Re: application timeline

[Momentum]

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Dear all,

I've been reading the postings here for a while now. It's so good to have this site for info and all our anxities with this application process. Yuch! I'm applying this year, and since I don't have all the materials (LOR, etc.) together yet and probably won't for at least another month or so, I thought I start off by asking this question:

Is there a time period for sending off the application to CAS that is considered to be ideal? When do the majority of people apply? Are interviews granted on a rolling basis?

Thanks...

 

[eyedr]

Dear all,

I've been reading the postings here for a while now. It's so good to have this site for info and all our anxities with this application process. Yuch! I'm applying this year, and since I don't have all the materials (LOR, etc.) together yet and probably won't for at least another month or so, I thought I start off by asking this question:

Is there a time period for sending off the application to CAS that is considered to be ideal? When do the majority of people apply? Are interviews granted on a rolling basis?

Thanks...

I would send out your application before the target deadline by one or two weeks. The earlier you send it the better. If you wait until after the target deadline, there is the possibility that you may be too late for the internal deadline of some programs.

 

[rubensan]

Dear opportunity:

I originally posted this in the the FAQ index. It's based on information gathered from this site and that which was passed down to me. I think trying to have your CAS in a few weeks before the "target date" is ideal, not because i think interviews are granted on a rolling basis, but because you want to give SF match enough time to process your app and get back to you if it is incomplete for any reason. Good luck!


Quote:
Originally Posted by rubensan
The best time to do ophtho electives is in June/July/August. This way you can ask for and receive letters of rec in a timely manner.

June: register with SF match.

By June/July - have your CV and personal statement done. Both should be given to everyone that is going to write you a letter of rec. Try to give your letter writers a month to write the letter. My advisor recommended one letter of rec from ophtho, one from medicine, one from G-surg. I am sure others on this forum might have done that part differently or have other suggestions.

June/July - register with ERAS (central application service for prelim/transitional programs and all other things that don't go through SF match). Your school will issue you a "token."

August - I would try to have my ophtho application (including all letters of rec) in by the end of August/beginning of September. SF match will post a "target date" on their website.

September - By the beginning of Septemeber, you can start submitting your application to ERAS. I would try to get it completely submitted no later than the middle of September.

If you are asking the same letter writer who wrote you a letter for ophtho to write you one for internship, i would ask them to write you 2 versions of the same letter. One that states, "this candidate will make an awesome ophthalmologist" and one that states "this candidate will make an excellent intern."

October - register with NRMP. This is the matching service for your internship year or for all other things that don't go through SF match. Note: NRMP is different from ERAS!

November/December - Try to leave your schedule during the months of November and December open for interviews. For example, this is not the time to be doing your 4th year medicine sub-I because you will be traveling a lot. Rather, this is a great time to do a research block or at my school, radiology. Count on the bulk of your interviews lasting through the 1st 2 weeks of december. Try to knock off your prelim interviews during this time, if you can. If not, prelim programs generally offer interview dates in January.

Beginning of January - Ophtho rank lists do to SF match.

End of January: ophtho match

February: rank lists do for NRMP

End of March: regular match.

 

[4424]

Dear opportunity:

I originally posted this in the the FAQ index. It's based on information gathered from this site and that which was passed down to me. I think trying to have your CAS in a few weeks before the "target date" is ideal, not because i think interviews are granted on a rolling basis, but because you want to give SF match enough time to process your app and get back to you if it is incomplete for any reason. Good luck!


Quote:
Originally Posted by rubensan
The best time to do ophtho electives is in June/July/August. This way you can ask for and receive letters of rec in a timely manner.

June: register with SF match.

By June/July - have your CV and personal statement done. Both should be given to everyone that is going to write you a letter of rec. Try to give your letter writers a month to write the letter. My advisor recommended one letter of rec from ophtho, one from medicine, one from G-surg. I am sure others on this forum might have done that part differently or have other suggestions.

June/July - register with ERAS (central application service for prelim/transitional programs and all other things that don't go through SF match). Your school will issue you a "token."

August - I would try to have my ophtho application (including all letters of rec) in by the end of August/beginning of September. SF match will post a "target date" on their website.

September - By the beginning of Septemeber, you can start submitting your application to ERAS. I would try to get it completely submitted no later than the middle of September.

If you are asking the same letter writer who wrote you a letter for ophtho to write you one for internship, i would ask them to write you 2 versions of the same letter. One that states, "this candidate will make an awesome ophthalmologist" and one that states "this candidate will make an excellent intern."

October - register with NRMP. This is the matching service for your internship year or for all other things that don't go through SF match. Note: NRMP is different from ERAS!

November/December - Try to leave your schedule during the months of November and December open for interviews. For example, this is not the time to be doing your 4th year medicine sub-I because you will be traveling a lot. Rather, this is a great time to do a research block or at my school, radiology. Count on the bulk of your interviews lasting through the 1st 2 weeks of december. Try to knock off your prelim interviews during this time, if you can. If not, prelim programs generally offer interview dates in January.

Beginning of January - Ophtho rank lists do to SF match.

End of January: ophtho match

February: rank lists do for NRMP

End of March: regular match.

sorry for a silly question but i am just beginning my third year and wasn't sure how the recommendations worked. i do medicine and surgery months july-october so i have no personal statement prepared to give to someone writing a rec. is that a big deal or do you contact them later in the year?

 

[rubensan]

dear 4424,

i think you're goal should be to do very well on these rotations in the coming months. be and think like a surgeon and internist until october. at the end of each rotation, if you feel like you got some good feedback from your attendings, tell them you are interested in ophtho and ask them if they could write you a "strong" letter of rec when the time comes. they are used to this and probably expect it from students who perform well. tell them that you will keep in touch, make sure you continue to say hi to them when you see them around the hospital on your other rotations and you should be fine. you'll see what i mean...

Good Luck! and Happy Rounding when you are on medicine 😉

 

[nylee]

hey guys,
so I'm beginning to think that I should submit my CAS by early September, but on the individual websites for each program, the deadlines are in early October. Is it really that bad to wait until late September to submit everything?
Thanks!

 

[eyedr]

hey guys,
so I'm beginning to think that I should submit my CAS by early September, but on the individual websites for each program, the deadlines are in early October. Is it really that bad to wait until late September to submit everything?
Thanks!

I think it will potentially take away interview offers you may have received if the application was in sooner, regardless of how stellar of an applicant you may be. Remember it takes CAS up to three weeks (I think) to process your application and get it to the programs. In my opinion, better safe than sorry, get your application into SF match by the "target date." There must be a reason why one is established with such a name.