If you plan to hire me for the Complete Package for Residency Applicants, please do so very soon. The benefits of an early Strategy Session are numerous: I can assist you in furthering your candidacy and avoiding common missteps. Also, getting your written materials polished early will afford you a strong advantage in the residency application process
Last month I was an invited exhibitor at Student Doctor Network’s Test Prep Week 2013. As an exhibitor, I received several good questions. Because I am always impressed with someone who thinks ahead, one of my favorites was
When do you suggest students begin preparing for residency applications?
The below was my response:
Good question. The simple answer is to start working on a personal statement and ERAS activities draft around March of the year you are planning to apply. Assume it will take multiple drafts to get your written materials into good shape. Once you’ve done your best, find someone with residency admissions experience (like me) to help you get your documents into outstanding shape.
In terms of your comprehensive residency candidacy, you should start planning a strategy toward the beginning of your first year of medical school. If you are applying in a very competitive field (derm, plastic surgery), you should get started on your first day of med school. (No joke.) Consider hiring me for a Strategy Session early.
I hope this helps current first-, second-, and third-year medical students who are thinking ahead!
For those interested in a comprehensive explanation of the NRMP’s process for unmatched candidates,here is an article I wrote for Student Doctor Network with a step-by-step approach to the
Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP). Most residency applicants are hopeful about their Match prospects, but if you are not a strong candidate, it’s not a bad idea to understand SOAP early.
Make sure to watch the first of the Insider Medical Admissions Guru on the Go© stop motion video series. These under-one-minute videos give you professional admissions tips for free… and they are cool to watch! The first one is geared toward residency applicants, but the graphics are so fun, it’s worth seeing even if you aren’t applying to residency. Check out the video below and subscribe to my Youtube channel to see more in the coming weeks.
This is just a quick reminder that residency applicants can begin applying to Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) residency programs tomorrow, September 15.
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
