While on the surface, it may seem like it’s quite similar to your medical school primary application, each component of your residency application must reveal a deep sense of growth, maturity, and dedication to medicine. Residencies provide on-the-job training so that you can earn your medical license and begin practicing professionally as a physician. The stakes are much higher, and your application must reflect this.
For most programs, you will submit your residency application through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), which is the centralized online application service applicants use to deliver their application and supporting documents to residency programs. ERAS simplifies the application process for applicants as well as their letter of recommendation authors, program directors, and Designated Dean’s Office.
In this post, we break down 10 frequently asked questions about the ERAS process, including how to apply, how much it costs, how the Match works, couples matching, and more.
When you’re done here, read our comprehensive residency application guide, which is updated every application cycle.
To access MyERAS, you need to contact your Designated Dean’s Office, and they will give you a token (one-time access code) with which you can register for MyERAS. Your documents will not be uploaded accurately with a token from a different school.
Make sure that your token is from the current MyERAS season. A token from a previous season won’t work. You can only use an ERAS token once to register.
You also need an AAMC account to register for MyERAS.
ERAS application fees are based on the number of programs you apply to per specialty.
Applying to up to ten programs will cost you $99. Applying to 11-20 programs will cost $19 per program. Applying to 21-30 programs will cost $23 per program, and applying to 31 programs or more will cost $27 per program.
There are also additional fees, which include your USMLE transcript ($80) if you’re studying to be an MD or your COMLEX-USA transcript ($80) if you’re studying to become an osteopath (DO). Both of these are assessed once per season.
MyERAS will automatically calculate your fees. You can pay online using Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover. ERAS does not offer refunds, no matter the circumstances.
Most residency specialties use the match system run by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Each participating specialty matches on the same day in mid-March.
A few specialties match early, while some use other matching programs. These unique matching specialties include Ophthalmology and Urology, which match in January, and military residency programs that use their own matching system.
Use the FREIDA website to determine which programs do not participate in ERAS.
The NRMP Match, based on a Nobel Prize-winning algorithm first outlined by Alvin Roth and Lloyd Shapley in the 1960s, is designed to even the playing field for residency applicants.
After the long and tedious process of applying for residency through ERAS, both applicants and residency programs submit their Rank Order List (ROL) in February.
A rank list is an ordered list of the programs an applicant would like to attend in descending order. Rank Order Lists are also completed by residency programs based on the applicants the program would like to recruit.
The Match algorithm prioritizes a student’s preference over a program’s preference but aims to find the best possible match for both students and programs.
Our YouTube video provides a visual example of how students are matched by NRMP.
The ERAS season begins in early June. This is when you will obtain your token from your Designated Dean’s Office and gain access to MyERAS. You will use the next few months to fill in your application, request relevant transcripts, confirm your residency letters of recommendation, and fine-tune each component, such as your residency personal statement.
ERAS begins accepting applications in early September, and applications are released to programs at the end of September. It’s possible to receive an interview invitation as early as the next day, so it’s imperative to send your application as soon as possible. If you delay, you could miss out on the first round of interviews.
Technically speaking, the ERAS season ends on May 31, but disregard this! For your best chance of matching with one of your top programs, apply as soon as applications open at the beginning of September.
No, registering for ERAS does not automatically register you for NRMP, as they are separate organizations. The Main Residency Match opens September 15, 2023. If you’re on top of your application materials and submit your residency application soon after applications open, you can register for NRMP after that.
Use the NRMP’s secure Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) system to register and create a username and password. Note that just like with ERAS, you must have an AAMC ID to register for the Main Residency Match.
After registering with NRMP, log back into ERAS and update your profile with your NRMP ID. This will make it easier for program directors to identify you for placement on their program’s rank order lists.
ERAS and the Match are different from other applications because you will only match with a single program. When applying to medical school, you likely received multiple acceptances at different times and were able to choose the school you were most excited to attend.
But on Match Day, you will be told which program you matched into, if you matched into one at all. The Match is a binding agreement; you are not able to hold out for something better. You are required to matriculate to that residency program. This is why it’s so important to invest significant time in researching different programs and developing your Rank Order List (ROL).
While similar, the personal statement is also slightly different. You are no longer a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed premed; you are a young medical professional who has earned their doctorate, and your personal statement must reflect this deeper dedication to medicine.
You will not be able to rehash your medical school personal statement. The success of your ERAS personal statement depends on your ability to effectively communicate how your professional development and experiences in medical school have made it clear to you which specialty you belong in. Illustrate how you have matured with tangible examples, and make sure your personal statement ties into the overall narrative of your application.
While you can add an unlimited number of references, you can only submit 4 letters of recommendation per program. Your MSPE or Dean’s Letter do not count as one of your letters.
Your letters cannot be addressed to the specific residency program; they must be standardized instead so that your letter writers don’t need to draft multiple different letters.
It’s a good idea to have one of your letters written by an attending or mentor in your specialty who you worked side-by-side with, as they will be able to authentically and specifically speak to your skills and why you belong in your chosen specialty. Choose writers from a variety of specialties who know you well and are willing to write you STRONG letters of recommendation. Just like with med school applications, a poor or lukewarm letter will only hurt your application.
You may also be required to obtain a letter from someone in a non-medical field. Each program’s specific requirements can be found on their website. Carefully examine these requirements to determine exactly what you will need.
If you’re in a committed relationship with another medical student in your current year and you plan on building a future together, couples matching makes sure your respective residency programs will be in the same geographic location.
Dating long distance while you’re both in residency will put a significant strain on any relationship, no matter how strong it is. It’s very unlikely your schedules will match up, and years of sporadic asynchronous communication is unfair to both of you.
However, it is important to note that your chance of matching at your top-choice program is lower when couples matching. While it’s a simple enough process, it will require a massive amount of compromise, coordination, and sacrifice.
In order to couples match, you need to pair your rank list with your partner’s. When you log into the NRMP website, both of you must agree that you want your rank lists coupled. After that, you will need to make your lists together and make sure each line matches up.
The matching algorithm will consider your pairs of program choices. You will match to your most preferred pair of programs on your rank order list where each of you have been offered a position. You will successfully match when both lists find a match on the same line.
While it’s a good idea to ask your deans and advisors for advice, the best resource you have for couples matching is other couples who have recently and successfully couples matched themselves.
For more information, learn from two physicians who successfully matched together: Residency Couples Match – Shedding Light and Debunking Myths, and be sure to read Couples in the Match on the NRMP website.
On the Monday of Match Week, you will find out if you matched but not where you matched. If you find out you did not match, you will need to participate in the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP).
SOAP is a service of the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) and the channel through which qualified unmatched applicants in the Main Residency Match apply for and are offered positions that were not filled during the initial matching algorithm.
SOAP runs from Monday to Thursday and gives unmatched students another shot at matching with a residency program during a tumultuous four days of new applications and interviews.
Unfortunately, even after participating in SOAP, there’s still a chance you will end up with a no match. While this is an undeniably hard pill to swallow, all is not lost, and there is plenty you can do to prepare for next year.
What’s most important is that you set time aside to acknowledge and process your emotions, which are sure to be overwhelming. Don’t take to social media; in fact, stay off of it altogether. Once you have processed the initial onslaught of these powerful emotions, begin to reassess your application and seek feedback. Where did you go wrong? Was there a notable weak area?
While almost every piece of your application can be improved, it’s best to choose a couple of problem areas and focus your effort there. Build a plan of attack, be on the lookout for opportunities, and utilize your time effectively to ensure you build a residency application you’re truly proud of.
If you are hoping for a successful match on your first attempt, it is vital that you approach your residency application with care and tact. But you don’t have to do it alone.
Our team of doctors at Med School Insiders has years of experience helping medical students get matched with their ideal program. Don’t believe us? Just take a look at our results.
We can help you prepare a stand out residency application that gets you matched into your ideal programs. We offer a number of Residency Admissions Consulting Services tailored to your needs, including personal statement editing, USMLE tutoring, interview prep and mock interviews, and overall application editing.
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