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How Do I Strategically Apply in Two Fields?

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Occasionally I help residency applicants who are applying in two specialties. This tactic can be strategic in specific scenarios, but it also makes the process more complicated. Here are some quick clarifications to help:

1) Different personal statements can be assigned to different programs. This means you can assign a pediatrics essay to pediatrics programs and an internal medicine essay to internal medicine residencies. Of course, you need to have two versions of your statement, and you need to ensure you assign each correctly.

2) Different letters of recommendation can be assigned to different residency programs as well. (A maximum of four letters may be assigned to each program.) You’ll either need to have letter writers for different fields, letter writers who will craft two types of letters, generic letters (less compelling), or a mix of these approaches.

3) Assuming you are not applying in ob/gyn, EM, or their program variants (which require the ResidencyCAS), you will have one application, and it will go to all of your programs. So, for example, if you flesh out your membership in multiple pediatrics organizations in your ERAS activities, that list will be viewed by your internal medicine readers as well – and might make them question your commitment to IM.

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What is ResidencyCAS?

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ResidencyCAS is a centralized application platform that replaces ERAS for OB/GYN, Emergency Medicine (EM) and EM’s dual programs. It’s less expensive than ERAS for applicants, includes an optional “experience essay” for special circumstances, and has a more limited personal statement character count of 4000. 

There are advantages to ResidencyCAS, but if you’re applying in two specialties, you’ll likely need to manage two platforms (unless you happen to be applying in OB/GYN and Emergency Medicine). Here’s more information about ResidencyCAS.

For help, please contact me ASAP.

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Which Specialties are Using ResidencyCAS Instead of ERAS this Cycle?

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Updated November 2026

In place of ERAS, a few specialties use ResidencyCAS, another centralized application platform for residency programs. For the 2026–2027 cycle (the 2027 Match), ResidencyCAS is used by obstetrics and gynecology, emergency medicine, and the combined emergency medicine programs: EM/Family Medicine, EM/Internal Medicine, EM/Pediatrics, EM/Anesthesiology, and EM/Aerospace Medicine. OB/GYN moved to ResidencyCAS first, and emergency medicine followed in the 2025–2026 cycle. Every other specialty still applies through ERAS.

ResidencyCAS promises enhanced features like data analytics, a specialty-specific design, a mobile platform, and a single system for applying, scheduling, and completing interviews.

You can find applicant worksheet PDFs for both OB/GYN and emergency medicine on the ResidencyCAS website here.

Of course, candidates applying to OB/GYN or emergency medicine and a second specialty will still need to complete ERAS. That means two applications to prepare and two sets of fees.

Make sure your written materials are the best they can be by being diligent about your process (and by getting professional help).

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2023 Match Data

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The NRMP recently published data regarding the most recent Match. Of note, emergency medicine – my specialty – had a whopping 554 positions that remained unfilled. Ouch! Additionally, although the numbers were better than last year, IMGs still struggled: US citizen IMGs saw only a 67.6% Match rate and non-US citizen IMGs had only a 59.4% Match rate.

There is a lot of data to review, so take a look here if you want more information on DO Match rates, specialty competitiveness, and SOAP. 

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AAMC Report on Residents 2021

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The AAMC recently published their Report on Residents 2021. Of note,

  • The percentage of medical residents who identify as Black or African American and as Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish origin has increased since last year.
  • Women make up the vast majority in obstetrics and gynecology (85.2%) and pediatrics (72.7%).
  • Only 27.0% of the 2020-21 graduates intended to train in the specialties they had listed as their preference when they began medical school.
  • The majority of medical residents (57.1%) who completed residency training from 2011 through 2020 practice in the state where they completed their residencies.
  • In a tip of the hat to my favorite state, physician retention after medical residency is highest in California (77.8%).

There are more goodies; the information is summed up in this table.

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About Dr. Michelle Finkel

Dr. Michelle Finkel

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

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