can you edit your personal statement after submitting eras

Author: Justin Nabity

Last updated: October 27, 2021

What to Know About Submitting an ERAS Application

Table of contents.

• 1. Does Every Medical School Student Need to Submit an ERAS Application?
• 2. Know the ERAS Timeline
• 3. Along With Your Application, You’ll Need to Submit Other Documents
• 4. How to Fill Out the “Experiences” Portion of the ERAS Application
• 5. Prepare to Pay ERAS Fees
• 6. Common ERAS Application Mistakes
• 7. What IMGs Need to Know About the ERAS Application Timeline

As a medical school student, you probably already have a general understanding of what the ERAS system is. The further along you are in medical school, the more likely you’ve heard your peers chatting about it.

Some students wait until it’s time to register to learn the system and all of its complexities. Other students prefer to get a leg up and do their research on ERAS in advance.

By the end of your third year of medical education, you’ll need to start thinking about which  residency training program  you want to attend. And that means you’ll need to have a thorough understanding of what the Electronic Residency Application Service is all about.

Whether you’re ready to fill one out now or preparing in advance, here’s everything you need to know about submitting an ERAS application.

Does Every Medical School Student Need to Submit an ERAS Application?

Every medical student that intends to participate in the residency match will need to submit an ERAS application.

ERAS is the online application system for medical school students looking to apply to residency programs. Through ERAS, you can submit your residency applications, upload supporting documents, and upload transcripts required by residency programs.

ERAS is not a matching service, nor does registering for ERAS qualify you to take part in the National Resident Matching Program. That is a different entity, and you’ll need to register with the  NRMP separately.

Know the ERAS Timeline

The key to navigating ERAS is to know the ERAS timeline, and you should research it far in advance so that you don’t miss any critical deadlines.

The deadlines for ERAS 2022 residency applications have already passed, but you can check the Association of American Medical Colleges  website for the timelines for 2023 and beyond. The AAMC publishes the new ERAS timeline every year as soon as it becomes available.

While specific dates and deadlines are subject to change from year to year, here is a general overview of the ERAS timeline, how the application process works, and what you’ll need to do when.

June Prior to Your Final Year of Medical School:

Obtain an ERAS token from your designated dean’s office. You’ll only receive one token per application season, and you’ll need this in order to register for MyERAS. You can only use each token once, so it’s essential to ensure that all information on your application is thorough, accurate, and complete.

June is the month in which the MyERAS registration season opens. Once you have your token, use it to register and create your MyERAS online account.

The Summer Before Your Final Year of Medical School:

You can submit your application as soon as you register with your token. The deadline for MyERAS applications is the end of September.

Once you submit your application, you can start applying for residency programs.

September of Your Last Year of Medical School:

ERAS begins releasing certified applications to the residency programs you’ve applied to at the end of September. Before that can happen, you’ll need to upload various supporting documents (more on that below). You can start gathering and uploading your supporting documents as soon as you set up your MyEras account.

Around this time, you’ll also need to register for the NRMP to participate in the upcoming season’s match program. The NRMP deadline for registration is the end of November.

February of Your Last Year of Medical School:

Once you’ve interviewed for potential residency programs, you’ll need to create your rank order list. You will need to submit this through the NRMP by the February deadline in order to qualify for the current season’s match.

Wondering what sort of salary you’ll make as a resident? Check out our  Residency Salary Compensation Guide for New Physicians

Along With Your Application, You’ll Need to Submit Other Documents

Your ERAS application is just one of many documents you’ll need to submit before you can apply to residency programs. There are a variety of application materials you’ll need to gather and input into the ERAS system:

Personal Statement

While your CV and transcripts are critical, the personal statement portion of the ERAS application might be the most crucial component of all.

The personal statement is essentially an essay, similar in some ways to a college entrance essay.

The personal statement is your chance to explain why you want to enter the specialty you’ve chosen. It’s your chance to further explain some of the skills or qualities you have that will make you a successful resident. It’s an opportunity to elaborate on why you’ve chosen to apply to a particular program.

Your personal statement should be detailed and anecdotal. It should have a thesis, a strong introduction, and a clear conclusion. And, of course, it should be perfectly written with perfect grammar and formal language.

Always proofread your personal statement and ask colleagues or mentors to read it over before you send it. (You can amend the personal statement after you submit your application, but it’s better to make sure that it’s faultless before submitting it the first time.)

Letters of Recommendation

Most residency programs require three letters of recommendation (LORs) but allow you to submit up to four.

These letters should be written from professionals who have supervised you in clinical settings, such as physicians with whom you have done rotations. At least two of those letters should be from physicians in the specialty you intend to train for in residency.

When requesting LORs, do so in a timely manner. Don’t wait until a week before the deadline to ask for a recommendation. Instead, make the request at least a month in advance to give the physician enough time to create a genuine, thoughtful letter.

You can store as many LORs as you like in the ERAS system. If you have five or six physicians you can ask for recommendations, do so. That way, you can pick and choose the most powerful ones or send different ones to different programs.

MSPE Dean’s Letter

The medical student performance evaluation (MSPE), is a letter from your dean’s office that provides a summation and general evaluation of your medical school performance. It contains your academic history and progress, as well as noteworthy characteristics that make you stand out from other students in your program.

Medical School Transcript

Whether you take the USMLE or the COMLEX-USA exam, you’ll need to submit your transcripts to all residency programs you apply to. You can request your transcripts directly through the  MyERAS  documents/additional documents section of the website.

ERAS Photo (Optional)

Including an ERAS photo is optional, but it can be an asset to your application if done the right way.

Your ERAS photo should be professional.

Try to take it with a high-quality camera in the proper lighting. It should portray you as someone intelligent, trustworthy, and hardworking. Put on a suit jacket or blazer, fix your hair, and smile!

Before uploading your photo, make sure it adheres to the ERAS photo requirements in terms of file size, resolution, and photo size.

USMLE Transcript or COMLEX Transcript

USMLE and COMLEX  transcripts are some of the only supporting documents you can submit after you’ve certified and submitted your application. However, if your scores are ready, it’s best to include them with the original application and other documents.

Different residency programs have different deadlines for submitting and uploading transcripts. Be sure to check with your chosen residency programs to ensure that you don’t miss their deadline.

Supplemental ERAS Application

As of September 2021, the AAMC is testing out what they’re calling the “supplemental ERAS application” in the fields of  dermatology , general surgery, and  internal medicine .

The supplemental application does not replace the ERAS application. It is used in conjunction with the main application as a way for residency programs to gain more insight into who you are as a candidate. Depending on the results of the 2021 supplemental application trial, it could become available to students in other specialties next year.

The supplemental application asks a few specific questions designed to get to know a student better.

Questions such as “have you overcome obstacles in your journey?” and “what are your five most meaningful experiences?” are designed to delve deeper into the student as a person, rather than just focusing on their work and educational experience.

Discover:  Moonlighting Medical Residents: Side Gigs to Make More Money

How to Fill Out the “Experiences” Portion of the ERAS Application

As you fill out your ERAS application, you’ll see individual sections that ask for personal and biographical information, educational information, and information about your experience.

It’s the “experience” section of the application that tends to trip people up.

Here are some tips on how to fill out the experiences section of the application.

The experience section is your place to discuss three specific things:

• Research experience
• Work experience
• Volunteer experience

In comparison to the application as a whole, it may seem like a small part, but it’s a chance to truly set yourself apart from the competition.

Choose the experiences that you’re most proud of or that are the most impressive. You do not need to detail every part-time job you’ve ever held, every club or organization you’ve ever belonged to, or every charity event you’ve attended. Instead, focus on a few key experiences that will make an impact and give a good overall sense of who you are.

If you have a bevy of experiences, a good way to cut down on them is to limit your experiences to those that occurred during or just prior to  medical school .

When you describe your experiences, do so with clear, concise, and powerful language. Don’t go into excessive detail. Detail only the most important aspects or elements of the experience.

Related:  Understanding Your Resident Doctor Employment Agreement

Prepare to Pay ERAS Fees

Along with submitting your application and supporting documents, you’ll have to pay some fees for ERAS to submit your information to the residency positions you’re applying for.

The standard application fee is $10, which allows you to apply to a maximum of ten residency programs.

If you intend to apply to more, you’ll have to pay more:

• For every additional program 11-20: $17 per program
• For every additional program 21-30: $21 per program

In addition to application fees, there are also transcript fees to submit your test scores. Both the USMLE and COMLEX transcript fees cost $80 each.

Common ERAS Application Mistakes

The ERAS application process can be complex, as it involves many different parts.

To make the process run smoothly, avoid these common mistakes that many medical students make:

Submitting Your Application Before It’s Perfect

Take the time to make sure that your application is error-free.

Once you submit and certify your application, the only thing you can amend is your personal statement. All other information must remain as is, so triple-check that your information is correct.

Attempting to Change Document Assignments

There may be instances where you want to assign specific letters of recommendation to specific programs.

Once you assign a LOR to a particular program, you cannot reassign it. Make sure that you attach the right LORs to the correct residency applications.

Creating a Generic Personal Statement

Your personal statement is your chance to stand out from the competition. Take the time to craft a well-written statement that’s unique and captures who you truly are.

Omitting Supporting Documents

You can’t send applications to residency programs if they’re missing supporting documents. Omitting or missing documents (whether intentionally or unintentionally) can delay the application process.

Waiting Until the Last Minute

Don’t wait until a day or two before the September deadline to start working on your application. The ERAS application takes time, so it’s best to begin working on it as soon as you receive your token.

Once your application is complete and you’ve checked to ensure it’s perfect — certify it. There’s no need to wait until the day before the deadline to submit.

Not Knowing the ERAS Timeline

In the spring of your third year of medical school, check the ERAS website or the  AAMC website  for a complete and accurate timeline of the application process for the upcoming year.

While deadlines generally fall around the same time each year, specific dates can change. It’s crucial to have all relevant dates on your calendar to avoid missed deadlines.

It’s never too early to start planning for your future. Read:  The 3 Biggest Financial Mistakes New Doctors Make

What IMGs Need to Know About the ERAS Application Timeline

For  international medical graduates , there is one more crucial step in submitting an ERAS application:

Applying for ECFMG certification.

All IMGs must apply for certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates before they can register with MyERAS. The ECFMG provides the residency tokens required to register for MyERAS, so you’ll need your ECFMG identification number in order to receive your registration token.

There are many steps in the ERAS application system, and they’re all necessary to participate in the NRMP and learn which program you’ve matched with on  Match Day .

For more information on ERAS, ECFMG certification, or applying to residency programs,  contact Physicians Thrive now .

Subscribe to our email newsletter  for expert tips about finances, insurance, employment contracts, and more!

About the Author

• UTHealth Houston
• Education and Training
• 2023-2024 Applicant Information
• Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery Guidelines for DVT Prophylaxis upon Discharge from the Hospital
• Orthopedic Trauma Open Fracture Antibiotic Guidelines
• Trochanteric and Femoral Neck Fragility Fracture Guidelines
• Fellowships
• Current Residents
• Resident Life
• Overview Video
• Training Institutions
• Rotation Structure
• Residency Research
• Application Process

ERAS and Frequently Asked Questions

• Visiting Students
• Our Faculty
• Visiting Medical Students
• Edward T. Smith Orthopedic Lectureship
• Houston Orthopaedic Trauma Symposium
• Our Community

McGovern Medical School at UT Health at Houston, Orthopedic Residency Program participates in ERAS, the Electronic Residency Application System, developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges.  A completed application consists of the following:

• Application with photograph
• Curriculum Vitae (part of your application)
• Personal Statement
• Copy of USMLE Step 1 scores
• Copy of USMLE Step 2 scores if available
• Medical School Transcript
• Medical School Dean’s Letter
• Three Letters of Recommendation (additional letters are acceptable)

A completed application must be received through the ERAS Program by the middle of November of the year prior to start of the program year. Interviews will take place in mid-January.

ERAS Frequently Asked Questions

• The ERAS Post Office opens to applicants and residency programs.  September 1st is the first day an applicant can apply to residency programs. There seems to be a sense of panic in some students that they MUST finish and submit their application on September 1st…THIS IS NOT TRUE.
• If you need to look up your USMLE ID# for your ERAS application, please go to the following website: https://apps.nbme.org/ciw2/prod/jsp/requestPass.requestPass. There is a link for students who do not know their USMLE ID.  It can also be found in the lower left hand corner on the front of your Step 1 score report (to the left of your mailing address).
• No.  You should send your application out as soon as it is complete and continue completing your application as documents arrive.
• YES. LoR Authors must be finalized and the LoR uploaded to the ERAS Post Office by my Office in order for you to assign them to programs. The LoR checkbox will be disabled until both of these requirements are met. You can click on the ADTS trailing link located at the top of the MyERAS application to track the status of your documents
• No.  Enter letter writer info as you know it. You can add, change or delete LoR info anytime throughout the process.  Changes can’t be made after the letter has been sent to your designated programs.
• YES. ERAS recommends your application be as complete as possible before sending it to residency programs, i.e. assign personal statement, create a list of letter writers and assign, and authorize transmission of your USMLE transcript.  You can still continue to add new LoR authors etc and make changes to your LORs as long as the letter has never been sent.
• Deadlines are program specific.  September 1st-September 15th is a recommended ERAS target date to have a completed application out (including most letters of recommendation, photo and transcript).  The sooner your application is transmitted, the more likely it is to be reviewed by all programs, the more flexibility you will have in receiving and setting up interviews.  This is true for all programs not just ERAS programs. Most programs post deadlines related to the last date in which you can apply to their program.  These dates can be found on the AAMC/FREIDA website.
• Once you have completed your ERAS application, you must “Submit” it to the ERAS Post Office for processing/certification.  You cannot apply to programs until your application is certified and sent (submitted). *It is extremely important that you proof your application carefully. “ONCE YOU HAVE SUBMITTED YOUR APPLICATION, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE CONTENT PORTION OF YOUR APPLICATION BUT CAN CONTINUE WORKING ON OTHER SECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
• To have your application transmitted to residency programs you must apply and process a payment on MyERAS. It is at this point, when programs can start receiving your documents (application, p.s., letters of recommendation, photo, transcript, USMLE transcript and MSPE (Oct 21st). Please read the manual carefully.
• *You do not have to wait for your letters of recommendation to be in to send your ERAS Application or create a list of LoR(s) authors.
• Although your application has been transmitted, many programs do not begin downloading applications right away.  Each program has its own timeline and process.  Be patient.  Use the ADTS tracking system to see when programs are downloading your application.
• AOA elections occur in mid to late September. Only students who are in the top academic quartile of their class are eligible for election.  If you think you have a chance of being elected based on your own assessment of your academic performance you should answer, “AOA Elections held during senior year”.  Upon being elected you should update your response to “Member of AOA”.  This question is in the MyProfile section of your ERAS application which can be updated.
• You do not have to request separate letters of recommendation.  All you have to do is request your letter writer NOT include the specialty in your letter.  ERAS can however handle specialty-specific LoRs from the same writer.  Please follow the MyERAS instructions by listing specialty next to letter writer’s name.
• NO.  You also DO NOT list or assign the MSPE.  It is sent automatically to your programs.  The same is true for your transcript.
• It is a unique code number you receive when you register with AMCAS, ERAS or the NRMP.
• If you are applying to a non-ERAS or SF program, it is your responsibility to provide your letter writers and the Registrar’s Office with mailing labels to send your documents directly to the programs you are applying.  We cannot send letters received for ERAS to other programs.
• Tools for Residency Applicants can be found at https://students-residents.aamc.org/attending-medical-school/how-apply-residency-positions/tools-residency-applicants/
• HOW DO I REGISTER FOR THE NRMP (The Match)?
• Applicant registration begins September 1st.  To begin the registration process for the 2022 Main Residency Match, go to the NRMP’s public website at www.nrmp.org, click Register/Login at the top of the screen, and then select “Applicant Registration”.  Registration for the Match is a multi-step, on-line process that includes completing the registration form, agreeing to the Match Participation Agreement, and paying the registration fee.  You must provide an email address so that the NRMP can communicate with you quickly and easily.  Update the information in R3 as often as necessary; if you fail to do so, you may miss important reminders or other information essential to the Match process.
• McGovern Medical School Facebook Page
• McGovern Medical School X Page
• McGovern Medical School Instagram Page
• McGovern Medical School YouTube Page
• McGovern Medical School LinkedIn Page
• Medical School IT (MSIT)
• Campus Carry
• Emergency Info
• How to report sexual misconduct
• University Website Policies

2023-2024 ERAS Residency Application Guide

• By Med School Insiders
• July 4, 2023
• Medical Student
• Residency , Residency Application

The ERAS residency application is completed in your final year of medical school—but really—you should begin preparing yourself for this crucial step throughout your entire time at med school.

Although residencies are educational, they’re quite a bit different from medical school. A residency provides on-the-job training for people to acquire their medical license so that they can become a practicing physician.

This means the application components are quite different from your original medical school application. They must reflect a sense of maturity, growth, and deepened dedication to medicine. Continue reading our ERAS residency application guide, which covers the following topics:

An Introduction to the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)

Eras residency application timeline, what happens next, eras residency application checklist, residency application mistakes to avoid, eras residency application faqs.

The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) is the centralized online application service applicants use to deliver their application and supporting documents to residency programs. ERAS streamlines the application process for applicants as well as their Designated Dean’s Office, letter of recommendation authors, and program directors.

ERAS includes four individual but connected applications, which were created to meet the needs of each user group involved in the application process. ERAS provides an impartial, confidential transmission of all applications to programs.

The 4 ERAS Applications:

• MyERAS is where applicants complete their applications, assign supporting documents, select programs, and submit the materials for their selected programs.
• Dean’s Office Workstation (DWS) is where Designated Dean’s Offices upload medical school transcripts and medical school performance evaluations (MSPEs) in support of the applications submitted through ERAS.
• Letters of Recommendation Portal (LoRP) is where letters of recommendation authors submit their letters in support of the applicant applying through ERAS.
• Program Director’s Workstation (PDWS) is where training programs receive and review applications and supporting documents.

How ERAS Works:

• Applicants receive a token (one-time access code) from their Designated Dean’s Office.
• Applicants use the token to register with MyERAS.
• Applicants complete their MyERAS application, assign supporting documents, select programs, and apply to programs.
• The applicant’s Designated Dean’s Office and letters of recommendation authors upload supporting documents.
• Examining boards receive and process requests for transcripts.
• Programs receive the application materials through the Program Director’s Workstation (PDWS).

Technically speaking, ERAS season begins in June, but you should be thinking about your residency application long before then. Use the earlier part of the year to prepare for application season. In the spring, you should be considering which schools you want to apply to, acquiring letters of recommendation, and thinking about the direction you want to take your personal statement.

The ERAS season begins in early June. Obtain your token (one-time access code) at this time by contacting your Designated Dean’s Office. This will grant you access to MyERAS. It’s also a good idea to determine if you will need to take the Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics, also known as Casper.

Here is a list of medical schools that require Casper . If you need to take the test, read our Casper Test Guide for information about scoring, preparation, and more.

Start filling in your application with your work, volunteering, and research experience. Take full advantage of the ERAS Tools and Worksheets for Residency Applicants ; this will help you to determine exactly what kind of information you need to gather to complete your application.

As you work on your application, search for programs you’re interested in and save them for later so that you can organize the correct documents for each program.

June – August

You can only register for ERAS once. Do your utmost to ensure your application is flawless. DO NOT certify your application before you are absolutely sure it is complete, accurate, and exactly what you want to submit. You can only certify your application once—doing so will lock in your application, making it unchangeable for the rest of the application season.

Get all of your details in order and continue fine-tuning your application. Check in to ensure your letters of recommendation are confirmed, get feedback on your personal statement, and make final decisions about which residency programs you want to apply to.

Read: How to Choose a Medical Specialty in 6 Steps

Request your relevant transcripts (USMLE, COMLEX-USA, MSPE, etc.) during this time. You should also begin interview prep during these months so that you are prepared and able to present your best self on the residency interview trail .

ERAS will start accepting applications at the beginning of September. We highly recommend submitting your application well before the deadline . The site also tends to crash around the time they are due because of the high volume of applicants, so ensure you’re not leaving it to the last possible day.

Applications are released to programs at the end of September, and interview invitations can be sent out as early as the next day, so if you submit your application close to the day ERAS releases your application, you could miss out on the first round of interviews.

You also have to apply for the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) , also known as The Match, around this time, which requires a separate application.

1 | Residency Interviews

Interview season for residency programs begins in October and lasts until February. Don’t stray too far from your computer or phone during this time as ideal interview slots fill up fast. Keep your calendar updated at all times so that you can pick optimal dates as soon as they become available.

Read our Residency Interview Guide , which includes common interview questions, 7 strategies for preparing, what to wear, and resources to guarantee your success.

2 | Matched Through NRMP (National Residency Match Program)

The NRMP, also known as The Match, is a system based on a Nobel Prize-winning algorithm designed to allow medical students who are applying for residency to be placed or “matched” into a residency spot at a US program in their chosen specialty.

To participate in a Match, you need to use the NRMP’s secure Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) system to register and create a username and password. You must have an AAMC ID to register for the Main Residency Match. After registering with NRMP, log back into ERAS and update your profile with your NRMP ID so that program directors can more easily identify you for placement on the program’s rank order lists.

Learn the 7 Things You Must Know About the NRMP Residency Match .

1 | ERAS Experiences Section

The experience section on the residency application provides an opportunity for you to share your work, volunteering, and research experience. Include all relevant experience—not only the experiences relevant to your specialty. You can tailor your personal statement to your specialty, but when it comes to experiences, you want to highlight all that you’ve been up to and what you’ve learned.

When describing each activity, try to answer these three questions in three sentences: What is it? What did you do? What did you learn? This will help the reader to quickly understand your background and what each activity meant to you. A lot of your interview questions will come from this section, so be sure to review it before any interviews.

2 | ERAS Personal Statement

The residency personal statement is your chance to tell your story, explain why you want to join a certain specialty, and demonstrate why you’re qualified to do so. It’s your single opportunity outside of interviews to personally highlight anything that you feel was underrepresented in other parts of your application and provide necessary context for your accomplishments.

Much of your residency application material focuses on your scores and grades, which don’t tell much about who you are as a person or what you’re passionate about. Your letters of recommendation will shed light on your dedication and professionalism, but the personal statement is your chance to tell your story as you see it.

While this may sound like the medical school personal statement, don’t assume you’ll be able to rehash it when writing your residency personal statement. The two are quite different. Residency programs aren’t looking for medical students; they’re looking for young professionals who have vastly improved their medical knowledge, earned their doctorate, and deepened their focus and dedication to medicine.

Your residency personal statement must reflect these differences. You are no longer a wide-eyed premed. Keep the focus of your personal statement on your professional development and why your experiences have made you want to join a certain specialty. Be confident yet humble about your accomplishments so far, and speak passionately about what you hope to accomplish in the specialty.

Technically, the residency personal statement allows for 28,000 characters. We do not recommend using all of this space. Keep your personal statement to one typed page, which is about 700-800 words.

A stand out essay can be enough to get you an interview offer while a poor statement can shut the door on an otherwise top-tier applicant. View our database of Residency Personal Statement Samples , take careful care editing, ask mentors for feedback, and consider professional personal statement editing .

3 | ERAS Letters of Recommendation

Just like the letters of recommendation for your medical school application, ERAS letters of recommendation give residency programs crucial insight into how professional physicians see you—your work ethic, character, specific strengths and attributes, and how well you’ll fit in and contribute to your chosen specialty.

You are allowed to upload an unlimited number of references, but only a maximum of four letters of recommendation per program. Your MSPE or Dean’s Letter do not count as one of your letters. Your letters do not need to be addressed to the specific residency program but should instead be standardized, so that letter writers do not need to draft multiple letters.

It’s ideal to find writers from a range of different specialties and experiences who you have worked closely with, know you extremely well, and who will speak highly of your skills, work ethic, and personal characteristics. You must have at least one letter from an attending you worked with closely, a department chair, or a mentor in your chosen specialty so that they can speak to your aptitude and suitability for that specific specialty.

Your program may also require a letter from someone outside the field of medicine. Carefully scan the specific program requirements of each program on their website to determine exactly what you’ll need.

4 | ERAS Photo

Adding a photo is optional for your application, but it’s highly recommended, as a friendly, professional photo will help those assessing your application remember you. Faculty will see your photo as they make decisions and deliberate over your potential candidacy for residency, and it will help them identify you when you report to interviews.

Upload your own photo in MyERAS by selecting Upload New Photo in the Actions column.

The photo file cannot exceed these requirements:

• Dimensions: 2.5 in. x 3.5 in.
• Resolution: 150dpi
• File Size: 100kb

Ensure it’s a professional-looking, high-quality photo. Wear professional clothing; ideally, something that would be appropriate for a medical school interview. Smile, and ensure you appear friendly and approachable. The background should be plain and subtle, with nothing that will distract from you.

If you know any photographer friends, this is a good time to ask for a favor. If you aren’t experienced using a professional camera yourself, and you don’t know anyone who is, you should pay for a professional photo. You’ve come all this way and have already spent an unbelievable amount of money on medical school. Pay this small cost to ensure you have a quality headshot.

Learn more: ERAS Residency Application Photo Requirements and Tips .

5 | Transcripts

You need to request your USMLE transcript (or COMLEX-USA transcript for DO schools) for your application. Authorize the release of this document during the summer. As you create a timeline for your final years of medical school, ensure you schedule Step 2CK well before the September of your residency application, as it can take weeks for test results to come back.

If you’ve made the request, your school will assemble your MSPE (Medical School Performance Evaluation) letter and transcripts and upload them for you.

Avoid these common mistakes when preparing for and submitting your residency application.

• Certifying (locking in) your ERAS application before it’s perfect.
• Submitting a bland personal statement that doesn’t directly address why you will be a good fit to join a certain specialty.
• Allowing small mistakes to slip through due to carelessness and sloppy editing.
• Not getting strong letters of recommendation from people who will speak highly of you.
• Rehashing your original medical school personal statement.
• Not bothering to submit a photo of yourself.
• Submitting a low-quality or distracting photo.
• Waiting until the deadline to submit your application.
• Waiting too long to begin researching and considering your preferred specialty.
• Not taking notes during your work, volunteer, and research experiences. (Notes will help you describe your experiences in detail.)
• Not considering your residency application throughout your time in medical school.

Applying to residency is quite a bit different than applying to medical school. Read our 9 essential strategies for applying to residency .

How Do I Access MyERAS?

Contact your Designated Dean’s Office to access MyERAS . They will issue you a token, which is a one-time access code to register for MyERAS.

You must acquire an ERAS token from your own Designated Dean’s Office, as your documents will not be accurately uploaded with a token from a different school or organization. You also must make sure that your ERAS token is from the current MyERAS season, as a token from a previous season will not work. ERAS tokens can only be used once to register.

An AAMC account is required to register for MyERAS. If you don’t already have one, you will need to register for one.

How Much Do Residency Applications Cost?

ERAS application fees are based on the number of programs applied to per specialty. If you apply to up to ten programs, it will cost you $99. If you apply to 11-20 programs, the cost is $19 each. Applying to 21-30 programs will cost you $23 each, and applying to 31 programs or more will cost you $26 each.

Additional fees include your USMLE transcript ($80) or your COMLEX-USA transcript ($80), both of which are assessed once per season.

MyERAS automatically calculates your fees. You can pay online using Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover. ERAS does not offer refunds for any reason.

Are There Programs That Don’t Participate in ERAS?

Some specialties or programs do not participate in ERAS. If that’s the case for a program you are interested in, you need to contact that program directly to determine how to apply.

Which Specialties Require a Supplemental ERAS Application?

There are a few specialties that require a supplemental ERAS application in addition to the main MyERAS application. Internal medicine, dermatology, and general surgery use a short (and free) supplemental ERAS application with new questions that provide programs with more information about applicants.

Residency Application Editing With Med School Insiders

Approaching your residency application with care and tact is critical to your success. Our team of doctors has years of experience helping medical students get matched with their ideal program.

Med School Insiders can help you prepare a stand out residency application. We offer a number of Residency Admissions Consulting Services tailored to your needs, including personal statement editing , USMLE tutoring , interview prep and mock interviews , and overall application editing .

Med School Insiders

2024 SOAP Match Guide (Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program)

Our SOAP Guide covers the Match Week process, strategies for SOAP success, and answers to frequently asked questions about SOAP.

2024 Residency Match Day Schedule (and How to Prepare)

Learn what to expect on residency Match Day, how to prepare, the schedule of Match Week events, and how SOAP works should you not initially match.

What I Wish I Knew Before Applying to Residency

You may have read up on the dos and don’ts and be familiar with the process of applying to residency, but that won’t prepare you

This Post Has One Comment

Thanks for sharing this information with us

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Join the insider newsletter.

Join our mailing list to receive MSI exclusives, news, and updates. No spam. One-click unsubscribe.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Receive regular exclusive MSI content, news, and updates! No spam. One-click unsubscribe.

Customer Note Premed Preclinical Med Student Clinical Med Student

• Residency Application

The Top ERAS Personal Statement Requirements You Need To Know

Featured Expert: Dr. Michael Chung, MD

You’re tired, exhausted, spent; you don’t want to write another personal statement ever again, especially since ERAS personal statement requirements are different from medical school personal statement requirements, which means you have to write a completely new one. We get it. At this point in your journey, you already know things like how to choose a medical specialty , and whether you want to enter a family medicine residency or an internal medicine residency , but maybe your skills have been dulled by writing countless patient histories and physicals, which do not lend themselves to writing a personal statement (but they can, also). If that is the case, we can help you sharpen your writing skills, and give you strategies to mine your past and personal experiences that will make you a memorable candidate. This blog will provide a step-by-step guide to master your ERAS personal statement, regardless of the specialty you are going into and hopefully get you in on your first try.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 22 min read

Eras personal statement requirements.

Learning How to Write, Again

You are unique, but so is everyone else. That’s the challenge of getting into any professional program, whether medical school, a residency, law school or an MBA, how do you stand out from all these other unique individuals who have also graduated medical school and are now your competition? 

What are the most competitive and least competitive residencies? Find out in this video:

The answer is simple – your personal statement.

Your personal statement is a safe space for you to get out anything that motivates you, inspires you, troubles you, makes you scared, makes you angry, or gives you strength. But neither is it a confessional. If you talk about all those things, you have to talk about how you made those emotions real through your actions.

Your residency personal statement can be an outlet for all the things you experienced during school or clinical rotations that you made a mental note of but didn’t know how or where to express it.

The first time you heard a patient cry out in pain.

The first time you saw a baby born.

The first time you felt a pulse stop. 

How did all that make you feel? How did you react? How did it change you?

These are the things that all residency program directors want to know (but, not only).

A great personal statement should cover the future, as well as the past.

What will this residency program add to who you are, as a future physician, researcher, and overall person? And vice-versa, what will you add to it, and how?

These are also important questions to answer.

We don’t have to tell you how important a personal statement is; that fact has been drilled into you since you applied to medical school. You want to make a great first impression with your personal statement as it directly addressed to the residency program directors.

But, let’s be real. The best residency personal statement will not save an application that is poor or below average in other areas, such as having too low a GPA, too many failed courses, or lack of experiences.

Still, many residency programs do review applications holistically, meaning they look at all the aspects of your application, not just the metrics. So, what you need to know is how to be creative, how to develop a voice and style that is unlike any other.

Of course, this is not easy. It can take years of practice and writing to develop an unmistakeable and uncanny writing style.

But, hopefully, by the end of this article you will have discovered the following:

• Learn how to write the why (you know why you want to enter this program, but how do you say it)
• The differences between average writing and great writing
• How to incorporate experiences, important events, emotions, people and other perspectives into your writing

Before we get to helping you find your voice, the ERAS system has a few requirements that you should know, which can help you format and structure your statement so you don’t go over the word length or use the wrong format. Word and page limits can seem daunting, like walls closing in on you. 

But they can actually be quite useful. Knowing you can only use a certain number of words should help you during the editing process, where the word limit will make you less afraid to remove words, sentences and paragraphs that you don’t need. But keep whatever you take out and use it in your interview or supplemental essays, if the program requires them.

The length of an ERAS personal statement is generally one page. In words, that’s about 500-600 words. The other format requirements include:

• Write your statement in plain text in either Notepad (for Windows) or Text Edit (for Apple)
• Write your statement directly into the online dialog box

These are all the technical ERAS personal statement requirements you need to know. But one thing we need to make clear, before we get to anything, is to give yourself a lot of time. You should start following these steps at least six months before you actually have to submit your application; taking into account all your rough drafts, rewrites, editing, asking for advice and letting others read your statement.

Now, let’s focus on how to start your personal statement, which can involve many different steps and strategies.

Finding Your Voice

You’re a smart, accomplished medical school graduate. We don’t have to explain what the ERAS is or how important it is, because you know all that. However, after years of working with hundreds of residency candidates like you, who we helped get into their programs, we know a thing or two about writing residency personal statements , and writing, in general.

And the first thing we want to say about writing an ERAS personal statement is:

Take the pressure off.

Think of writing your statement as seeing a friend or visiting a relative you haven’t seen in a long time. It’s an opportunity. You can finally say all the things you’ve bottled up inside or internalized from the four amazing and chaotic years you just had (longer, if you’re a non-traditional medical school applicant or took a gap year before residency ).

The pressure you and everyone else puts on you leads to panic and desperation. It leads to rushed, uninteresting, forgettable statements. It leads to cliches ( I’ve always wanted to be a doctor because I want to help people ). You don’t want that. The people reading your statement don’t want that. 

How do you take the pressure off?

Feel proud of all you’ve accomplished up to this point. You’ve done a lot! Look at your diploma, or a research project you participated in. Look over your old medical school personal statements and see how you have changed, and what is different about you now.

Let that give you the confidence you need to write confidently about all you’ve accomplished and all you still want to accomplish. But everything in moderation. Seeming arrogant or boastful is not good either.

Then, think about your failures. Pour water on all those cocky impulses by remembering when you completely failed your first block of exams or how an anatomy class left you in a haze of details you couldn’t remember.

This is you creating a voice. The good and bad. Complex, and interesting.

Working on your ERAS letter of recommendation?

Pre-Writing  

After you’ve relaxed, and gotten into the right mindset, start thinking about what you want to write. 

There are a few basics you should cover in your statement, such as:

• Why this program?
• Why this specialty?
• What makes you special, as a person, future resident, and physician?
• What have you done to show your commitment to medicine, or this specialty?
• Why medicine?

But here we return to the how . You know why you want to enter this residency (good reputation, expert faculty, etc.) but the trick is saying it in a meaningful and substantive way.

And here opinions differ.

Some suggest stating your reasons for wanting to enter the program right away in the opening or the second paragraph. But that method runs the risk of turning the rest of the statement into a recitation of your CV:

I want to join this residency because of this....

And here’s why...

We recommend beginning with a bit of your background first.

Talk about who you are (background; family); important moments in your life that made you choose medicine. Then talk about your progress; things you’ve learned (academically or personally) that have changed you; things that have influenced you to follow this branch of medicine, whether it be people, a class you took, a book, film, piece of music, or article you read.

Keep going forward in time until you reach the last few paragraphs where you tie everything together and state clearly and plainly why you are interested in this program, and what you would give to the program.

To recap, and this is optional, you can choose to use another outline:

• Something interesting about yourself (opening)
• Why medicine, or an “inciting incident” that made you choose medicine (second paragraph)
• Show what you did because your specialty excites you or makes you curious
• Talk about how the program reflects your interests, and how you connect to its mission

Start Writing

Then, start writing. Write anything and write often. Write. Every. Day.

Don’t fall into the trap of “waiting for inspiration” or “not feeling it today”. You have to sit down and spend all those uncomfortable hours in front of a blank page to write something great.

It’s good practice to help you develop a rhythm, style, and, discipline.

If you’re not sure what to write about, write about your firsts (first day of medical school, first biochemistry class, first interaction with a patient, etc.) When writing use active voice in the beginning and short sentences (here is where writing histories and note-taking will help you).

If you have a memory or first in mind, establish other details.

Where was it? Who was it with? What did it involve? What did you do?

Give the reader details that you remember and try to be as accurate as possible.

The more detail you include gives your readers insight into what you remember or think of as important (sounds, smells, colors) and that most importantly, you pay attention to detail; something extremely important in medicine.

And, at this point, don’t worry about word or page lengths.

Those don’t matter now. You can cut it all later. In fact, write more than the page or word count to give yourself a lot of material and then cut down later. The same way directors shoot hours and hours of film, only to whittle it all down to a few seconds.

With all this in mind, we’ll do something a little different. We’ll write a poor opening paragraph so you can compare your writing to something objectively bad.

We’ll provide the details like setting, people, and a short example to show what we mean.

The body of your statement is next. Referring to the questions above, it is in the body of your statement where you show, don’t tell. Just as Alice was about to mention her work organizing people to lobby Congress, in the middle of your statement is where can talk about a singular achievement, experience, person, event that put you on the path to this residency program. Since you have word limits, you usually want to talk about only one experience; you can mention other experiences in other statements you write to other programs or residency interviews .

But basically, you want the middle of your statement to be where you demonstrate how you’ve lived up to the ideals of the program you are entering; whether it was through opening a new line of investigation in a field of research. But don’t be lulled into thinking you have to mention something academic, scientific or related to medical science. You can talk about something personal that moved you – for example, in Alice’s case, it could be something like this:

I created an impromptu Facebook group of families living with diabetes, and we started sharing what we all did to get cheaper insulin. Some people went all the way to Mexico, or Canada to get cheaper insulin. And some, unfortunately, choose not to get their medication because they simply couldn’t afford it. With the support of my group, I contacted my Representative in Congress and asked what I could do to bring attention to this issue at the federal level.

She told me that the Senate committee that oversees the pharmaceutical industry was meeting so and that I should attend with my group. We all went to Washington, and it was during a break in one of the sessions when I started a conversation with a prominent endocrinologist, Dr. Sarah Capito. When I told her I was in medical school, she asked where I was going to do my residency. I told her I hadn’t decided yet, and she suggested NYU Grossman, if I was passionate about pediatric diabetes and endocrinology.

But we can cut this down.

I created an impromptu Facebook group of families living with diabetes, and we started sharing thinking about what we could do to get cheaper insulin. what we all did to get cheaper insulin. Some people went all the way to Mexico, or Canada to get cheaper insulin. And some, unfortunately, choose not to get their medication because they simply couldn’t afford it. With the support of my group,. To cover all my bases, I contacted my Representative in Congress and asked what I could do to bring attention to this issue at the federal level.

She told me that the Senate committee that oversees the pharmaceutical industry was meeting soon and that I should attend with my group. We all went to Washington, an In Washington, during a break in the session, I started a conversation with a woman who I later realized was a prominent endocrinologist, Dr. Sarah Capito. When I told her I was in medical school. During our conversation, she asked where I was going to do my residency. I told her I hadn’t decided yet, and she suggested NYU Grossman, if I was passionate about pediatric diabetes, endocrinology, and drug policy.

Of course, you won’t have this same exact experience. We are using this example to illustrate that it is better to show than to tell what you did, but your example could be something much smaller, but still, significant. Pull from anything you still remember vividly, preferably from your recent past, not from when you were a teenager or undergraduate.

Once you feel like you have relayed your passion and dedication to your specialty, then, you need to connect that passion to the program you are applying to. In Alice’s example, a single individual got her interested in NYU, but the final paragraphs should reveal what Alice has discovered on her own about the program, and what about it ultimately appeals to her.

You need to do the same. Research the program inside and out and take notes while you are researching. Jot down all the interesting facts and lines of research current residents are involved in or past residents did. At the end is where you also want to demonstrate a very important quality: humility.

Yes, you’ve accomplished a lot. You finished medical school and, in Alice’s case, you’ve shown your commitment to your field and improving lives, but you also want to talk about what you want to do after you finish your residency. What’s next? And here you can talk about what you still want to investigate, or how you plan to take an interdisciplinary approach to investigate something that interests you, or describe how you see yourself as a future physician. 

Let’s use Alice’s case:

NYU Grossman was not on my radar, but when Dr. Capito mentioned it, I became intrigued. I researched the program and found out that Dr. Capito was right, NYU Grossman hosts one of the best diabetes research programs in the country. Not only that, but research and instruction in performed at each of the medical school’s various branches throughout New York City, and the thought of living in New York City, while following my interests to investigate how to revise the diagnostic criteria for juvenile diabetes, which does not take into account the rapid rise in childhood obesity that took place after these criteria was established, and what role socio-economic factors play into children developing diabetes, is something that appeals to me.

But let’s cut it down:

NYU Grossman was not on my radar, but when Dr. Capito mentioned it, I became intrigued. I researched the program and found out that Dr. Capito was right. I was delighted to read that NYU Grossman hosts one of the best diabetes research programs in the country. Not only that, but research and instruction is performed at each of the medical school’s various branches throughout New York City, which is something that would aid my research in determining the socio-economic factors that play into children developing diabetes.

And then, for the finish:

No one in my family thought my brother would ever develop diabetes, and even though I was prepared to shoulder the burden for him and my parents, I want to discover ways to prevent diabetes in young children so it does not become a burden to anyone. I would like to improve diagnostic and management protocols to identify risk factors and ultimately reduce the number of children diagnosed with diabetes each year. By combining my personal experiences with my passion for research, I am confident that I will be at the forefront of advancing pediatric endocrinology and making significant contributions to the field.

Alice’s full, revised ERAS personal statement:

My younger brother’s diabetes diagnosis was my unofficial introduction into pediatrics. I was the one that had to take care of him. I was the one that had to inject him with insulin and show him how to inject himself, if necessary. I was the one who had to make sure that he stuck to his diet. I was the one that had to make sure we always had orange juice or other sugary foods in our house, just in case.

But I loved every minute of it. I felt good taking the burden off my parents who were busy at their respective jobs; my father, a construction worker; my mother, a hairdresser. However, as my brother and I grew into adulthood, he became more adept at taking care of himself, and I had already decided on a career in medicine. But when I was in medical school, I started to wonder what else I could do to help people with diabetes.

I did some research online and discovered that insulin is much cheaper in other countries for a variety of reasons. I learned that the exorbitant cost of insulin forces some diabetics to forego this life-saving medicine. Learning that made me feel like I had to do something. I created an impromptu Facebook group of families living with diabetes, and we started thinking about what we could do to get cheaper insulin.

To cover all my bases, I contacted my Representative in Congress and asked what I could do to bring attention to this issue at the federal and regulatory level. She told me that the Senate committee that oversees the pharmaceutical industry was meeting soon and that I should attend with my group to voice my concerns. In Washington, during a break in the session, I started a conversation with a woman who I later realized was an endocrinologist, Dr. Sarah Capito.

During our conversation, she asked where I was going to do my residency. I told her I hadn’t decided yet, and she suggested NYU Grossman, if I was passionate about pediatric diabetes, endocrinology, and drug policy. NYU Grossman was not on my radar, but when Dr. Capito mentioned it, I became intrigued.

I was delighted to read that NYU Grossman hosts both a top-notch pediatrics program but also one of the best diabetes research programs in the country. Not only that, but research and instruction are done at each of the medical school’s various branches throughout New York City, which is something that would aid my research in determining the socio-economic factors that play into children developing diabetes.

I want to ultimately combine my interest in pediatrics with endocrinology to discover ways to prevent diabetes in young children. I would like to improve diagnostic and management protocols to identify risk factors and ultimately reduce the number of children diagnosed with diabetes each year. I feel that by combining my personal experiences with my passion for research, I am confident that I will be at the forefront of advancing pediatric endocrinology and making significant contributions to the field.

Total Word Count: 504

Total Characters (no spaces): 2,374

This example covers all the things that we talked about as essential in an ERAS personal statement:

• A revealing opening
• An inciting incident, although we introduced it in the opening
• Showing, not telling
• Explaining why you are interested in your field
• Connecting your mission and skills with the program’s mission

But let’s write another applicant profile, and use the same formula to write about another program and candidate.

• Don’t put any more pressure on yourself than you already feel; approach writing your statement calmly, and confident that you have the knowledge, experience, and writing skills to write a great statement.
• Start as early as possible thinking about what you want to write about; write multiple drafts and let others read your work; but don’t let anyone write your statement for you.
• Develop your writing skills by writing every day; make it a part of your routine; even a page or a few paragraphs is enough to make you feel like you did something.
• For content, think about all your past experiences in medical school; think about things that made you feel real emotion (anger, shame, fear, joy) and focus on the details about that experience (who was involved? What happened? When did it happen? And, most importantly, how did it change you?)
• Don’t use cliches; be original.
• Put everything in context; or, put another way, make everything connect; don’t dwell on irrelevant details; mention the specific event, person, or experience and keep moving forward.

There aren’t many ERAS personal statement requirements for you to follow, but the point of writing your residency personal statement is explaining in rich, and concise detail, why you are interested in this specialty, program, and how you have prepared for it. You should write your statement relaxed and think of it in the same way you would an interview. Write as many drafts as possible and continue editing until you have a tight, coherent story.

Want more free tips? Subscribe to our channels for more free and useful content!

Apple Podcasts

Like our blog? Write for us ! >>

Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions, get started now.

Talk to one of our admissions experts

Our site uses cookies. By using our website, you agree with our cookie policy .

FREE Training Webinar: 

How to make your residency application stand out, (and avoid the top 5 reasons most applicants don't match their top choice program).

Time Sensitive. Limited Spots Available:

We guarantee you'll match a residency program or you don't pay.

Swipe up to see a great offer!

Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates

ERAS Support Services

Application process.

• Select your residency programs of interest. There are many things to consider when exploring potential residency programs. Your residency is important because it is a time of tremendous growth both in your clinical knowledge base as well as your professional development. To achieve your goal of entering a residency program, you should effectively research programs, compare your qualifications, pinpoint your preferences for residency training, and compare programs.
• Prior to applying via ERAS ® , contact your programs of interest to determine their minimum eligibility criteria, MyERAS application deadlines, licensure requirements , and institutional policies about visas, if applicable. Much of this information can be found on each program’s website. A list of programs participating in ERAS can be found on the AAMC's website.
• Review the ERAS Timeline and Fees .

Selecting a Residency Program

Before you begin the MyERAS application process, consider your career path by researching one or more medical specialties. Selecting a medical specialty is best done with the help of advisors and mentors. It may be helpful to consult physicians practicing in the specialties you are considering. You should also consider the degree to which a given specialty would be professionally rewarding. For each specialty, it may be useful to research the overall number of positions available, the degree of competition typically experienced in obtaining a position, and the experience of prior international medical graduates, particularly graduates of your medical school, in obtaining residency positions. Detailed information on the number of positions by specialty, offered and filled by the NRMP, is available on the NRMP website .

After you have selected a specialty or specialties, you must decide to which programs within those specialties you will apply. There is no limit on the number of programs to which you can apply. Factors that you may wish to consider in selecting programs include the location of individual programs, their hospital affiliations, program and institution accreditation status, and the performance of their graduates. For more information about specialties and programs that participate in ERAS, refer to the ERAS Participating Specialties and Programs on the AAMC's website.

The AAMC has also worked collaboratively with nine other organizations, including ECFMG, to develop Residency Explorer , a tool that allows applicants to research residency programs across 23 specialties. Applicants can use Residency Explorer to compare their own characteristics to those of applicants who previously matched to those programs. Please note that Residency Explorer does not advise applicants on where they should apply or to which programs they may match. However, it may help applicants identify programs worth researching further.

The American Medical Association (AMA) also provides a free on-line Residency/Fellowship Training Program Search through FREIDA ™ .

Register for ERAS

• Obtain a Residency Token via ECFMG’s OASIS in the ERAS Support Services section.
• Use your Token to register at the AAMC’s MyERAS . If you have not already done so, you will be asked to create an AAMC username.

Obtain a Residency Token

Log in to ECFMG’s OASIS and select ERAS Support Services from the menu. You will then see the option to Request a Residency Token.

When will Tokens for ERAS 2024 be available? Tokens for ERAS 2024 became available on June 28, 2023.

How much does the Token cost? There is a $165 non-refundable fee for this service.

How can I pay the Token fee? When you request your Token using OASIS, you can pay on-line using a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express). You can also pay by electronic check from a checking account at a U.S. bank.

Once I request the Token, when will it be issued, and how long will it be available? After your payment is approved, click Continue on the payment confirmation page for immediate access to your Token. Your Token will remain on the ERAS Token Request page in OASIS and may be accessed at any time during the ERAS season.

Can I use my ERAS 2024 Token to apply in future seasons? No. The ERAS software will not recognize a Token issued for previous ERAS seasons. You need one Token per ERAS season, and you can use that one Token to apply to as many specialties and programs as you want during the ERAS season. You can also use your 2024 Token to apply for both a clinical year (PGY-1), which begins in 2024, and for an advanced position (PGY-2), which begins in 2025 (e.g., Radiology, Neurology, etc.).

I am not a residency applicant. How do I request a Fellowship Token? Fellowship Tokens must be requested through the ERAS Fellowships Documents Office (EFDO) . Tokens requested through ECFMG’s OASIS are for residency applications only. If you are currently enrolled in a residency program and require a Token for a fellowship application, you must request your Token through EFDO.

Complete the MyERAS Application

• Once you have registered at MyERAS, you can begin to work on your MyERAS application and Personal Statement . You can also create your personal list of Letter of Recommendation (LoR) authors and confirm the authors for upload.
• IMPORTANT NOTE : You will be required to certify your MyERAS application on-line at MyERAS. Do not certify your application until you are absolutely sure the information that you have provided is accurate and complete. Once you certify your application, it cannot be changed. ERAS Support Services at ECFMG does not have access to your MyERAS application.

Submit Supporting Documents

• Begin submitting your supporting documents to ERAS Support Services at ECFMG. See Submission At-a-Glance for details on submitting ERAS documents.
• Refer to your list of confirmed LoR Authors in MyERAS and provide your letter writer(s) with the Letter Request form. The Request Form includes all information your letter writer(s) will need to submit an LoR through the AAMC’s LoR Portal .
• If you participated in ERAS 2023, you are eligible to reuse documents that were available in your previous application. For information, please review Reusing Documents .
• If your medical school participates in the ECFMG Medical School Web Portal (EMSWP) ERAS program, the school must submit your medical school transcript and Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) via EMSWP ERAS. To find out if your school participates in EMSWP ERAS, contact the Dean’s office of your medical school.
• IMPORTANT NOTE : Supporting documents may take up to five business days to process once submitted. You should make every effort to ensure your supporting documents are received by ECFMG in time for evaluation by programs and to meet program deadlines.
• Track the status of your documents in MyERAS.

Apply to Programs

• On September 6, at 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time in the United States, you may begin applying to programs. All applications submitted September 6 through September 27 will appear to programs as submitted on September 27. ERAS Support Services at ECFMG highly recommend that you submit all of your supporting documents no later than September 20 to help ensure their availability on September 27 at 9:00 a.m., when programs begin accessing applications.

Register for the NRMP Match

• Beginning on September 15, register with NRMP in order to participate in this season’s Match.

Monitor Your Applications

• Go to the Applied-to Programs section of MyERAS to verify which programs have received your application.
• MyERAS will display the date and time each document was made available to each applied-to program. MyERAS will not display whether a program has viewed the application and supporting documents.

Back to top

Important Dates

• March 11: Applicant matched and unmatched information and filled and unfilled results posted to the NRMP website at 10:00 a.m. Locations of all unfilled positions are released at 10:00 a.m. only to participants eligible for the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP).
• March 12: Programs with unfilled positions may start entering their Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) preference lists at 11:30 a.m.
• March 14: Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) offer rounds begin at 9:00 a.m.
• March 14: Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) concludes at 9:00 p.m.
• March 15: Match Day. Applicants learn if they matched through the NRMP R3 system and email at 12:00 p.m.

All times shown are Eastern Time in the United States.

Stay Connected

• Sign up for The ECFMG Reporter
• Contact ERAS Support Services

Quick Links

• Announcements
• Residency Explorer
• Tools for Residency Applicants
• Policies and Procedures Regarding Irregular Behavior
• IMG Performance in 2023 Match
• Charting Outcomes in the Match for IMGs, a report by NRMP  

[Last update: June 28, 2023]

® Registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office. Copyright © 2024 by Intealth. All rights reserved.

Sign up to our Newsletter

2023-2024 eras residency timeline & month-by-month schedule.

Reviewed by:

Rohan Jotwani

Former Chief Resident in Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, & Admissions Officer, Columbia University

Reviewed: 08/08/23

Are you a budding physician applying for your residency? If so, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the ERAS timeline . 

The road to becoming a successful physician typically involves completing a robust residency program. While you can complete and use your MD without a residency , doing so will limit your options and opportunities. To secure a residency program , you need to prepare well in advance with careful forethought and a solid application. 

This involves giving yourself ample time to collect strong letters of recommendation, create an impactful personal statement, and gather everything you need for your application.

Following a road map for your application will help you get organized and ensure you don’t miss a thing. This guide will lay out the best residency application timeline by highlighting important dates and an effective schedule you can follow. 

Read on to learn more about the different sections of the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) application and to stay on track with an effective, month-by-month ERAS timeline.

Get The Ultimate Guide on Writing an Unforgettable Personal Statement

2023-2024 ERAS Residency Application Dates and Deadlines

Refer to the following ERAS timeline to stay organized:

Source : AAMC

Keep these key ERAS residency dates and deadlines in mind to ensure you stay on top of everything!

The Best Residency Application Timeline: A Month-by-Month Breakdown

In the months leading up to the ERAS application season, there are aspects of the application process that you need to be mindful of, in addition to these dates and deadlines. We'll outline your priorities for your residence application month-by-month below.

January-April 

Here is what we advise doing in the months before application season:

• Start brainstorming and planning your personal statement  
• Revise and update your resume to make it stronger
• Identify and contact individuals who can provide strong letters of recommendation
• Request your medical school and COMLEX-USA transcripts
• Familiarize yourself with the ERAS application process
• Keep track of ERAS and National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) deadlines
• Make a list of the residency programs of interest using the AAMC’s Residency Preference Exercise and consider their competitiveness  
• Familiarize yourself with your desired specialties’ residency length ; some are shorter than others if you’re hoping to get through it as fast as possible 
• Confirm test dates for programs requiring admissions assessments like CASPer or Duet  
• Write and edit the first draft of your personal statement
• Start preparing for your residency interviews
• Compile your letters of recommendation
• Contact your Designated Dean’s Office to get your MyERAS one-time access code
• Start filling out work, volunteer, and research experience on MyERAS
• Reference ERAS Tools and Worksheets to ensure you complete it correctly
• Refine your personal statement

July-August

• Begin preparing for admissions assessments
• Search for the programs you're interested in and save them to apply to later while you work on your application
• Finalize your application
• Continue preparing for residency interviews
• Ensure you’re ready to submit your application 
• Apply for the NRMP
• Brush up on your residency interview prep

Once you submit your ERAS application, it cannot be changed. Programs can send interview requests very soon after they receive applications, so be proactive and submit your application at the beginning of September.

October-February

• Keep your calendar open 
• Schedule your residency interviews
• 9 am ET on Monday : applicants will find out if they matched with a program
• Monday-Thursday : you can apply to unfilled positions if you aren’t matched into any programs.
• 12 pm ET on Friday: applicants will find out which program they matched with. 

During the third week of March, Match Week, the NRMP will release the results that indicate if you are matched into a residency program.

Changes to the 2024 ERAS Residency Application Cycle

Certain changes have been made to the 2024 ERAS application to decrease redundancies and gather more in-depth information about each applicant. Here are the main changes to the 2024 application : 

• You can list up to 10 experiences 
• You can select your top three most meaningful experiences
• You will be asked to share more detailed information about your experiences (ex. position, organization, timeframe, and location), type, and frequency of position
• You can answer additional multiple-entry questions to capture the important characteristics of each experience: focus area, key characteristics, and setting
• You can include short descriptions focusing on critical information for the programs: responsibilities, roles, and context
• The application uses standardized format to collect all location information (country, state, postal code, and setting) including hometown and addresses for experiences and education
• You have the option to share your geographical preferences with the programs

Overall, these changes eliminate the need for a secondary residency application, as these features are now built into the main ERAS application. 

ERAS Application Components Sections

ERAS is an essential platform for medical students applying to residency programs, and the MyERAS portal is a vital component of the application process. Now that you have a good understanding of the application timeline, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the platform’s eight sections.

Personal Information

This section is designated for your demographic and biographic information, any military service commitments you may have, and whether or not you are couples matching. You can also provide your NRMP match ID, which you will receive when registering for the NRMP Match. 

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

The CV is comprised of several subsections for information on your:

• Education : including awards, membership in professional societies, languages, hobbies/interests, and gaps in medical training
• Experience : research, work, and volunteer
• Licensure : board scores, life support certifications, prior licensure information
• Publications  

This section provides an opportunity for you to showcase personal qualities and attributes that are not covered in other parts of your application. You can use this space to describe your accomplishments and defining characteristics, giving insight into your unique identity.

It's crucial to utilize this section to distinguish yourself from other applicants. It allows evaluators to understand whether your values align with the program's mission. So, avoid simply stating your accomplishments. Take the time to add depth to your experiences that will help evaluators fully grasp your experiences.

Personal Statement

Your application will need to stand out to have a chance of getting into the best residency programs . The personal statement provides another opportunity to let your personality and experiences shine. It’s your chance to explain why you want to enter your specialty by highlighting how your goals and passion align with it. 

Some programs will offer instructions on what to include in your personal statement. Personal statements should be formal, well-structured, and around three to five paragraphs long. Effective personal statements begin with an engaging introduction, which includes a clear thesis.

The body paragraphs should discuss a few significant experiences, such as patient encounters or clinical rotations that have influenced your decision to pursue the specialty or research experiences. 

For example, if you're applying to a pediatrics residency, you could discuss a patient encounter that solidified your interest in pediatrics. On the other hand, if you’re applying to a psychiatry or neurology residency , you can share more about the related research you collaborated on during your undergrad. 

In the conclusion, you should tie everything together and connect it back to your thesis. It's crucial that your personal statement is cohesive and demonstrates your value as a candidate. Use this space to articulate your passion for the residency program you're applying for and how you can contribute to it positively.

Letters of Recommendation (LoRs)

Having strong letters of recommendation is crucial for your ERAS application. While you can upload a maximum of four LoRs to each application through ERAS, submitting that many is unnecessary. You cannot add or delete LoRs from a program after they have been allocated to it. 

When it comes to choosing the best recommender for your ERAS application, it's important to select individuals who know you well and can speak to your abilities and potential as a physician. 

This could include attending physicians who have worked closely with you and can attest to your clinical skills, work ethic, and professionalism. It's also important to choose recommenders who are familiar with the specialty you are applying to, as their insights and observations may carry more weight with program directors. 

In addition to LoRs, it’s also recommended to submit two Standardized Letters of Evaluation (SLOE) , which are acquired at the end of each fourth year EM clerkship. Be sure to submit your applications while you wait for SLOEs to be submitted. More letters can be added as they become available.

USMLE Transcript and/or COMLEX-USA Transcript

Candidates must input their USMLE ID and pay a one-time transcript $80 fee to consent to the release of their Step scores from the NBME. Logging into ERAS again will allow you to check the progress of your transcript request. 

Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE)

The MSPE, also known as the Dean's Letter, is an important component of your ERAS application that provides a comprehensive overview of your performance during medical school. It showcases your achievements and highlights your personal attributes while addressing any concerns or issues.

The MSPE evaluates your qualities demonstrated throughout your medical education and may include your class rank to help assess your competitiveness. Check with your Dean to understand your school's procedures.

Although the MSPE is less heavily weighted by training programs when selecting candidates for interviews, it remains an important factor in how applicants are ranked. This is because it is made available later than other components of your residency application.

Medical School Transcript

This section is a summary of your preclinical and clerkship grades, which are made public before the MSPE. More specific information regarding your performance during your clerkship will be available in your MSPE. 

Photo (Optional)

While adding a photo to your ERAS application is not required, the majority of applicants choose to include one. Having a professional photo can add a personal touch to your application and make it easier for interviewers to recognize you.

Still feeling nervous about submitting your application? You can get comprehensive residency application support from our team of admissions experts!

If you have more questions regarding the ERAs timeline, read on to learn more. 

1. When Should I Start Applying for Residency?

You should begin the residency application process in the third or early fourth year of medical school. Early September marks the start of ERAS's application submission period for residency programs. 

2. When to Apply for Residency Match 2024?

You should apply for Match 2024 in September, 2023. 

3. How Long Does a Medical Residency Application Take?

The ERAs application process takes a few months to complete. 

4. When Should I Expect My Residency Interview Invitation?

The timing of interview invitations varies depending on the specialty for which you are applying. Most specializations send out invites in November or October. Some invitations for specializations will be sent out in December or possibly January.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have a solid understanding of the residency application timeline, you can set yourself up for success. By planning your application well in advance of the deadline, you can ensure that you remain well-organized and avoid last-minute stress.

Be sure to refer to this ERAS timeline throughout the year, so you can stay on top of every deadline. Familiarize yourself with the residency application sections, so you know exactly what’s expected of you. 

Best of luck!

Schedule A Free Consultation

You may also like.

Medical Ethics Questions: How to Nail Them in Your Interview

What is a Good MCAT Score to Get Into Medical Schools?

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

HHS Statement Regarding the Cyberattack on Change Healthcare

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is aware that Change Healthcare – a unit of UnitedHealth Group (UHG) – was impacted by a cybersecurity incident in late February. HHS recognizes the impact this attack has had on health care operations across the country. HHS’ first priority is to help coordinate efforts to avoid disruptions to care throughout the health care system.

HHS is in regular contact with UHG leadership, state partners, and with numerous external stakeholders to better understand the nature of the impacts and to ensure the effectiveness of UHG’s response. HHS has made clear its expectation that UHG does everything in its power to ensure continuity of operations for all health care providers impacted and HHS appreciates UHG’s continuous efforts to do so. HHS is also leading interagency coordination of the Federal government’s related activities, including working closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the White House, and other agencies to provide credible, actionable threat intelligence to industry wherever possible.

HHS refers directly to UHG for updates on their incident response progress and recovery planning. However, numerous hospitals, doctors, pharmacies and other stakeholders have highlighted potential cash flow concerns to HHS stemming from an inability to submit claims and receive payments. HHS has heard these concerns and is taking direct action and working to support the important needs of the health care community.

Today, HHS is announcing immediate steps that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking to assist providers to continue to serve patients. CMS will continue to communicate with the health care community and assist, as appropriate. Providers should continue to work with all their payers for the latest updates on how to receive timely payments.

Affected parties should be aware of the following flexibilities in place:

• Medicare providers needing to change clearinghouses that they use for claims processing during these outages should contact their Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) to request a new electronic data interchange (EDI) enrollment for the switch. The MAC will provide instructions based on the specific request to expedite the new EDI enrollment. CMS has instructed the MACs to expedite this process and move all provider and facility requests into production and ready to bill claims quickly. CMS is strongly encouraging other payers, including state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) agencies and Medicaid and CHIP managed care plans, to waive or expedite solutions for this requirement.
• CMS will issue guidance to Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations and Part D sponsors encouraging them to remove or relax prior authorization, other utilization management, and timely filing requirements during these system outages. CMS is also encouraging MA plans to offer advance funding to providers most affected by this cyberattack.
• CMS strongly encourages Medicaid and CHIP managed care plans to adopt the same strategies of removing or relaxing prior authorization and utilization management requirements, and consider offering advance funding to providers, on behalf of Medicaid and CHIP managed care enrollees to the extent permitted by the State. 
• If Medicare providers are having trouble filing claims or other necessary notices or other submissions, they should contact their MAC for details on exceptions, waivers, or extensions, or contact CMS regarding quality reporting programs.
• CMS has contacted all of the MACs to make sure they are prepared to accept paper claims from providers who need to file them. While we recognize that electronic billing is preferable for everyone, the MACs must accept paper submissions if a provider needs to file claims in that method.

CMS has also heard from providers about the availability of accelerated payments, like those issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand that many payers are making funds available while billing systems are offline, and providers should take advantage of those opportunities. However, CMS recognizes that hospitals may face significant cash flow problems from the unusual circumstances impacting hospitals’ operations, and – during outages arising from this event – facilities may submit accelerated payment requests to their respective servicing MACs for individual consideration. We are working to provide additional information to the MACs about the specific items and information a provider’s request should contain. Specific information will be available from the MACs later this week.

This incident is a reminder of the interconnectedness of the domestic health care ecosystem and of the urgency of strengthening cybersecurity resiliency across the ecosystem. That’s why, in December 2023, HHS released a concept paper that outlines the Department’s cybersecurity strategy for the sector. The concept paper builds on the National Cybersecurity Strategy that President Biden released last year, focusing specifically on strengthening resilience for hospitals, patients, and communities threatened by cyber-attacks. The paper details four pillars for action, including publishing new voluntary health care-specific cybersecurity performance goals, working with Congress to develop supports and incentives for domestic hospitals to improve cybersecurity, increasing accountability within the health care sector, and enhancing coordination through a one-stop shop.

HHS will continue to communicate with the health care sector and encourage continued dialogue among affected parties. We will continue to communicate with UHG, closely monitor their ongoing response to this cyberattack, and promote transparent, robust response while working with the industry to close any gaps that remain.

HHS also takes this opportunity to encourage all providers, technology vendors, and members of the health care ecosystem to double down on cybersecurity, with urgency. The system and the American people can ill afford further disruptions in care. Please visit the  HPH Cyber Performance Goals website for more details on steps to stay protected.

Sign Up for Email Updates

Receive the latest updates from the Secretary, Blogs, and News Releases

Subscribe to RSS

Receive latest updates

Related News Releases

Readout of biden-harris administration’s follow up meeting with insurers concerning cyberattack on change healthcare, hhs expands tefca by adding two additional qhins, health resources and services administration takes historic new steps to transform the organ transplant system to better serve patients, related blog posts.

Reflecting on Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Navigating section 752: insights from program managers on success, challenges, and tools for change, thank you to the 2023 civic digital fellows, media inquiries.

For general media inquiries, please contact  [email protected] .

Tips for Using the MyERAS® Portal

• The ERAS® program will not collect or process any applicant documents. Supporting documents are received and processed by your Designated Dean’s Office. LoRs must be uploaded by the LoR Author or their designee via the ERAS Letter of Recommendation Portal (LoRP). 
• To begin using the MyERAS portal, residency and fellowship applicants must obtain an ERAS token from their Designated Dean’s Office. 
• The EFDO is the Designated Dean’s Office for all fellowship applicants, including graduates of U.S. and international medical schools.  
• To begin using the MyERAS portal, fellowship applicants must obtain an ERAS token from the EFDO. 
• Refer to the Applicant Data and LoR Import sections to understand what material the ERAS program retains for use in subsequent seasons. Make sure to certify and submit your application before the season closes if you would like to import your application and/or certain supporting documents. 
• The ERAS program does not set application deadlines or requirements for programs because they are set and communicated by individual programs. You are advised to contact programs directly for deadlines and program requirements. 
• You must certify and submit your MyERAS application before you can apply to programs. 
• Once you have certified and submitted your application, you will not be able to make any changes to your application outside the information contained on the Personal Information section of the MyERAS application as well as the personal statement. For example, the NRMP® ID is listed in the Personal Information section. As a result, it can be updated even after certifying and submitting the application. 
• For LoRs, you must add and confirm letter of recommendation entries. When you confirm an entry, the system will generate a personalized Letter Request Form, which you will need to provide to the LoR Author. You can provide the Letter Request Form to the author via email, postal mail, fax, or in person since a PDF version of the form can be downloaded. 
• Once you have released your USMLE and/or COMLEX-USA transcript, assigned it to programs and paid the transcript fee, the ERAS program will send your transcript requests for those programs to the NBME, ECFMG (for IMG applicants), or NBOME for processing. 
• Exam transcript requests are usually processed on the same day, but under special circumstances, it can take up to 5 business days from the date of your request for exam score transcripts to be processed and made available to programs. When new transcript scores are uploaded, the most recent upload date will display in the MyERAS portal. 
• When searching for programs in the MyERAS portal, if a program has a status other than participating, you should contact the program directly about their participation status with the ERAS program. Be sure to follow due diligence and research your programs even if they have marked themselves as participating. 
• Some programs have state work authorization requirements to which they must adhere. Contact the programs directly to find out their requirements before you apply. 
• Remember to check the Message Center for important communications from programs or your Designated Dean’s Office in regard to your application and documents. 
• Remember to check the Assignments Checklist to ensure that your documents are assigned and sent properly to the programs to which you have applied. 

In This Section:

• Registration
• Dual Applicants
• Printer-friendly version