Optimize and Apply/ Match

1. Discuss elective scheduling with your Academic Advisor
   Specialties Page
2. Review specialty specific residency application information
3. Begin gathering letters of recommendation (LoR)
   How to ask for a LoR
   Specific considerations and process for requesting a LoR  
4. Register with ERAS
   Early in your MS-3 year, you will receive a token from [email protected] to be able to activate your account so that you can begin compiling letters of recommendation. ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service) is the online system used for applying to residencies that are in the main residency match.  It is used to compile official documents and materials (including personal statements, letters of recommendation, official transcripts, Medical Student Performance Evaluation, USMLE transcripts, and your photo) and to apply to specific residency programs. 
   ERAS User Guide
5. Review the Very Short Guide 
6. Develop Relationships
   Meet with Residency Directors of specialties you are interested in pursuing
7. Assess competitiveness and fit
   Charting Outcomes in the Match - NRMP Report
   Residency Explorer Tool
   Careers in Medicine Assessments and Specialty Comparison Tool - contact [email protected] if you need help accessing.
   Advance Data Tables 2022 Main Residency Match
8. 2022 Ophthalmology Residency Match Summary Report Urology Match Statistics

CAREER DEVELOPMENT CHECKLIST YEAR 3 : Choose a Specialty

 (R) Required

OPTIMIZE YOUR RESOURCES & NAVIGATE THE PROCESS

•  (R) Attend Becoming a Doctor (BaDr) Intersession Course Fall, Spring
  
  • Career Development Process sessions with Student Affairs
    
    • Register with ERAS (token emailed by  [email protected])
    • Review the Very Short Guide to residency application and match process
  • Individualized career development sessions with Faculty Advisors 
  • Begin gathering letters of recommendation Continuous
    How to ask for a LoR, Considerations and process
•  (R) MEET WITH FACULTY ADVISOR  Fall, Spring
• Specialty discernment (narrowed options)
• MS4 Scheduling
• Elective selection
• Residency plans and application preparation
• Bring a draft of your Noteworthy Characteristics to MSPE meeting
•  (R) Sign up and study for Step 2 CK
•  (R) Attend Residency Launchpad and review guide on residency match process March availability
• MEET WITH ACADEMIC ADVISOR: begin planning your 4th year schedule with elective selection (Specialties Page) Spring

UNDERSTAND YOURSELF 

• Maintain your wellness (Connect with your wellbeing) Continuous
• PARTICIPATE with Student Interest Group(s) - leadership, mentorship, events Calendar Continuous
• Connect with Department-Specific Specialty Experts and mentoring network as part of your specialty discernment process Continuous
• Meet with Residency Directors of specialties you are interested in pursuing
• Review specialty specific residency application information
• Utilize CiM routes to choosing your specialty Fall
• Complete/Review AAMC CiM Assessments Fall
  
  • Skills (PSI) 
  • Specialty Indecision Scale (SIS) 
  • Physician Values in Practice (PViPs)
  • Medical Specialty Preference Inventory (MSPI)

EXPLORE AND CHOOSE YOUR SPECIALTY

• Use the following tools to help you narrow down your specialty interests, assess competitiveness and research best fit residency programs: Spring
  
  • UMN specialty pages
  • Careers in Medicine Specialty Profiles 
  • Residency Explorer Tool NRMP 
  • Program Director Survey (At a Glance) 
  • ERAS Statistics (Specialty Specific Data, Cross Specialty Applicant Data, and quick reference Data Shots) and Data for NRMP Match
  • 2022 Ophthalmology Residency Match Summary Report
    Urology Match Statistics
  • ATTEND Medical Student Opportunities as interested:  Continuous
  • Review specialty and program specific processes Continuous
    
    • FREIDA (Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database) and Video Tour
    • ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education) 
    • Internal UMN Specific Specialty and Program application requirements

1. Become familiar with The Match Timeline
   General Timeline - NRMP
   Pdf of timeline and milestones
2. Review Guides and Presentations
   Class 2023 Residency Match Guide
   Attend Residency Launchpad and Review Materials
   Attend Becoming a Doctor and Intersession
3. Learn about Match Programs
   A. NRMP (Main Match)
   Video of the process for medical students
   B. San Francisco Match (For Ophthalmology)
   C. Urology Match
   D. Military Match
4. Access Data and Tools
   A. NRMP Data
   B. San Francisco Match Data
   C. Urology Data
   D. Residency Explorer
   E. Texas STAR:  Each year, UT Southwestern provides a crowd sourced database as a resource for medical students to assess competitiveness and inform residency application strategies.  Access is provided by the Office of Student Affairs and the Career and Residency Match Coordinator.  Monitor your email and other forms of announcements to be able to access the current data.  
5. Get to know specialty and program specific applications and requirements
   A. FREIDA (Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database) and Video Tour
   B. ACGME (Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education)
   C. Internal UMN Specific Specialty and Program application requirements
6. Register with ERAS (Electronic Residency Application System)
   Applicant Worksheet
   User Guide
7. Understand the MSPE (Medical Student Performance Evaluation)
   Overview of the MSPE document slides
   Noteworthy Characteristics
8. Create Personal Statements
   Meet with your Faculty Advisor and other trusted mentors for feedback on your Personal Statement, an important part of the residency application.
9. Prepare for Interviews - It is important to invest time preparing for residency interviews in order to shine.  Take advantage of the online system, Big Interview Medical, to review curriculum and practice.  Login using your UMN credentials to access this resource that is provided free of charge to you by the Office of Student Affairs.

Big Interview Medical

CAREER DEVELOPMENT CHECKLIST YEAR 4 : Prepare for Residency 

(R) Required

• Ask for letters of recommendation from rotations and sub-Is Spring, Summer
• Learn about Match Programs Summer
  A. NRMP (“Main” Match) Video of the process for medical students
  B. San Francisco Match (For Ophthalmology), Urology Match, Military Match
• Become familiar with the  Match (General Timeline - NRMP) Match Calendar Summer
• Review Residency Match Guide and Launchpad Materials Summer, Fall
• Register with ERAS (Electronic Residency Application System) Summer
  
  • Send LoR forms to letter writers through ERAS
  • Applicant Worksheet, User Guide
• Prepare Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) document 
  
  • Draft your Noteworthy Characteristics and bring to your FA MSPE meeting Summer
  • Individual Faculty Advisor Meeting Summer (May-early August)
  • Review MSPE document and make allowed grammar and factual revisions, noteworthy characteristics, and clerkship reviews, September
  • Certify MSPE document, September
• Create Personal Statements
  
  • Utilize the Writing Center Late summer/prior to ERAS deadlines
  • Share draft with your Faculty Advisors during your MSPE appointment Summer
  • Take advantage of the Personal Statement session during BaDr Fall
• Draft list of programs and make note of individual requirements Summer
  
  • Residency Explorer 
  • FREIDA (Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database) and Video Tour
  • Internal UMN Specific Specialty and Program application requirements
• Read “Residency Information Exchange” newsletters from [email protected] for up-to-date information on residency application process, dates and deadlines Continuous
• Attend Becoming a Doctor (BaDr) career development sessions Fall, Spring
• Submit residency application Fall
  
  • Certify main application (ERAS, etc.)
  • Request your transcript from OneStop to be sent to [email protected]  and follow detailed instructions in the Info Exchanges for deadlines and procedures
  • MSPE to be uploaded to application systems by school
  • Release USMLE scores (in application system, ie. ERAS)
  • Assign letters of recommendation to programs in application system
  • Upload and assign personal statement to programs in application system
  • Upload professional headshot application system
  • Apply to programs (requires payment)
• Practice interviewing with Big Interview Medical tool (UMN login credentials) Fall
• Complete interviews Fall, Spring
  
  • Can request additional funds for travel
• Register for your Match (NRMP for main match) Fall
• Submit rank list Spring
• Celebrate Match day! Spring
  
  • Participate in SOAP week if needed
• Communicate directly with your residency program regarding completion of background check, hiring paperwork, moving, etc. Spring
• Celebrate Commencement! Spring

BUILD YOUR SKILLS 

Connect with Alumni Relations to stay in touch and help support future physicians Spring