RESIDENCY 101 ERAS Overview 2014

1. RESIDENCY 101 ERAS Overview 2014 Jimmy Renfro, M.Ed.

2. What IS ERAS? Electronic Residency Application Service The online common application for most AOA and ACGME internship and residency programs.

3. ERAS Online Application • Main site/login (compatible with IE and Firefox): https://www.aamc.org/students/medstudents/eras/ • Other useful areas of the site: • Click on “ERAS for Applicants” and “USMG Residency Applicants” to search for resources to download • Detailed User Guide and lots of great tutorials! • ERAS Help: myeras@aamc.org / (202) 862-6264

4. Costs to Consider Be Prepared to Pay : • $95 for first 10 programs, per Match (AOA, ACGME), per specialty. • Goes up incrementally per application after first 10 applied ($10-16-26 each) • Board Transcripts are $75 each (one time fee, not per application) • Consider all travel expenses! Estimate ~ $500 per visit

5. Matching Services • NMS – National Matching Service. Used by osteopathic programs and students during osteopathic match for residency selection • NRMP – National Resident Matching Program. Used by allopathic programs and students during the allopathic match for residency selection • SF Match – San Francisco Matching Program. Early matching program for some Neurology and Ophthalmology residencies. This match does not utilize ERAS (but you may need ERAS for PGY-1)

6. What’s The Difference? • ERAS is the application service (universal) • NRMP, NMS & SF Match are the matching services • You MUST register with the matching services separately in order to participate in their match

7. How Does ERAS Work? • Applicants receive an electronic ‘Token’ (password) from their assigned Dean's office, and use it to access the MyERAS website. • Applicants complete their ERAS application, select programs, assign supporting documents, and transmit their application to programs.

8. Components of ERAS • Student Affairs/Career Centerreceives notification of completed application, and starts transmitting supporting documents: • UNTHSC Academic Transcripts (by 8/29/14) • Letters of recommendation (at least 3, max of 4) * • Photos (ID photo can be used) • MSPE/Dean's Letters – National AAMC Date: 10/1/14 for ACGME and AOA programs • Examining boards receive and process requests for score reports; UNTHSC cannot process these. • Programs contact the ERAS Post Office on a daily basis to download application materials.

9. Direct ERAS Questions To… ERAS Help Desk myeras@aamc.org (202) 892-6264 Career Center General Questions: LOR arrival status, guide to resources, request appointment careercenter@unthsc.edu (817) 735-5020elp Career Center ERAS Help ERAS@unthsc.edu

10. Letters of Recommendation • Career Services maintains (5 years) • Shoot for 4-6, specialty-specific • Clinical Faculty! • “Confidential” status = Program perception! • LOR Request Form (for preceptor) • Quality Assurance Request (OrgSync) and other ERAS resources: https://orgsync.com/38566/forms/42605

11. Personal Statements • One page (appx. 650-900 words) • Specific to your chosen specialty / career goals • Components: • Explain your specialty choice and how you arrived at it, including a discussion of medical school rotations, clerkships, and other experiences that helped you formulate your decision. Also, why medicine as a career? • Describe what you are seeking in a residency program, i.e. research opportunities, specialized training/procedures, geographic location, etc. • Discuss your career goals; what do you plan to do in your chosen field? How can the residency program help you achieve your goals? • Send to Career Center for review

12. ERAS Timeline (conventional*) ** The AAMC/ERAS office has recently announced their intention to release ERAS to the 2015 class early this year–feasibly by late April. Traditional Timeline: • July 1, 2014– ‘Tokens’ are distributed by Student Affairs. AAMC/ERAS has to release them and will not do so any earlier. E-mail notification will come from ERAS. • July 1, 2014– Applicants can *begin* completion of the online common ERAS application. • July 15, 2014– Osteopathic programs begin accepting online applications (programs cannot view Dean’s Letters until 10/1/14)

13. ERAS Timeline (cont’d) • September 15, 2014Allopathic (ACGME) programs begin receiving online applications. • October 1, 2014 MSPE/Dean’s Letter for ACGME applicants released (programs cannot view before this date).

14. Anatomy of a Dean’s Letter 1. Identifying Information/Unique Characteristics (from ‘Student Profile’/CV information) 2. Academic History/Academic Progress (from Transcript/Curriculum) • Clinical Comments– Final Evaluation “Summative” rather than “Formative” comments 3. Dean’s Summary (from Interview and Profile) Online Sample > Career Services ‘ERAS’ Page

15. What Can I Do Now? Spring – Summer • Complete your online ‘Student Profile’ – REQUIRED two business days prior to interview • Complete your Dean’s Letter Interview with your Advisory College Faculty (schedule TBD). April – May • Set up meetings with Peer Advisers including “Class Chat” panel sessions. Adviser list coming soon! May – August • ERAS and Dean’s Letter Workshops (including CV and Personal Statement writing).

16. What Can I Do Now? Now – July • Continue to work on CV & Personal Statement! Now – Fall 2014 • Continue to request letters of recommendation (this can go on throughout the application process) May – September • Dean’s Letters are written – students review ** Direct all ERAS and Dean’s Letter questions to the Career Center office **

17. Things to Remember • Your UNTHSC “Live” account is the official mode of communication during 4th year • Keep good records! • Always check program deadline dates • Our goal is to respond back to you within two business days during the work week. Just keep in mind the size of the class and volume of records! During the busiest ERAS/Dean’s Letter period (June-September) it may take us several days to get through all the requests.

18. Resources and Contact Info Career Center CEEAD Building 110 / (817) 735-5020 / careercenter@unthsc.edu For CV, Personal Statement, and other ERAS help: http://web.unthsc.edu/departments/studentaffairs/careerservices General ERAS inquiries: ERAS@unthsc.edu