ERAS Application: When is it Too Late to Apply for Residency?
Nov 24, 2020
Published by Kathrin O'Neill
It is already November, and you must be thinking- Am I late, or can I apply to ERAS for my medical residency?
Many programs do not accept applications after their deadlines have passed, so applying to them is just a waste of time. However, what if the deadline hasn't passed yet? In such a scenario, applicants often get confused regarding the right time to apply and whether they are late or not. In this article, you will know all about the ERAS application and when is it too late to apply for residency.
ERAS stands for Electronic Residency Application Service. The Association of American Medical Colleges offers this service through which MD and DO medical school graduates can apply for fellowship programs and residency in the US. Both native US medical graduates and international or foreign medical graduates must use ERAS to apply for medical residencies in the US. All medical students in the US must apply through ERAS for their advanced or categorical residency position or transitional/preliminary PGY1 programs. However, one thing you must realize is that ERAS isn't the Match.
Main Match is the primary method through which the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) organizes and facilitates the ERAS application process. Every year, thousands of applicants compete for residency spots, which are offered nationwide. To apply to a program of their interest, applicants must use the ERAS database, and later the programs respond to their applications by inviting them for residency interviews. The interviews typically occur between the Fall and Winter, usually during the applicant's fourth or final medical school year.
After the interview season is complete, the applicants have to create and submit a Rank Order List. It is a list of programs that intend to accept a contract. A similar order list is submitted by programs regarding the applicants they want to accept as residents. The Main Match algorithm is like a matchmaker as it sets up programs and applicants.
Interested candidates will apply separately to the NRMP or the urology or ophthalmology match programs. Keep in mind that except for early matches, all students should aim to apply between 6 Sep (the date when candidates start applying to programs via ERAS) and 15 Sep (when programs start downloading all the submitted applications). The application must not be later than 1 Nov as this is wh en the Medical Students Performance Evaluation (MSPE) is released.
Ideally, you must have your ERAS application ready to be submitted before the opening date. It would help if you be the first in line, and being late can really hurt your residency plans. However, to apply, it isn't necessary to submit the complete application by 15 Sep since most applicants usually don't have all three letters of recommendation in by the due date. Moreover, the MSPE won't go out before 1 Nov for anyone. But, if you can launch your application with your photograph, ERAS application, and transcript, you will at least secure your place in the competition.
The first thing to do is asking yourself- how prepared I am to apply right now?
If you are 100% sure that you are well-prepared and have created a strong application, you must consider applying it in the current season. On the other hand, if you aren't too sure about the application, have missed exam scores, and there are various unaddressed Red Flag, then you should think about the pros and cons of applying vs. waiting until the next season.
Almost all of the applications are sent to programs on the very first day of applying, and most interviews are sent out within one to four weeks after this phase. But, programs generally have two to three rounds of interviews throughout the season. Therefore, if you are applying late with a complete application, you will still be considered for the interview invites' secondary rounds.
However, being late for your ERAS application is never advised or suggested. The longer you wait for submitting the complete application, the lower your chances of receiving an interview invite will be. If you apply after 1 Nov, expect a significant decrease in your overall chances of getting invited for the interview. If you are hoping to be interviewed and Matched, you will need to apply to as many programs as possible. In this regard, don't forget to find out the respective deadlines of each program and submit the application on time. You can also consider taking a back seat for this season and waiting for the next eight to twelve months to prepare yourself better for medical residency application the next season.
As far as ERAS application is concerned, seeking professional help in editing your application and Personal Statement is always a good idea. One thing you must never forget is that nothing done halfheartedly will be successful. It would help if you gave it your all. When it comes to submitting the ERAS application, apart from preparing yourself appropriately to maximize your chances, it is extremely crucial to apply at the right time.
In simple words, getting a medical residency, particularly for international medical graduates, is a big challenge because it involves months of preparation and planning. If you are late for applying, ask yourself are you ready to take the risk of committing to applying for 150-300 different programs right now when you are already late or to apply when you are more prepared. More importantly, can you afford to apply for a second time if required?
