Many of you already know about the Insider Medical Admissions’ Guru on the Go© video shorts – a free, stop-motion animation series that provides critical advice in under one minute for medical school and residency applicants. I received some great feedback last year after rolling these out, including a nod from the NRMP® itself. Check out this brand new getting into residency video called “Put a Ring on It.” Also, take a peek at the Insider Medical Admissions Guru page for more shorts.
Blog Archives
Another Plug for the NRMP Program Director Survey
A residency applicant recently asked me if Board scores, grades, and academics in general were no longer significant once someone had gotten past the interview stage; she wondered if those factors were important to get to the interview but not get on the rank list.
Of course, every program is different, but generally, questions like this one can be answered with evidence – using the NRMP Program Director Survey. (According to the survey, academic issues are still a critical factor in deciding whom to rank.)
If you want to know what Program Directors really want, check out the Survey. The NRMP is very good about culling and publicizing data.
Tags: NRMP, Residency Application
FREIDA Rocks
If you’re applying for residency, make sure to check out FREIDA, which has a lot of improvements. As a reminder, FREIDA Online® is a database with over 9,400 graduate medical education programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), plus 100 combined specialty programs.
General information about programs – percentage of residents who are international medical graduates (IMGs), percentage who are doctors of osteopathy (DOs), and minimum Step scores (to name a few) – are all useful in deciding where to assign your application in September. But now that we’re into November, you can search the system for other factors that might affect how you rank programs – work schedule, salary, whether a night float system exists, etc.
FREIDA is an amazing, free resource that you should not overlook.
Tags: Acgme, Residency Application
Don’t Rush that Residency Application
As of yesterday, applicants can begin applying to ACGME accredited residency programs through myERAS. Getting your application in early is a help, but make sure you don’t rush it if it’s not in its final form. Take an extra week to make sure you submit your best work.
Your Residency Application Starts Way Before Your Fourth Year… USMLE News
Just a quick tip that updated Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) practice materials are now available on the USMLE website. The website, by the way, is worth keeping your eye on because there are useful announcements posted regularly.
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
