Because matching to a medical residency program continues to get harder each year, the submission of a strong residency application is critical. Following a timeline and getting your materials in early can assist you in improving your candidacy and thus, your chances of success.
Getting your ERAS® and residency personal statement in early is essential. ERAS opens in July and materials can be assigned to residency programs in early September. I recommend submitting your written materials as early as possible, while maintaining quality. Some residency admissions officers have more time to carefully review residency applications earlier in the season before the onslaught of application submissions. You should also move quickly on interview requests. Invitations for interviews warrant a quick response for two reasons: First, you want to demonstrate your appreciation and responsibility. Second, the faster you respond the more likely you are to procure a time slot that works best for you.
Getting your application in in a timely fashion can distinguish your candidacy. But it’s important to have quality written materials too. Consider working with a professional to get residency admissions help. Because applicants can unknowingly undermine their chances of success with poorly compiled application materials and underdeveloped ERAS, a qualified, personalized residency admissions consultant provides a great advantage.
Residency admissions consulting companies come in a variety of forms. Some are bigger businesses that focus on admissions to several types of graduate programs – not just medicine. Others are smaller and provide a medical focus, but have a pool of consultants of varying quality. Finally, elite companies offer both the medical focus and a highly experienced consultant who works one-on-one with clients. These professionals are ex-admissions officers from highly respected medical institutions. They have the inside knowledge of how residency admissions work, providing individualized guidance to optimize applicants’ personal essays, ERAS and interview skills.
When choosing a residency admissions consulting company, a candidate should verify the company’s references and research its consultants. It is best if the company does not assign written materials to outside editors who cannot be evaluated. Elite companies that offer both the medical focus and a highly experienced consultant who works one-on-one with clients offer a large advantage in providing residency admissions help, especially during these competitive times.
