Just a clarification for those medical students applying in multiple specialties: The program directors cannot see your ERAS Document Submission Form and will not be aware of the other programs to which you will be applying. I know this has been a question that has come up many times.
Contact me for ERAS and personal statement help.
When I was an Assistant Residency Director evaluating ERAS, I was impressed with residency applicants who submitted their materials early. I figured those were the people who were on-the-ball and would make reliable residents. Also, early in the season, when I had only a few applications to assess, I was able to spend extra time on each ERAS. Later in the season, when I was flooded with applications, I could only give each one its allotted time.
For those two reasons, I strong recommend submitting your ERAS on September 1. Please contact me now so that you can achieve that goal.
In a recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, investigators report finding “evidence of plagiarism” in personal statements in 5.2% of residency applicants to Brigham and Women’s anesthesiology, general surgery, internal medicine, OB-GYN and emergency medicine residency programs between Sept. 2005 and March 2007.
Applicants should be aware of this type of scrutiny. (I hope that candidates won’t consider plagiarizing material for obvious ethical reasons!)
A word to the wise: Be explicit about the honors you have earned. Although you may be aware that a position you garnered was competitive, the reader may not. For example, you could write
As an intern at the American Nonexistent Foundation, I completed two research projects.
Or you could write
Out of a pool of ninety applicants, I was awarded the selective American Nonexistent Foundation’s annual internship, where I completed two research projects.
See the difference?
Contact me for AMCAS and ERAS help. I do all of my own work (no outside, anonymous editors) and expedite my clients’ edits.
A tip for your CV and the application process in general:
Unless you are prepared to conduct an interview exclusively in another language, use the term “proficiency” instead of “fluency” when describing your foreign language skills. You do not want to face embarrassment (or worse) regarding an overstatement of your abilities.
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
Student Doctor Network: Choosing a Medical School? Why Your Situation Matters
KevinMD: Made Mistakes? How to Spin Them for Your Medical School Applications
Doximity Op-Med: The Medical School Admissions Process Is Falling Short
