Timetable for Residency Application Process

April-May: Begin considering in what area of medicine you are interested. Gather information on residency programs through the following sources: Directory of Residency Training Programs available in the Student Affairs Office, School of Medicine (3040 Murphy), the AMA-FREIDA database and Consult with Program Director in department(s) of career choice. Residents and fourth year medical students. Write for information and applications from programs. Consider taking an elective in the area of your interest, at an institution you are considering for a residency. Write for information, regarding electives as soon as possible, such things to ask are the months available, housing, insurance requirements, etc. A Special Programs Application must be completed at least eight weeks prior to your starting any away elective - these forms are available from OSRR. Remember: no form, no credit! AMA-FREIDA database for all ACGME accredited fellowship and residency programs in the U.S. contains all the information found in the directory, plus detailed educational and demographic information on most of the residency programs in the U.S. The AMA-FREIDA system is installed on Medline for student access.

June-July: Prepare your curriculum vitae/resume. Prepare your personal statement. This should contain a statement of your future goals and interests, in and out of medicine, as well as a brief autobiographical sketch. Student Agreement Forms (application to join the Match) arrive in the Student Affairs Office. There is a fee to join the Match. Meet with Department Chair in area of your interest to review your list of programs.

August: Complete ERAS application form (see ERAS). Contact faculty members for letters of recommendation. Most programs require three or more letters of reference from faculty/physicians who know you and your skills very well. You should arrange to meet with these individuals to request that they write letters for you a month or more before they will be sending letters. They are doing this as a favor for you so do not expect them to write ten or fifteen letters at the last minute. Many times the faculty letters of recommendation are the last things to be sent and can keep you from scheduling an interview. Additional letters from faculty at institutions where you did an outside elective can also be included. These letters are sent directly to the residency programs, they do not come to the Dean's Office for forwarding.

Deadline for Dean's Letter request is in October 1. Requests submitted later may delay your Dean's Letters being released on November 1.

Transcripts will be obtained by Student Affairs staff for submission via ERAS.

September: Schedule interviews. What month is best will depend on the specialty in which you interview, but usually December and/or January are best. You should be sure to schedule free time for some time between late October thru mid-January for the interviewing process. Do not expect the clinical services to allow you several days during a rotation to interview, especially when you are on a one month elective, although some electives will allow a few days for interviewing. Plan ahead and see Laura Zeiger in Student Affairs if you need to rearrange your schedule to allow for interview time in the fall.

Late October-Mid January: See Interviews

November 1 Uniform release date for all Dean's Letters of Recommendation.

January: All applications and interviews should now be completed although some may continue into early February. Follow-up/thank you letters should be sent to those programs to which you are interested. The National Resident Matching Program Supplemental Directory of hospitals and programs participating the Matching program arrive in the Dean's Office. This directory contains the program code numbers for all residency positions and valuable information concerning the matching process. Rank Order lists will be inputted be entered via the NRMP website. Rank Order Lists are in mid-February.

March:  The schedule of events during Match Week is as follows:

12 Noon, EST, 3rd Monday in March - applicants find out if they are matched or unmatched via the Web or via the NRMP Voice Response System (with NRMP Code and PIN)

12 Noon., EST, 3rd Tuesday in March - contacts between unmatched applicants and unfilled programs begins.  Results book information available to Applicants via the Web or via the NRMP Voice Response System (with NRMP Code and PIN).

12 Noon, EST, 3rd Thursday in March - Match results are distributed to students.

April: Hospitals and Programs send letters of appointment to students matched at their institution who then sign and return the letters of appointment. If your address has changed since you made application to that program, please notify them as soon as possible after the Match results are announced.

May: Graduation (You made it!)

Checklist

___Join professional society of your specialty.

___Schedule time off for interviews.

___Write for information about programs.

___Prepare C.V.

___Prepare Personal Statement.

___Request letters of recommendation, Dean's Letter.

___Schedule meeting in Student Affairs to review your Dean's Letter draft.

___Schedule sitting for pictures EARLY.

___Shop for interview clothes.

___Request transcripts (don't forget undergraduate if needed).

___Meeting with advisor to review your list of residency programs.

___NRMP sign-up.

___Make copies of ALL materials (applications, C.V. etc.).

___Mail applications.

___Schedule interviews and make travel arrangements.

___Confirm interviews two weeks in advance.

___Send follow-up letters.

___Write thank you notes to the faculty for your letters of recommendation.

___Rank programs.