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Applying in Two Specialties

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Occasionally I help residency applicants who are applying in two specialties. This tactic can be strategic in specific scenarios, but it also makes the process more complicated. Here are some quick clarifications to help:

1) Different personal statements can be assigned to different programs. This means you can assign your ob/gyn essay to ob/gyn programs and your internal medicine essay to internal medicine residencies. Of course, in this case, you need to have two versions of your statement in the first place.

2) Different letters of recommendation can be assigned to different residency programs as well. (A maximum of four letters may be assigned to each program.) You’ll either need to have letter writers for different fields, letter writers who will craft two types of letters, generic letters (less compelling), or a mix of these approaches. 

3) You will have only one MyEras application. It will go to all of your programs. Note that if you list your membership in multiple ob/gyn organizations, for example, that will be viewed by your internal medicine readers as well – and might make them question your commitment to IM.

As always, contact me for help. 

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The Ins and Outs of Choosing a Specialty: The Generalist vs. The Early Committer

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For many third-year medical students, this is a challenging time of year: Contemplating an ERAS application can be daunting, but it’s even worse if you don’t know what specialty you want to practice. Here’s a short piece I wrote with my colleague David Presser, MD, MPH called “Choosing a Specialty: The Generalist vs. The Early Committer,” and here’s a complementary (non-medical) New York Times article called “You Don’t Want a Child Prodigy” that’s a great follow-up piece.

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Your Residency Application: What to Do if You Receive No or Few Interview Invitations?

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1. Don’t panic.

2. Try contacting – in a professional manner – all institutions to which you have sent your ERAS. You can send an email and call. When you call, be calm, respectful, and enthusiastic. Do not demand to speak to the program director! Let the person who answers the phone know that you are very interested in the program and would appreciate the opportunity to interview. Offer to be on an interview wait list if necessary.

3. Ask faculty to make calls or send emails on your behalf. This strategy is especially helpful if the faculty member has a tie to the institution and/or has a weighty title. (Yes, the system is broken in many ways.) 

4. Prepare for the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP). Note that SOAP is not a separate program from the residency Match. So a) your main residency Match user status must be active and b) your credentials must be verified by the Rank Order List Deadline in order to participate in SOAP. Here is more information on SOAP.

5. Make a plan for what you will do if the Match and SOAP don’t work out for you. What will you do next year? How will you improve your written materials, interview skills, and overall candidacy? Consider getting comprehensive help and an honest assessment from me or a faculty member who is highly experienced in residency admissions – the sooner the better to improve a candidacy and prepare for a re-application. Also, as sad as this sounds, if this is not your first defeat in the Match/SOAP process, it might be time to consider other career options like research or industry. Sometimes it’s simply recognizing that one door is closing to see another one opening. 

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Post-ERAS, Pre-Interview Supplemental Questions

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Several residency applicants have told me that since they submitted their ERASes, some programs have asked them to answer additional, written questions like “Why our program?” and “How will you bring diversity to our institution?” The additional workload seems burdensome, especially this year, but I suspect residency directors are concerned about interview hoarding – since sessions will be virtual and thus easier to accept and attend – and are trying to weed out applicants accordingly. 

Although originally written for medical school candidates, see my blog entry here to help with the “Why our program?” question and here to help with the diversity prompt. 

Remember: This is a marathon, not a sprint. 

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Wednesday is Only Two Days Away, Which Means the ERAS Open Date is Fast Approaching

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Residency applicants, this is a reminder that this Wednesday, October 21 at 9am EST is when programs can begin reviewing applications. ERASes submitted today through Wednesday will still display an application date of October 21 so ensure your ERAS experience section and personal statement are in tip top shape and then, simply submit by Wednesday. (Applications submitted after that day will be date-stamped in real-time.) For help, check out “15 ERAS Tips to Boost Your Residency Application” and “5 ERAS Platform Quirks to Heed.” Then get your ERAS in and take a well-deserved break. 

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About Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Finkel is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. On completing her residency at Harvard, she was asked to
stay on as faculty at Harvard Medical School and spent five years teaching at the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital.
She was appointed to the Assistant Residency Director position for the Harvard Affiliated
Emergency Medicine Residency where she reviewed countless applications, personal statements and resumes. Read more

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