How to Apply

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ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The following outline lists the minimal requirements for application to the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology Residency Program.

With over 500 applications received annually, applicants who meet the following criteria will be reviewed and considered. A subgroup of eligible applicants is selected for admission interviews by invitation from the Residency Program Director. The Program Administrator will directly contact selected applicants to offer and arrange for an interview.

Applicants not meeting the below listed requirement will not be further reviewed, or offered an interview. Applications will be received only through ERAS®.

1. All applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria to be eligible for appointment:

  • Graduate of a medical school in the United States or Canada accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).

  • Graduate of a college of osteopathic medicine in the United States accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).

  • Graduate of a medical school outside of the United States and Canada who meets one of the following qualifications:

    • Possession of a valid certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). It is preferable for applicants to hold certification at the time of application, but all applicants must gain certification before they will be included on the program’s rank list.

    • Possession of a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in Minnesota

2. Applicant must not have 3 or more USMLE or COMLEX failures.

3. Applicants must be able to pass a criminal background check upon matriculation pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 144.057 and 245A.04. Physicians-in-training who do not pass this background check are not permitted to enter or continue in the program.

4. Applicants must meet state and federal employment regulations at matriculation and during training. The Department accepts applicants with valid J-1 visas only. The Department does not sponsor other types of visas.

5. Applicants must be fluent in both spoken and written English, especially as it relates to the clinical practice of medicine.

6. The University and its Departments do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, sex, national origin, disability, age, marital status, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

APPLICANT SELECTION

First-Year Resident Applicants

First-year resident applicants are required to apply through ERAS, the Electronic Residency Application Service.

For the 2023 Match, completed applications must be received no later than January 15, with a strong recommendation to have them in by December 1, for positions beginning July 1 of the following year.

In summary, the application requires the following:

  • Completed application form
  • Medical School Dean's letter
  • Personal statement
  • Medical School transcripts (originals or certified copies)
  • USMLE or COMLEX scores
  • Current letters of recommendation (3)
  • Copy of ECFMG certificate if graduated from foreign school

The Program accepts new PGY-1 residents through the NRMP, National Residency Match Program.

General Residency Criteria for Applicant Evaluation

Eligible applicants are reviewed, offered interviews, ranked, and accepted based on the Program Director's and Residency Advisory Committee's assessment of the following criteria:

  • General preparedness for residency, advanced specialty, or fellowship training.
  • Breadth and depth of medical knowledge, as it relates to the current practice of medicine.
  • Understanding of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, as a specialty.
  • Feedback and insight from in-person faculty interviews.
  • Aptitude for successful post-graduate medical education.
  • Ability to safely perform the spectrum of patient care duties required for completion of the training program.
  • Effectiveness of professional and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Demonstration of integrity, motivation, ethic, and dedication to scholarly pursuit of medical knowledge.
  • Performance on the United States Medical Licensing Examination(s).
  • Letters of recommendation and evaluations.
  • Compatibility with the Program's goals, objectives, and structure.
  • Compatibility with current Program trainees.

INTERVIEWING

2023-24 Interview Dates

Virtual interviews via Zoom will take place on the mornings of: 

Monday, October 30 
Thursday, November 2 
Monday, November 6 
Monday, November 27
Thursday, November 30
Tuesday, December 19 
 

and the afternoons of:

Tuesday, October 24
Thursday, November 9 
Tuesday, November 14 
Tuesday, December 5 

Contact:

Gaby Heinle 
Residency and Fellowship Program Administrator 
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology 
D-142 Mayo Memorial Building 
MMC 609 
420 Delaware St. S.E. 
Minneapolis, MN 55455
612-625-7622 
croni110@umn.edu

BENEFITS

Medical residents are appointed to one-year training positions from July 1 to June 30 of the following year. Stipend rates for residents are subject to change annually.

Benefits include:

  • Health insurance - resident shares cost
  • Dental insurance - optional; resident pays
  • Pre-tax health care/dependent reimbursement accounts - optional
  • Life insurance - provided at no cost; $25,000 term policy
  • Long-term disability insurance
  • Short-term disability insurance
  • Professional liability insurance
  • Optional retirement plan
  • Vacation leave - three weeks of vacation time
  • Sick leave
  • Family emergency, military, and court leave
  • Maternity and/or paternity leave
  • Professional, academic and conference leave
  • Educational expense allowance for books, software, conferences/society meeting registration fees, organization/society membership dues, and journal/slide club subscriptions
  • Trainee research fund
  • Conference travel for research paper/abstract presentations
  • Student discounts on sporting events, cultural events, computers, software, etc.
  • Standard laboratory coat

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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WILL YOU REVIEW MY APPLICATION/CV AND LET ME KNOW MY CHANCES OF BEING GRANTED AN INTERVIEW AT YOUR INSTITUTION?

WILL YOU REVIEW MY APPLICATION/CV AND LET ME KNOW MY CHANCES OF BEING GRANTED AN INTERVIEW AT YOUR INSTITUTION?

Due to the number of requests such as this that we receive, we do not review applications outside of ERAS.

WHAT IS THE APPLICATION DEADLINE?

WHAT IS THE APPLICATION DEADLINE?

You are strongly encouraged to apply by December 1.

DO YOU SPONSOR VISAS?

DO YOU SPONSOR VISAS?

We sponsor J-1 visas only.

DO I NEED TO BE ECFMG CERTIFIED WHEN I APPLY?

DO I NEED TO BE ECFMG CERTIFIED WHEN I APPLY?

It is preferred that you have your ECFMG certification when you apply, but it is not required. Certification must be obtained by your start date if you match with our program.

WHAT IS YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL GRADUATION CUT-OFF DATE?

WHAT IS YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL GRADUATION CUT-OFF DATE?

We prefer to see applicants who graduated from medical school within the preceding 10 years. Regardless of graduation date, applicants not coming straight out of medical school should be able to demonstrate involvement in medicine since graduating (e.g., research activities, medical practice, PhD program, etc.).

DOES YOUR PROGRAM REQUIRE A MINIMUM USMLE OR COMLEX TEST SCORE?

DOES YOUR PROGRAM REQUIRE A MINIMUM USMLE OR COMLEX TEST SCORE?

No, we do not. However, we will not consider applicants with three or more failures on any USMLE or COMLEX exam.

DO YOU REQUIRE COMPLETION OF THE USMLE STEP 2 EXAM BEFORE INTERVIEWING AND/OR RANKING?

DO YOU REQUIRE COMPLETION OF THE USMLE STEP 2 EXAM BEFORE INTERVIEWING AND/OR RANKING?

Step 2 is not required before interviewing. However, because passing Step 2 is required to begin training, we therefore require documentation of a passing score before ranking decisions are made. We recommend that applicants schedule Step 2 before December 31.

WHAT LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION ARE REQUIRED?

WHAT LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION ARE REQUIRED?

In addition to the Dean’s Letter and MSPE (Medical School Performance Evaluation), we require 3 current letters of recommendation from individuals who have worked closely with you. We prefer that at least 1 of these letters is from a pathologist, but this is not required.

WHAT ARE MY CHANCES OF GETTING AN INTERVIEW?

WHAT ARE MY CHANCES OF GETTING AN INTERVIEW?

We review each application that we receive based on its individual merits and accomplishments. Invitations are sent to applicants via ERAS in early October and on a continual basis until all interview slots are full.

HOW DO I FIND OUT THE STATUS OF MY APPLICATION?

HOW DO I FIND OUT THE STATUS OF MY APPLICATION?

If you are invited to interview, you will receive an invitation via Thalamus. It is very important that you provide a valid email address in Thalamus that you check frequently. Please do not call or email the department inquiring about the status of your application. Similarly, there is no need to email about updated USMLE scores or to notify us that you have submitted an application.

WHAT IS THE CURRICULUM OF THE PROGRAM LIKE?

WHAT IS THE CURRICULUM OF THE PROGRAM LIKE?

You can expect to be exposed to both AP and CP (as an AP/CP resident) in each year of your training. The earlier years are spent completing required rotations, with more flexibility later in your training for elective rotations, research time, and completion of any remaining required rotations.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT ON AN INTERVIEW DAY?

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT ON AN INTERVIEW DAY?

For the 2023-2024 interview season, all interviews will be conducted remotely over Zoom. The night before the interview, there will be an optional, informal Zoom “Happy Hour” with several residents. On the day of the interview, applicants can expect to attend a welcome session with the Program Directors, have 4 one-on-one interviews with departmental faculty members, and conclude with a program overview from the Chief Residents. We will also be holding several educational sessions throughout the interview season (not necessarily held on the interview day) led by our faculty and attended by our residents to give invited applicants an opportunity to see the collaborative, educational opportunities that our program offers. Finally, invited applicants will gain access to a detailed website with videos, resources, virtual tours, and other tools to learn as much as possible about our program, Minneapolis, and hopefully help aid their decision making.

WHAT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA?

WHAT RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA?

Participation in a research project is highly encouraged at the University of Minnesota. This can be in the form of a poster or presentation at a national meeting, or publication in a journal. Many of our faculty have projects ready to go when a resident expresses interest or starts a rotation with them. For those who are interested in a more intense research experience, you can spend up to 6 months throughout your residency dedicated to completing one or more projects.

DO RESIDENTS HAVE TROUBLE GETTING ENOUGH AUTOPSIES TO MEET CREDENTIALING REQUIREMENTS?

DO RESIDENTS HAVE TROUBLE GETTING ENOUGH AUTOPSIES TO MEET CREDENTIALING REQUIREMENTS?

No. AP/CP and AP-only residents will spend 3 months on dedicated autopsy rotations in their PGY 1-2 years. Residents will also get some autopsies in their 3-month surgical pathology rotation at the VA. Finally, typically during the PGY-3 year, residents will go to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office for 1 month (or more if you’re interested in forensics). The ME’s office will make sure that you have seen a sufficient number of cases before you graduate.