Getting into a medical residency.

To join an internship or residency, you should have the standard ECFMG certificate and apply to medical residency programs in the U.S. Most residency programs participate in the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS). ERAS is a simple and pain-free way of applying to several residency programs, in different residency specialties, with the click of a mouse from your home computer. This is an excellent service for medical residency applicants. ERAS website for medical residency applicants. 

You will be required to upload your CV, Personal statement and other information from your computer to the ERAS website. Medical school transcripts and letters of recommendation (reference letters) should be mailed to the ERAS office. These will be scanned and uploaded by ERAS staff. You will then have to select the residency specialty and specific residency programs that you wish to apply to. Once this is done and fee is paid to ERAS / NRMP, the application and supporting documents are sent electronically to the designated residency programs. You will have to register with both, ERAS and NRMP by paying separate fees.

The residency program directors and secretary will now screen your application and determine whether to call you for a medical interview. If you are chosen, you will be informed either by e-mail or Postal mail. If you wish to take part in the residency interview, you should call the residency program secretary and arrange for a mutually convenient time for the medical interview. You will then have to make your own travel arrangements (at your own expense) and attend the residency interview. Click this link for medical residency interview tips.

You can, and should plan to attend as many residency interviews as you can. This gives you more choice in selecting a residency program and increases your chances of a successful ERAS / NRMP match. The residency interview season comes to an end by the last week of January. You will then be required to submit a rank order list to ERAS / NRMP for the match. This is your final ranking of the residency programs, in your order of preference.

Medical residency programs will also rank the residency applicants according to their preference and submit it to ERAS / NRMP. Now the National Residency Matching program (NRMP) takes over. NRMP computers will now match individual residency program’s preferences with your preferences and come up with the final list. NRMP website for medical residency applicants.  

2004 NRMP residency match schedule – simplified.  

ü February 25, 2004, 11.59 pm ET - Rank order list deadline

ü March 15, 2004, 12 noon ET – Residency applicants get to know if they matched or not. No further information available. Residency Program name unknown.

ü March 16, 2004, 11.30 am ET – residency programs get to know if their positions were filled or unfilled.

ü March 16 2004, 12 noon ET- names and location of residency programs with unfilled positions released. The scramble begins. Unmatched residency applicants now contact unfilled residency programs to find a spot.

ü March 18, 2004, 1 pm ET – The residency Match day. Applicants get to know the location and name of the residency program they matched to.