UPDATE!! Made a huge mistake while submitting ERAS application.

[tkr234]

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UPDATE: I received a call from ERAS today telling me they are able to add signals and added all 7 for me! For anyone in this situation, please contact ERAS. They CAN make this happen. Good luck everyone!

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[deleted1168269]

I know it’s not the best solution but you could probably try applying to a few more that you’d see yourself going to and adding the signals to those additional programs. There are many more than 30 programs throughout the East Cast. And who knows - you may end up at a program you end up loving!!

 

[GoSpursGo]

I would probably just email those programs directly. It may or may not do anything, but I don’t think you want to bother your mentors for something like this. It may not help, but I doubt it would hurt.

As an aside, as you mentioned, I’m not sure that signaling top tier programs (which those more or less all are) would do anything to help. Everyone wants to go to those programs.

 

[Dr. Anonymouss]

I would probably just email those programs directly. It may or may not do anything, but I don’t think you want to bother your mentors for something like this. It may not help, but I doubt it would hurt.

As an aside, as you mentioned, I’m not sure that signaling top tier programs (which those more or less all are) would do anything to help. Everyone wants to go to those programs.

The top tier programs will definitely feed out by signals though. It gives them one more metric to stratify applicants. N+1 the program director for a top anesthesia program told me they will only interview those who signal them. They also stated other program directors have the same opinion on the matter.

 

[GoSpursGo]

The top tier programs will definitely feed out by signals though. It gives them one more metric to stratify applicants. N+1 the program director for a top anesthesia program told me they will only interview those who signal them. They also stated other program directors have the same opinion on the matter.

Well that’s dumb. But I guess when there is literally no other good way to filter through a sea of applications that could be one way.

I don’t anticipate that this is universal across programs and specialties, but probably all the more reason to reach out OP

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Yeah, I'm not sure what other recourse there is other than to contact the PD or coordinator directly about missing the chance to signal. I can see how this defeats the purpose of making sure those signals are only recorded through ERAS. I just hope they are able to manually add signals on their side. Anyone find out from any of the ERAS applicant Q&A's?

I can infer that AAMC/ERAS is really concerned that PD's will screen in only those applicants who signaled their program, and this has spread into the students filling out their applications (since I'm sure their home program PD's have told them as much). They really encourage the inclusion of "no preference" applicants.

 

[Kardio]

I called ERAS, and they said they have had a few applicants run into the same issue. However, they cannot do anything from an IT standpoint to reverse this unfortunately.

I’m surprised that they are unable to deal with this kind of mistake and it sounds like nonsense that they are “unable to reverse it” given that they literally write the software! Is there anyone else at ERAS that you can speak with?

Very sorry to hear about this OP. I hope you are able to find a better resolution.

 

[tkr234]

I’m surprised that they are unable to deal with this kind of mistake and it sounds like nonsense that they are “unable to reverse it” given that they literally write the software! Is there anyone else at ERAS that you can speak with?

Very sorry to hear about this OP. I hope you are able to find a better resolution.

I asked the lady I spoke with multiple times if there is anyone else I can speak with, and she said she had already asked IT regarding this matter for another applicant, and IT said they cannot change it. Sounds like I'm pretty much stuck emailing program coordinators.

 

[GoSpursGo]

Of course they CAN change it, but the eternal argument is that once you change anything for one applicant then they’ll have to change things for someone else. One might hope they would make an exception for a new functionality which apparently has such a poor UI that multiple applicants have made this mistake… but I’m not surprised they are being stubborn.

It sucks. I do ultimately think this won’t be the end of the world, but I can imagine this is very stressful

 

[Esmolol]

I can tell you called/emailed them...

 

[tkr234]

I can tell you called/emailed them...

View attachment 377021

Well, that would have been good to know before I applied...

 

[snarkymango]

I asked the lady I spoke with multiple times if there is anyone else I can speak with, and she said she had already asked IT regarding this matter for another applicant, and IT said they cannot change it. Sounds like I'm pretty much stuck emailing program coordinators.

Hi I have literally no idea how to work SDN so I posted this to your profile before figuring out how to reply. I made the same mistake and feel completely screwed.

I just emailed the president of AAMC explain how catastrophic this is for applicants who have fallen into this trap where you can apply without being prompted to add signals (and the confusing language with the issue of post hoc red banner on the site). The AAMC President is Dr. Skorton and his email is [email protected]. He is out for the holiday but his executive assistant (you can cc her, her name is Linda Robles [email protected]) replied almost immediately and is escalating the issue. You should email them too to implore them to act on your behalf and the behalf of all applicants who are stuck with no recourse and no real help. Be utterly professional but convey that this is devastating an unacceptable, especially since apps haven’t been transmitted yet. Be firm and advocate for yourself.

Anyone else watching in this forum, please consider emailing about this issue to help your fellow students. Medicine is toxic enough — don’t stand by while your fellow students burn. Begging you for help.

 

[tkr234]

Hi I have literally no idea how to work SDN so I posted this to your profile before figuring out how to reply. I made the same mistake and feel completely screwed.

I just emailed the president of AAMC explain how catastrophic this is for applicants who have fallen into this trap where you can apply without being prompted to add signals (and the confusing language with the issue of post hoc red banner on the site). The AAMC President is Dr. Skorton and his email is [email protected]. He is out for the holiday but his executive assistant (you can cc her, her name is Linda Robles [email protected]) replied almost immediately and is escalating the issue. You should email them too to implore them to act on your behalf and the behalf of all applicants who are stuck with no recourse and no real help. Be utterly professional but convey that this is devastating an unacceptable, especially since apps haven’t been transmitted yet. Be firm and advocate for yourself.

Anyone else watching in this forum, please consider emailing about this issue to help your fellow students. Medicine is toxic enough — don’t stand by while your fellow students burn. Begging you for help.

I received a call from ERAS telling me they are able to add signals and added all 7 for me! Hopefully, you did too!

 

[Angler]

IT said they cannot change it

I can't count how many times I've heard this, only to find later that they can.

 

[Esmolol]

Was the check-box at the end stating something like "Yes - I signaled what I was supposed to signal." there all the time or has it been added in response to the happenings of the past days?

 

[tkr234]

Was the check-box at the end stating something like "Yes - I signaled what I was supposed to signal." there all the time or has it been added in response to the happenings of the past days?

I never had it when I applied on the 15th.

 

[Esmolol]

I never had it when I applied on the 15th.

I figured. It's funny how it's easier to put a silly checkbox at the end rather than a pop-up window that says "You did not use all of your signals. We strongly advise you to use signals. You can use left-over signals on programs that you will apply to at a later date."

Either way, I am happy they were able to help you! Good luck!!!!

 

[snarkymango]

I received a call from ERAS telling me they are able to add signals and added all 7 for me! Hopefully, you did too!

I did! Within two hours of emailing the AAMC President yesterday, a director at AAMC personally called me and assured me they would add my tokens manually on the back end. They also told me that upon seeing my email, they looked into the backlog of ERAS queries and found numerous students who had reached out with the same situation—none of which had been resolved (as we know). She told me they were going to help those who had fallen into this bind. Lo and behold today my tokens were added and now I’m seeing that others have been helped, as the director promised. I am so relieved for all of us.

 

[snarkymango]

I never had it when I applied on the 15th.

Neither did I.

 

[snarkymango]

!

 

[maa987]

.
UPDATE: I received a call from ERAS today telling me they are able to add signals and added all 7 for me! For anyone in this situation, please contact ERAS. They CAN make this happen. Good luck everyone!

Who did you escalate this matter to? I have contacted ERAS multiple times and was always told there was nothing that could be done. I am very happy you were able to get this fixed! If you could share more information as to how, I would greatly appreciate it!

 

[asdfOu]

.
UPDATE: I received a call from ERAS today telling me they are able to add signals and added all 7 for me! For anyone in this situation, please contact ERAS. They CAN make this happen. Good luck everyone!

When you got the call, how long did it take for them to add the signals? Did they do it in the moment or did you have to wait longer?

 

[tkr234]

When you got the call, how long did it take for them to add the signals? Did they do it in the moment or did you have to wait longer?

It took about 2 hours I’d say. And then the lady emailed me saying it was done.

 

[PathNeuroIMorFM]

Can someone give me a TLDR what the original post was? Very curious now and wish it wasn't removed.

 

[tkr234]

Can someone give me a TLDR what the original post was? Very curious now and wish it wasn't removed.

Some candidates and I had applied to programs without realizing signals could not be added or modified once you click apply. We reached out to ERAS, and they said nothing could be done about it even if they wanted to . And then they posted a red banner warning about how you must assign signals before applying and added a check box to click making sure you had assigned your signals before you hit apply for everyone else. Then someone reached out to AMCAS president, and ERAS started calling us back to add the signals for us.

 

[asdfOu]

For me I had applied the signals and they deleted/reset some of them when I hit submit , I had triple/quadruple checked that my signals were there correctly when I had saved the programs so I didn't think to check again when paying

 

[PathNeuroIMorFM]

Some candidates and I had applied to programs without realizing signals could not be added or modified once you click apply. We reached out to ERAS, and they said nothing could be done about it even if they wanted to . And then they posted a red banner warning about how you must assign signals before applying and added a check box to click making sure you had assigned your signals before you hit apply for everyone else. Then someone reached out to AMCAS president, and ERAS started calling us back to add the signals for us.

That's devastating. I don't know how this issue didn't come up or get fixed last year.

 

[snarkymango]

.

 

[Esmolol]

That's devastating. I don't know how this issue didn't come up or get fixed last year.

Because the issue harms only the candidate not ERAS or AAMC...

 

[snarkymango]

Who did you escalate this matter to? I have contacted ERAS multiple times and was always told there was nothing that could be done. I am very happy you were able to get this fixed! If you could share more information as to how, I would greatly appreciate it!

In a moment of desperation, I wondered who the president of the American association of medical colleges was and if they would listen and help. I googled him (Dr. Skorton) and came up with a plausible email address, to which I sent a pleading message to help all of us affected (I knew from this thread that it wasn’t just me) and it went through. I got an auto away message that he was out of office for Yom Kippur but to contact his exec assistant for urgent matters, so I forwarded my email to her and she emailed back within minutes recognizing the serious nature of the problem I had described and that she had already forwarded my email to escalate internally at AAMC. Within a few hours of my initial email to AAMC President I got a phone call from a director within AAMC who said they would add my tokens manually. I told her I was not the only one affected and she said she realized this after seeing my email and looking into the issue, and assured me they were going to help the other impacted applicants. This approach completely circumvented the managers are ERAS who are very nice people but clearly did not understand this this situation was not an inconvenience (their words) but rather a disaster that effectively would ruin a match cycle for anyone affected. Can't believe I thought to do this and that it worked. Miracle!! It goes without saying, I’m so grateful to Dr. Skorton and Ms. Robles for listening and taking action.

 

[Fluffyone]

Hi, this happened to me and they just corrected it today. Will I be considered late since my tokens were only applied today while I applied before the apps opened? I'm Applying to pathology programs for reference.