

1. my research advisor (director of emergency services at my no-EM-residency-here med school, who I also did an EM rotation with),
2. an EM attending at an away rotation
3. The PD at said EM away rotation (SLOR)
4. A pediatric cardiologist who I had a great PICU rotation with.

I'll also be applying for one of those relocation/interviewing loans... they're a good thing!

I haven't certified my CAF yet... paranoid about spelling, and things (research, mostly) keep changing. I'll probably do that later this week or next.

Danielle

 

[Hercules]

How do they usually send you the invites? Via email? What is the message center in Eras for?

Also, just curious...what type of LOR is everyone using? I am doing an EM rotation now and hoping for good LORs, any ideas from people who already have 3-4 LORs? Are they all EM?

Here are my LOR's

1. Peds attending that I had a good rotation with who was impressed with work I did on a committee we're both on.
2. The Emergency Dept Chair at my away EM rotation (SLOR)
3. The Program Director at my away EM rotation (SLOR)
4. Attending at my home EM rotation that I'm on right now (SLOR)

 

[Seaglass]

IIRC, all EM letters should be in the SLOR format assuming that 1) it was for an EM rotation, and 2) the place you are doing the rotation at has many students rotating there yearly.

 

[southerndoc]

Not a single letter was in SLOR format for my application. I got tons of interviews and ended up matching. SLOR is preferred, but not required. Don't stress out if it's not completed on a SLOR form.

 

[grouptherapy]

slor format benefits the program, but does not necessarily benefit the applicant

 

[joaquin13]

? regarding LORs....if I have a LOR from a certain program, do I send them that same LOR with my eras or do I pick different LORs?

 

[grouptherapy]

i would send the program that you rotated at, their SLOR. unless it was a bad rotation/slor, then it would be a bad idea to remind them

 

[dlung]

1) Vascular Surgery Chair, home school
2) ED Chair, home school (SLOR)
3) Research Advisor, EM Faculty at affiliate EM program (SLOR)
4) Former EM PD, away rotation (SLOR)
5) EM faculty, away rotation (SLOR)

err... besides the first, I haven't decided which ones to send where. I'll let our residency app-lady figure out which ones are good, and worry about that later. Plus, if they're all awesome, I'll just carry the extras with me to interview day.

I haven't sent my CAF out yet. My literate friends have an overly high opinion of my writing potential and keep on telling me that my PS sucks (using nice euphenisms of course)... 😀