MyEras applications open Sept 1 for IMGs. Does it harm if you submit by Oct 1?

[RaraBovis]

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I'm having issues understanding this. It seems like the deadlines for individual programs are somewhere in October or November, so going by these, it should be safe to submit an application, say by, the first week of October. But I also heard that people tend to have their application all set by September 1 and submit it, in its entirety as soon as they start accepting. IMGs who submit late, minimize their chances. Is this true?

Also, is it possible to make changes to your application after you submit? For example, if I submitted on Sept 1 (marking NO to ecfmg certified) and got ecfmg certified in October, can I make that change later for the programs to see, or will some programs have already tossed my application away seeing the NO? If it is so, then, would it be more advisable to wait until the certification, so that the application is complete, rather than apply early?

I guess what I'm trying to ask is, on balance, what is better: applying late with a complete application or applying early with some incomplete parts?

Or do I not understand this process at all? 😕

 

[TGAmed]

I am not an img; however, mynunderstanding is that submitting sometime within the first 2 weeks of September was not really any different than submitting September first. it shouldn't take you 2 weeks to fill out the Eras application if you have all your ducks in a row ahead of time (lors, ps, etc). The one thing to be aware of is potential delays in getting your LORs into ERAS depending on how your institution handles those uploads. Just have them all ready for sumission September 1.

In terms of ecfmg certification, you can always send update e-mails to PDs or designated coordinators regarding any important status change. I would recommend not delaying submission for this issue UNLESS the certification is used as a screening tool for programs. You Will need a PD, etc, to comment on that possibility because I have no idea whether it is a frequently used screening method.

Gl...hope that was helpful.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

The issue with Sept 1 and IMG's is that many programs have a rolling interview offer process. Hence, applications are reviewed in the order they come in, and when interviews are all full, that's it. Therefore, it MIGHT benefit you to apply Sept 1st.

That being said, programs can sort applications by any variable they'd like. I can sort by application date, or USMLE score (highest to lowest), or by middle initial (not terribly useful, but can be done). So, there is no empiric evidence that applying Sept 1 is really better. But it can;t hurt. I'm sure that some PD's use it as a measure of who is "on the ball".

As far as ECFMG status is concerned and your application, you can change it anytime you want. Once you sign your application, you can't change anything on the CV part. But you can update your "profile", which includes things like ECFMG certification, and your email address, etc. You can look that up on ERAS's website.

You can also change your LOR's and personal statement any time you want (although I wouldn't suggest doing so if you can help it). You can absolutely submit your application without your LOR's, and then submit those as they become available.

ECFMG status is frequently used as a screening tool, but not always.

ECFMG is notoriously slow in processing

 

[RaraBovis]

The issue with Sept 1 and IMG's is that many programs have a rolling interview offer process. Hence, applications are reviewed in the order they come in, and when interviews are all full, that's it. Therefore, it MIGHT benefit you to apply Sept 1st.

That being said, programs can sort applications by any variable they'd like. I can sort by application date, or USMLE score (highest to lowest), or by middle initial (not terribly useful, but can be done). So, there is no empiric evidence that applying Sept 1 is really better. But it can;t hurt. I'm sure that some PD's use it as a measure of who is "on the ball".

As far as ECFMG status is concerned and your application, you can change it anytime you want. Once you sign your application, you can't change anything on the CV part. But you can update your "profile", which includes things like ECFMG certification, and your email address, etc. You can look that up on ERAS's website.

You can also change your LOR's and personal statement any time you want (although I wouldn't suggest doing so if you can help it). You can absolutely submit your application without your LOR's, and then submit those as they become available.

ECFMG status is frequently used as a screening tool, but not always.

ECFMG is notoriously slow in processing

Thanks a lot!
Since you brought up the cut-offs, I'd really like to know if the top programs do set high cut-offs and in effect, neglect all other parts of your application when they're screening. If this is the case, how high are these cut-off typically?
Thanks again.

 

[gutonc]

Thanks a lot!
Since you brought up the cut-offs, I'd really like to know if the top programs do set high cut-offs and in effect, neglect all other parts of your application when they're screening. If this is the case, how high are these cut-off typically?
Thanks again.

Yes, they do. How high? It's mostly rumor and conjecture so nobody really knows. Some places will post minimum scores but nobody will publish their "cut-off" because it likely changes from one year to another (and likely from one day to another).

App filtering is an iterative process. First a top program may go through and ask to see only the AMGs with 240+ on Step 1 and honors in specialty-specific clerkship/SubI. Then, after going through those apps and sending invites, they'll run another screen with different criteria and so on.

So even if you "absolutely know that program X has a step 1 cutoff of 2XX" you're probably wrong.

 

[Law2Doc]

Yes, they do. How high? It's mostly rumor and conjecture so nobody really knows. Some places will post minimum scores but nobody will publish their "cut-off" because it likely changes from one year to another (and likely from one day to another).

App filtering is an iterative process. First a top program may go through and ask to see only the AMGs with 240+ on Step 1 and honors in specialty-specific clerkship/SubI. Then, after going through those apps and sending invites, they'll run another screen with different criteria and so on.

So even if you "absolutely know that program X has a step 1 cutoff of 2XX" you're probably wrong.

It's even more murky than this, because there are networking aspects that can supersede numbers. For example, a program may invite folks with 240+, as well as all the people they loved on their audition/away rotations, plus the guy whose faculty mentor golfs with the PD plus the guy who had the fantastic article in the XYZ Journal of Research that the PD is basing his own research on, etc. So the lowest score of folks interviewed might be pretty modest on paper, even though the criteria for getting the interview isn't much weaker -- you either had to have a high score or an "in". For IMGs the criteria is actually much steeper, because a place looking for AMGs with 240 isn't going to give the same look at an IMG with 240. IMGs generally have to blow away the competition more substantially to get looked at. Mostly because being a resident isn't all that much about testing well -- there is a notion, whether true or not, that AMGs transition from med student to intern with fewer difficulties because the LCME requirements and exposure to US patients and attendings is hard to replicate. And PDs, while they like residents with test skills who are going to do great on inservice exams and boards, are most concerned with what kind of headaches they are going to have when new residents start taking call and being the sole representative of the department during the wee hours of the night.

So the short answer to the OP is get your stuff in early. You need every edge you can give yourself.

 

[judgementday]

Speaking from someone who has been on the side of the selection process, our deadline was always in the middle of October so whether you applied September 1st or October 1st, you application was still treated the same. Depending on what specialty you are applying to, generally programs from the specialties I am familiar with do not do rolling offers based on the fact that better candidates will apply later than September 1st. However, a suggestion would be to reserach the programs you are interested in and find out their interview dates. If they are interviewing prior to their application deadline, then you know they are doing rolling offers and you should get in your application soon.

Hope this helps.

 

[psyind]

The earlier the better as some programs start sending out interview letters by the 3rd week of september..

 

[cyneuron]

You can also change your LOR's and personal statement any time you want (although I wouldn't suggest doing so if you can help it). You can absolutely submit your application without your LOR's, and then submit those as they become available.

ECFMG is notoriously slow in processing

So I can send a new LOR even after I have applied ? But two situations here (asking for reason you already said, ECFMG's notoriously slow processing) -

1. Apply with 3 or 4 (whatever the Program requires) and then send a new additional LOR ?

2. Apply with less LOR (say 2) and then send the remaining LOR ?

 

[gutonc]

So I can send a new LOR even after I have applied ? But two situations here (asking for reason you already said, ECFMG's notoriously slow processing) -

1. Apply with 3 or 4 (whatever the Program requires) and then send a new additional LOR ?

2. Apply with less LOR (say 2) and then send the remaining LOR ?

Apply with as many letters as you have on 9/1 and add more (up to 4 total per program) when you get them.

 

[cyneuron]

Apply with as many letters as you have on 9/1 and add more (up to 4 total per program) when you get them.

Thanks for replying.

Ok I think I didn't ask it clearly/completely..

So the thing is that I already have 4 LOR. But I am expecting a new good LOR by early Sep. So what should I do -

Send all 4 LOR now and then send new good LOR later. So it will be 5th. Is that even possible/allowed (sending 5 LOR) ?

OR

Send 3 LOR right now and then send new good LOR later (so it will be 4th).

But also keeping it in mind that if I didn't get new good LOR (due to any number of reasons), will 3 LOR be fine or will I send the existing 4th LOR itself later ?