Significance of Submitting on 9/15?

[PRS2014]

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I have heard from several individuals that if you are applying to surgery, and in particular integrated plastics, that without a doubt you should submit on 9/15. My question is why? Looking at previous threads it seems that the first batch of interview invites don't go out until mid-October. Obviously, programs will be reading through apps in the meantime but a question to me is what if I submit on 9/22 or so instead to get some letters in or wrap up a paper I was trying to get into my app?

TIA

 

[Vicarious]

Great question. I'm wondering the same thing. I have a letter from an August away rotation that I am expecting to be completed at the end of the month. The MSPE letters aren't released by ERAS until the beginning of October (10/1 I believe). I'm not sure about editing the publications portion of the ERAS application, but I know that letters can be added and assigned after the initial submission. So I am wondering if its best to just submit everything you have on September 15, and then add documents like letters as they are received, or wait until your application is 100% complete (end of September) to submit. I guess if you add documents later, you run the risk of programs downloading your application early and not checking for updates later (October-ish). For what it's worth, I have also heard that programs don't even start to download applications until after the ASPS meeting, which is October 10 this year.

 

[Sir Gillies]

I'm also really interested in this question. I hope a PD or attending can shine some light on this issue!

Many thanks in advance.

 

[kaleerkalut]

I also have the same question. Hope someone more senior can pop into this thread with a response.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

I have heard from several individuals that if you are applying to surgery, and in particular integrated plastics, that without a doubt you should submit on 9/15. My question is why? Looking at previous threads it seems that the first batch of interview invites don't go out until mid-October. Obviously, programs will be reading through apps in the meantime but a question to me is what if I submit on 9/22 or so instead to get some letters in or wrap up a paper I was trying to get into my app?

TIA

The reason people recommend getting it in on time is because it's one of very few things that is absolutely under your control.

You should NOT wait on your letters to submit the application. Letters get uploaded later all the time and programs will download them when available.

Realistically being a couple days "late" is meaningless. It's just that being a "couple of days" late has a funny way of turning into a "couple of weeks" late...

 

[kaleerkalut]

The reason people recommend getting it in on time is because it's one of very few things that is absolutely under your control.

You should NOT wait on your letters to submit the application. Letters get uploaded later all the time and programs will download them when available.

Realistically being a couple days "late" is meaningless. It's just that being a "couple of days" late has a funny way of turning into a "couple of weeks" late...

I was thinking about submitting 1 week later, like 9/22-ish. An Attending here encouraged me to do it because he felt the couple of projects I have coming up would be a bonus to list and 1 week wouldn't hurt. Anybody agree with this?

 

[weightlifter911]

I have a few things that will be finished this week. I was told by my program to wait until end of this week. There is no rush. The download the apps later then most other specialities and then they filter with scores not time submitted.

 

[plastic7]

You can put papers in as "submitted," etc., so you don't have to wait until your projects are accepted or anything. There's a way that you can show they are in progress. It's better to get your application in early, in my opinion. You can always mention new projects you are working on if they ask you during the interview. I had no publications on my ERAS, so if they said anything about that I would just say that since ERAS I had been working on a, b,c. If you are working on a project, write about it under the research tab.