Because getting into residency continues to get harder each year, the submission of a strong residency application is critical. It’s important too, to ensure you create a realistic list of programs to target. When I review re-applicants’ candidacies to see what went wrong the year before, I oftentimes note that the applicants did not have realistic expectations.

If an applicant’s scores, letters of recommendation and medical school grades are suboptimal, there is little to no chance that person will match into a competitive specialty like dermatology, radiology and ophthalmology. Furthermore, even if an applicant is pursuing a less competitive specialty, the candidate must show early commitment to the field. That could mean research, successful rotations in the specialty and presentations or attendance at national conferences. Too often I see applicants pursue specialties for which their application demonstrates no particular connection. Read more ›