Why do we never talk about the discrepancies between AMCAS and ERAS, despite both being a product of AAMC?

[deleted1168269]

AMCAS asks extensively about childhood issues. ERAS doesn't.

AMCAS limits experiences to 15. With ERAS it's 10.

Character limits are much shorter on ERAS.

Until this year, ERAS didn't have a meaningful experiences section.

AMCAS wants to know every single logistic about an experience (contact information including email, number of cumulative hours, etc) whereas ERAS doesn't really care.

What gives?

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[Esmolol]

AMCAS charges more.

 

[Dr. Doctor MD]

AMCAS asks extensively about childhood issues. ERAS doesn't.

AMCAS limits experiences to 15. With ERAS it's 10.

Character limits are much shorter on ERAS.

Until this year, ERAS didn't have a meaningful experiences section.

AMCAS wants to know every single logistic about an experience (contact information including email, number of cumulative hours, etc) whereas ERAS doesn't really care.

What gives?

I think this is a reflection of what is important for getting into medical school vs what is important for getting into residency.

Medical school admissions is a lot more EC focused (in addition to GPA/MCAT) and really wants to understand you as a person, what makes you unique, what experience/exposure you have, and what would allow you to become a great physician.

In contrast, for residency selection, they realize that most people are normal, passed the bars to get into medical school and are much more focused on board scores, clinical grades, research, and LOR from other physicians. ECs are kind of an afterthought. You should have some to show you're not a complete weirdo, and they can help you bond with interviewers or pique the interest of a reviewer, but the vast majority of the time they aren't what makes or breaks your application. Your number of volunteer hours at the soup kitchen or president of your club, have pretty much no impact on how you'll perform as a resident or your ability to handle a 24 hour ICU call shift.

 

[deleted1168269]

Am I correct in understanding that eras used to ask reason for leaving?

 

[wysdoc]

Am I correct in understanding that eras used to ask reason for leaving?

reason for leaving what?

 

[deleted1168269]

reason for leaving what?

An experience you list in the CV section

 

[GoSpursGo]

Am I correct in understanding that eras used to ask reason for leaving?

Yeah. And it was silly.

 

[Esmolol]

Yeah. And it was silly.

"I tutored for a course." Reason for leaving? "The course ended..."

 

[Goro]

AMCAS asks extensively about childhood issues. ERAS doesn't.

AMCAS limits experiences to 15. With ERAS it's 10.

Character limits are much shorter on ERAS.

Until this year, ERAS didn't have a meaningful experiences section.

AMCAS wants to know every single logistic about an experience (contact information including email, number of cumulative hours, etc) whereas ERAS doesn't really care.

What gives?

ERAS is a job application

 

[Med Ed]

What gives?

The two applications are each asking fundamentally different questions.

The decision point for AMCAS is whether or not someone is qualified to get into medical school, which almost almost always culminates in a new MD/DO joining the profession. It's the big bottleneck, and most of the applicant pool consists of 20-somethings with limited life experience.

The decision point for ERAS is whether or not a soon-to-be MD/DO is desirable as an apprentice in one of the 5000+ residency programs out there. Depending on the field it's a somewhat smaller bottleneck, and all the applicants have run the med school gauntlet.

 

[AnonymousDoctorGuyPerson]

Would much rather fill out ERAS again than AMCAS so there's that.