… what I wished I had known! Fourth Year of Medical School

Your focus right now … Working hard to finish your 3 rd year!! Be thinking about LOR’s !! Step 2 CK and CS Fourth Year Electives

Disclaimer All Info is to the BEST of our knowledge However: – Always Double Check Information – Double Check Deadline Dates – This is a guide and not an exhaustive list

Working Hard If you have slacked- shame on you… step it up!! – You will be asking for LOR’s soon and NEED great letters – Your evaluation comments are listed on your MSPE!

STEP II  CK and CS CK – Same registration process as step I ( – Board review classes- Kaplan Intense Prep, USMLE World question bank, Kaplan Q-bank… – Scheduling exam… if you did poor on Step 1 take CK early so a great score will increase # of interviews. – You will have get school certification w/ orange card (like Step 1) CS – Register and Schedule NOW- Dates are filling!!! – Try to take before interview season begins (Oct.) – MUST be reported to ECFMG/NRMP before final rank list submission- February!!

Now that boards are out of the way … Get organized and know your dates! … Time to start the residency process… WHERE TO START???

Your CV Get this done now! – Use the format in the “green book” (next slide) Submit with all LOR requests! Keep a copy on file with GME. Don’t forget to send it to Steve Orkin for your MSPE!

Name Address Phone address Personal: Birth Date: Birth Place: Education: Dates…Medical School name location of med school Cumulative GPA: MD Degree expected May 2007 Dates…Undergrad name(or graduate school if attended)- same format as med school with NO GPA! Dates… Highschool name and location Certifications: DateUSMLE I: passed DateUSMLE II CK: to be taken DateUSMLE II CS: to be taken Dateany other certification you have Honors and Awards: Datelist Extracurricular Activities: DateList name; position held if any Research Experience: DatePosition, Name of institution Title of Article/ abstract Work Experience: DatePosition held, name of company Outside Interest: List hobbies…

Letters of Recommendation Start asking SOON (the earlier the better) Most programs require 3 LOR’s. – Try to obtain at least 4-5! Chairman Letters- IM, Peds, Surgery, OB/GYN… – Not sure if you need a chairman letter- get one anyway! DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE !! Consider opening a Fed-Ex account – Able to track LOR’s and ERAS must sign for document

Letters of Recommendation What you want to give to your attending: – Place in a file folder the following Personal Cover letter CV Personal Statement if completed- if not- state in your cover letter that it is not finalized. ERAS Cover letter- instructions for letter writer 3 Addressed and Stamped envelopes –ECMFG-ERAS Documents –SGU: Attn. Steve Orkin –GME office at your hospital (Nancy)

Personal Cover letter example Date From: Your Name To: Dr. XYZ Subject: LOR Dear Dr. XYZ, Thank you so much for agreeing to write a strong letter of recommendation on my behalf for the Match Process. Having finished my third year core clinical clerkships at *your hosp*, I found my *specialty* medicine experience extremely satisfying and have decided that *specialty* is a good career fit for me. Therefore, I am excited at the prospect of pursuing a *specialty* residency position for To assist you in writing a personal letter on my behalf, I have enclosed my curriculum vitae and personal statement. Also, you will find instructions on the ERAS coversheet as to their format. Thank you again for taking the time out of your busy schedule to write a recommendation letter. Upon completion of your letter, please enclose one copy of your letter and the ERAS cover sheet in the Fed- Ex envelope addressed to ECFMG-ERAS Documents, send a copy to *your hosp.* Graduate Medical Education office and mail one copy of your letter in the addressed SGUSOM envelope. If there is any other information you might require to help you in this process, please don’t hesitate to contact me at your earliest convenience. Sincerely, Your Name MS IV SGUSOM Your Address

ERAS Request for LOR Cover Sheet

Letters of Recommendation Follow up with Attendings – They are very busy.. Thus get info to them early! – Don’t be annoying! PLEASE write thank you notes ! Once you match  let your respective Attendings know where and thank them again!

Your MSPE !!! Make sure your file is complete at SGU – All evaluations must be in- comments listed on MSPE – You will receive info from Steve Orkin around May/June – Submit to Steve Orkin: MSPE information form CV Personal statement (can be in draft stage) ALL letters of rec. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF ABOVE IS AUGUST 1 st !! DO NOT BE LATE!!! – If you miss this deadline- your MSPE WILL go out LATE! And that is NOT GOOD!!!

Your MSPE … REQUEST A COPY TO REVIEW – request must be made in writing – review for errors … please do this !!! Just remember to have all of this done BEFORE NOVEMBER 1, 2005 !!

MSPE and Official Transcript These documents will be submitted by SGU – Request must be made in writing to SGU-Steve Orkin – SEND $5 check sent (to SGU) for the transcript to be released to ECFMG – Send request Early: August 1 st !!! MSPE not sent by SGU until Nov. 1 st.

Personal Statement Ironically, the hardest part of the application! Edit, Review, Edit, Review!! If not sure of specialty, may need multiple personal statements. Have many, many people review it  nonmedical opinions are GREAT This is the only “personalized” part of your application so really try to make it personal

ERAS … yes it’s finally time ! ERAS  Electronic Residency Application Service will become your best friend! First- Request Token through ECFMG – June/July request token through Oasis link- you will need your USMLE/ECFMG ID numberwww.ecfmg.org – Cost $75 – Token will be ed to you prior to the July 1 st opening of ERAS

What you need to know about ERAS Token to register will be ed to you – You will NOT have an AAMC ID # so leave this field blank when you register Once registration is complete, you will receive your AAMC ID# Brand this # into your brain! ECFMG acts as our Dean’s Office!! ERAS opens on July 1, 2006! This is the date you can register and begin your application!

ERAS Application A long process… complete in segments – Proof read multiple time – Have someone else look for errors You may NOT change anything on the application after you certify your common application form (CAF) – You can change your Personal Statement and LOR’s

Documents to be sent to ERAS Can be sent after July 1, 2007! To be sent by YOU – Wallet size CURRENT photo – Letters of recommendation To be sent by SGU – MSPE – Official Transcript Documents take a few days to be scanned into your file

ERAS Document Submission Form

Researching Programs Please research ALL programs you are applying to! Tools to use  – FREIDA online (link from ERAS homepage) – – – Do NOT hesitate to contact programs  request info Different deadlines, different requirements, etc.

How many programs to apply to?? Average number of applications per US Applicant by specialty in 2003 (info from ERAS/AAMC) Anesthesiology20 Dermatology41 Emergency Med25 Family Practice12 IM-Peds13 Internal Med15 OB/GYN22 Ortho. Surgery42 Pathology14 Peds16 PM&R14 Plastic Surgery23 Psych14 Radiation Onc24 Radiology37 Surgery19 Transitional8 Urology38

Number of programs to apply to The previous slide is based off US Students!!! – Thus you should expect to apply to more as a FMG A number of factors play into the number you should apply to – Location, couples matching, USMLE scores/ grades, competitiveness of specialty!

SEPTEMBER 1, 2006 FIRST DAY PROGRAMS ACCEPT APPLICATIONS !! Try to submit your application on this day !!

SEPTEMBER 1, 2006 Do I have to be ready to apply by this date? – # of interviews – Deadlines to apply Most programs will not view applications until 5-7 days after September 1 but it varies. Your best bet … PLEASE DON’T WAIT!

Residency Interviews Be smart about scheduling interviews – Cost – Time of year – JET LAG !! – Absence schedule of particular hospital- TBHC allows 3 days off per 4 week rotation. Interview Season- Oct through Feb. – Most November through end of January – No interviews btwn Xmas and New Years

Residency Interviews Preparing for interview – Be Prepared! Read up on program Freida website; program website SGU Alumni Read over your CAF- you WILL be asked questions from your application/PS Interview Questions- think about typical questions asked

Interview Questions Why are you applying to this program? Why did you go to St. George’s? What will you bring to our program- strengths and weaknesses? Tell us something that is not listed in your application. Talk about your path toward this specialty Tell us about an interesting case you have seen. Talk about your clinical experience at SGU- in Grenada and Vinny’s How do you learn best/ what is your learning style.. What is your education philosophy? What are you looking for in a residency program? Your biggest challenge in Medical school Group interview- what separates you from the others in this group? How do you plan to pass … board exam? Expect to be asked about your Personal Statement and Common Application Form- do not list anything you are not comfortable discussing!

Residency Interviews Traveling – CARRY ON!! You do not want to be stuck without your interview suit! – Try to make it to the resident dinner the night before. Correspondence after interview – Send Thank you notes! – Consider second look – Letters expressing interest to top 3-5 programs send out late Jan to early Feb

Second Looks Not required, but looks VERY good! – Go to top 2-3 programs if time allows. Try to meet with program director briefly – Ask any last questions you have – Express sincere interest in their program Try to complete second looks by end of January to beginning of February! – Programs submit their rank list prior to our submission date Be ready to go on rounds  clean white coat and stethoscope!

NRMP National Residency Matching Program- they conduct the actual match Register by December 1 st regardless if doing an early match (SanFranciso Match or AUA) Cost- $100 – Additional fees if couples matching.

The Rank List Rank list certification deadline … – February 21, 2007 (your date will be different) Most programs meet in early February to certify lists! Please try to have your lists certified at least one week before deadline! Remember  no CS means no rank list!

Rank List Rank ONLY those programs you would be happy at! – The match is a legal contract and you CAN NOT get out of it once you Match!!! – The more you rank, the more chance you have to match – When NOT listing a program… would you rather scramble than work at that program??

Other Matches San Francisco Match – Programs: Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Plastic Surgery Urology Rank list for these matches are due by early January with match results at the end of January.

MATCH WEEK !! The culmination of medical school and all your hard work Be calm … you have no control over the match!

Match Week! Monday – Noon- sent stating Match vs. Unmatched Tuesday – Scramble begins -have everything ready Wednesday – Scramble continues Thursday – If you matched on Monday Noon- find out where you matched!!!!

But … Be prepared to scramble ! – Find an attending to act as your Dean/Mentor Have all your documents in case! – CAF, USMLE scores, Photo, PS, Dean’s Letter and Transcript (sgu will send them to you in Feb), LOR’s (GME file) You will need a team! You will need all phones, faxes, etc. available! – GME Office at TBHC – Programs now using ERAS to scramble- no longer need to fax applications

Scramble Resources

Other Resources … SGU Website- Office of Career Guidance site, clinical news site, Angel. Iserson's Getting into a Residency: A Guide for Medical Students, Sixth Edition First Aid for the Match OTHER STUDENTS/RESIDENTS!

Relax, you are an M.D. now! Hope this helped!! Questions/comments …let us know! Contact info: Neelay Gandhi -

Good Luck … we know you will do well !!!