Things to get together/gather before ERAS applications open?

[nope80]

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So for those of us beginning this years residency application process, what pieces of information should we be gathering and putting together? I know definitely recommendations, but other than that what should we be doing at this point? I'm assuming we need "tokens" to open up an ERAS application but once it opens, what types of info will we need to submit? Thanks!

 

[smq123]

Personal statement. Putting together a coherent, succinct, and not-too-sappy personal statement was, for me, the limiting step.

 

[nope80]

do we have to attach a formal CV?

 

[smq123]

No, you put all your stuff into ERAS, and the computer generates a CV for you.

 

[gutonc]

So for those of us beginning this years residency application process, what pieces of information should we be gathering and putting together? I know definitely recommendations, but other than that what should we be doing at this point? I'm assuming we need "tokens" to open up an ERAS application but once it opens, what types of info will we need to submit? Thanks!

Agree w/ smg. The # 1, 2 and 3 things on your list at this point should be PS. #s 4-10 should be finding people to write LORs. The rest is easy.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

If you want, you can download the ERAS worksheet. It's a PDF that lists all of the sections on the ERAS application, and you can start filling that out. It would make actually completing the online application very fast.

It's on the ERAS website.

 

[nope80]

Thanks all for the responses!

A few more questions:
1) If applying to more than one specialty, I'm assuming we write separate personal statements? Is there any good website that gives PS samples or advice? I'm assuming these are way different than college or med school PS...

2) If you are currently working on publications, when is the last date that one can update it on ERAS and have it "count"? I'm trying to get a sense of how much of a timeline I have to work on the publications...

3) Also under awards section, what if you haven't been awarded during med school?? How common is that?

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

Sorry to piggy-back ...

How many LORs can we upload?

I ask because I have 3 already, but I'd like to get more (especially when I begin auditioning), and potentially could end up with at least 6-7 LORs ... how should I go about choosing which ones to put in if there's a limit?

Current 3: 1 from field of choice, 1 from OBGYN, 1 from Gen Surg preceptor. I am thinking about getting one from my current cardiology preceptor since it seems she likes me. That'd be 4. I could even end up with one on my neurology rotation. Then comes the auditions ...

Thanks!

 

[smq123]

Sorry to piggy-back ...

How many LORs can we upload?

I ask because I have 3 already, but I'd like to get more (especially when I begin auditioning), and potentially could end up with at least 6-7 LORs ... how should I go about choosing which ones to put in if there's a limit?

Current 3: 1 from field of choice, 1 from OBGYN, 1 from Gen Surg preceptor. I am thinking about getting one from my current cardiology preceptor since it seems she likes me. That'd be 4. I could even end up with one on my neurology rotation. Then comes the auditions ...

Thanks!

You can upload as many as you want, but most programs only want you to send them 4.

Programs/specialties are often very specific about who they want these letters from. They generally want one LOR from the chairman at your home school, one LOR from an attending in your chosen field, and then 2 others from whomever you want.

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

You can upload as many as you want, but most programs only want you to send them 4.

Programs/specialties are often very specific about who they want these letters from. They generally want one LOR from the chairman at your home school, one LOR from an attending in your chosen field, and then 2 others from whomever you want.

If my school does not have a chairman in the field of interest, then how would one go about that requirement? Should I try to get a letter from a chairman/PD at a program I rotate and have that count as such, or do you mean the Dean's letter/MSPE? Sorry if this question sounds trivial, just a tad unsure.

 

[smq123]

If my school does not have a chairman in the field of interest, then how would one go about that requirement? Should I try to get a letter from a chairman/PD at a program I rotate and have that count as such, or do you mean the Dean's letter/MSPE? Sorry if this question sounds trivial, just a tad unsure.

The MSPE does not count as an LOR. That will get sent separately; you actually don't even have any control over when or how that gets sent.

If your school does not have a chairman in your field of interest, you could probably try to get a letter from the chairman when you do an away rotation. I would call some programs that you're looking to apply to and ask them what to do, though, just to be sure. 🙂

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

The MSPE does not count as an LOR. That will get sent separately; you actually don't even have any control over when or how that gets sent.

If your school does not have a chairman in your field of interest, you could probably try to get a letter from the chairman when you do an away rotation. I would call some programs that you're looking to apply to and ask them what to do, though, just to be sure. 🙂

Thanks for the tips! Greatly appreciated 🙂

 

[MedicineMan99]

Isn't the first day to SUBMIT your application September 1st? If it is, why are you in such a hurry to fill out the application?

 

[gutonc]

Isn't the first day to SUBMIT your application September 1st? If it is, why are you in such a hurry to fill out the application?

Because the sooner it's done, the sooner it's done. Personally, I had an easy July rotation as an M4 but then did my SubI in August and an away in September. So doing it all in July made sense for me.

 

[MedicineMan99]

Because the sooner it's done, the sooner it's done. Personally, I had an easy July rotation as an M4 but then did my SubI in August and an away in September. So doing it all in July made sense for me.

So is what you are saying that you finished your app in July but didn't actually click the Submit button until the first possible day, September 1st?

 

[gutonc]

So is what you are saying that you finished your app in July but didn't actually click the Submit button until the first possible day, September 1st?

Correct.

 

[MiesVanDerMom]

Thanks all for the responses!

A few more questions:
1) If applying to more than one specialty, I'm assuming we write separate personal statements? Is there any good website that gives PS samples or advice? I'm assuming these are way different than college or med school PS...

2) If you are currently working on publications, when is the last date that one can update it on ERAS and have it "count"? I'm trying to get a sense of how much of a timeline I have to work on the publications...

3) Also under awards section, what if you haven't been awarded during med school?? How common is that?

My attempts at beginning my personal statement are not going well. I need some help getting the ball rolling. Anything out there?

 

[TGAmed]

The annoying thing is the variety in advice about the personal statement. A PD last week said not to write about why you chose the field that you did and to avoid writing about that defining moment (which I don't have anyway) while others have given exactly the opposite advice.

The conclusion I am coming to is that it doesn't really matter what you write--unless its a really amazing or really poor bit of prose, of course. I think you should strive to stand out a bit, be very careful about grammar and spelling, and not make yourself look bad.

Good luck, I need all the help I can get myself...

 

[IHeartNerds]

The conclusion I am coming to is that it doesn't really matter what you write--unless its a really amazing or really poor bit of prose, of course. I think you should strive to stand out a bit, be very careful about grammar and spelling, and not make yourself look bad.

Agree with half this statement -- don't make it really poor. That looks bad.

But, as far as I'm aware, no one has ever been ranked highly on the basis of their Pulitzer-prize-winning personal statement. Our dean of students (who is also a program director for a highly competitive surgical residency) has a motto: "don't make it personal, don't make it a statement, and don't put in any scary s***". If you have some kind of absurdly interesting life experiences, I assume they'll find their way into the "experiences" section of ERAS and not need to stand alone in the PS.

Granted, your results may vary if you're going into family medicine, psych, or another field that actually cares about things like personal experiences and physician narratives...

In other news, I've always been told "one page or die" for the PS, and I can't help but notice after copy/pasting into ERAS ... there's no page indicator. Am I safe if it's one page in Word, 12 pt font, single space, 1 inch margins? Currently about 4000 characters.


For those looking for PS help: I found this on google a while back. Personally, I think it's mediocre, but it gives you at least an idea for the flavor, structure, and length... : http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/abo...sidency/writing-your-personal-statement.shtml

 

[Knicks]

Agree with half this statement -- don't make it really poor. That looks bad.

But, as far as I'm aware, no one has ever been ranked highly on the basis of their Pulitzer-prize-winning personal statement. Our dean of students (who is also a program director for a highly competitive surgical residency) has a motto: "don't make it personal, don't make it a statement, and don't put in any scary s***". If you have some kind of absurdly interesting life experiences, I assume they'll find their way into the "experiences" section of ERAS and not need to stand alone in the PS.

Granted, your results may vary if you're going into family medicine, psych, or another field that actually cares about things like personal experiences and physician narratives...

In other news, I've always been told "one page or die" for the PS, and I can't help but notice after copy/pasting into ERAS ... there's no page indicator. Am I safe if it's one page in Word, 12 pt font, single space, 1 inch margins? Currently about 4000 characters.


For those looking for PS help: I found this on google a while back. Personally, I think it's mediocre, but it gives you at least an idea for the flavor, structure, and length... : http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/abo...sidency/writing-your-personal-statement.shtml

Good question,,, looking forward to the responses.

 

[calespine]

Courier New 10 Font, 1 inch margins is what programs download

 

[NeurologyICU]

Courier New 10 Font, 1 inch margins is what programs download

Can any PD confirm this please? I certainly don't want to make the mistake of writing it in Courier New 10 Font and then someone downloads it in 12 font, where the essay will end up being more then a page. Is the above statement true for the personal statement for all PD's or is it based on what format the PD wants to see the statement in and the ERAS downloads it in such a format?

 

[smq123]

Can any PD confirm this please? I certainly don't want to make the mistake of writing it in Courier New 10 Font and then someone downloads it in 12 font, where the essay will end up being more then a page. Is the above statement true for the personal statement for all PD's or is it based on what format the PD wants to see the statement in and the ERAS downloads it in such a format?

No one has a choice in what font the essay is downloaded in. You type it into ERAS, ERAS formats it, and that's how PDs download it. Everything is pretty standardized with ERAS.

 

[agranulocytosis]

Does anyone title or put a heading on these things? I'm assuming it's not necessary because programs download the whole package together?

 

[NeurologyICU]

No one has a choice in what font the essay is downloaded in. You type it into ERAS, ERAS formats it, and that's how PDs download it. Everything is pretty standardized with ERAS.

In that case, does ERAS let you see how many pages does your PS fit in or how will the PD's see it? Thanks!