question regarding residency applications

[call me x]

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hi everyone,

i might be asking this in the wrong thread, but i'm only really familiar with the pre-med forums, and i apologize if this has to be moved. i am most likely going to be attending osteopathic medical school but wanted to gain some insight/info. into obtaining allopathic residencies. on an interview i was recently on a tour guide mentioned how the first page of the application asks about publications, and i realized it might be beneficial to know exactly what types of things they are looking for well in advance. so here are a few of my questions:

1. is there any way that we can see the applications without being in the process of applying for positions?
2. if not, can anyone post the categories, etc. of what they ask for in the app?
3. do they ask for lor's/info about our experiences prior to medical school (meaning should i keep in contact with doctor's i've shadowed, volunteer coordinators, etc. so they remember me 4 years from now)

i know i am getting way ahead of myself, but i am really just curious, and i'm sure there is at least 1 other pre-med wondering the same things lol

thanks in advance!

 

[Law2Doc]

hi everyone,

i might be asking this in the wrong thread, but i'm only really familiar with the pre-med forums, and i apologize if this has to be moved. i am most likely going to be attending osteopathic medical school but wanted to gain some insight/info. into obtaining allopathic residencies. on an interview i was recently on a tour guide mentioned how the first page of the application asks about publications, and i realized it might be beneficial to know exactly what types of things they are looking for well in advance. so here are a few of my questions:

1. is there any way that we can see the applications without being in the process of applying for positions?
2. if not, can anyone post the categories, etc. of what they ask for in the app?
3. do they ask for lor's/info about our experiences prior to medical school (meaning should i keep in contact with doctor's i've shadowed, volunteer coordinators, etc. so they remember me 4 years from now)

i know i am getting way ahead of myself, but i am really just curious, and i'm sure there is at least 1 other pre-med wondering the same things lol

thanks in advance!

There are no "applications" to see -- residency applications are general done through ERAS, a single, centralized, computerized program. The guts of your "application" is going to be (1) your CV -- in which you will describe educational history, jobs, awards, publications, research (just like if you were putting together a CV/resume for a job), (2) your personal statement, which will be tailored to the specialty you want, (3) USMLE scores, Deans letter, grades, (4) letters or recommendation from med school.

You may include some things that occurred prior to med school (esp jobs, publications, research), but by and large things that occurred prior to med school are given less weight. Volunteering, in particular, has very little value for purposes of the residency process. And no, you won't want LORs from prior to med school. The LORs generally are going to be from attendings who know you from rotations, because those are the ones who can comment on how you will likely perform as a resident. This is a job interview and so the only recommendations a residency program director is going to care about is someone who can comment on how you will do in the job you seek. Nobody cares about the opinion of some doctor you shadowed/volunteered with during undergrad anymore. They care that your IM attending thought you were a good team player and a fast learner.

The short answer is that there isn't that much you can do before med school to improve your residency application other than the things you need to do to get yourself into med school in the first place, and once you are in med school, the things that matter tend to be the pretty obvious things -- do well in your classes, rotations, boards, try to find time to do some specialty related research if you plan to go into a competitive specialty. Publications always help. And as always, writing a strong PS and interviewing well are going to tip the scales at the end. No magic, and very little that should change what you are already doing as a premed.

 

[call me x]

There are no "applications" to see -- residency applications are general done through ERAS, a single, centralized, computerized program. The guts of your "application" is going to be (1) your CV -- in which you will describe educational history, jobs, awards, publications, research (just like if you were putting together a CV/resume for a job), (2) your personal statement, which will be tailored to the specialty you want, (3) USMLE scores, Deans letter, grades, (4) letters or recommendation from med school.

You may include some things that occurred prior to med school (esp jobs, publications, research), but by and large things that occurred prior to med school are given less weight. Volunteering, in particular, has very little value for purposes of the residency process. And no, you won't want LORs from prior to med school. The LORs generally are going to be from attendings who know you from rotations, because those are the ones who can comment on how you will likely perform as a resident. This is a job interview and so the only recommendations a residency program director is going to care about is someone who can comment on how you will do in the job you seek. Nobody cares about the opinion of some doctor you shadowed/volunteered with during undergrad anymore. They care that your IM attending thought you were a good team player and a fast learner.

The short answer is that there isn't that much you can do before med school to improve your residency application other than the things you need to do to get yourself into med school in the first place, and once you are in med school, the things that matter tend to be the pretty obvious things -- do well in your classes, rotations, boards, try to find time to do some specialty related research if you plan to go into a competitive specialty. Publications always help. And as always, writing a strong PS and interviewing well are going to tip the scales at the end. No magic, and very little that should change what you are already doing as a premed.

thank you so much for your answer....i figured it would be all (or almost) all about what happens once you are in medical school....thanks again!