what I wished I had known!

Fourth Year of Medical

School
Your focus right now
Working hard to finish your 3
rd
year!!
Be thinking about LORs !!
Step 2 CK and CS
Fourth Year Electives



Disclaimer
All Info is to the BEST of our knowledge
However:
Always Double Check Information
Double Check Deadline Dates
This is a guide and not an exhaustive list


Working Hard
If you have slacked- shame on you step it
up!!
You will be asking for LORs soon and NEED
great letters
Your evaluation comments are listed on your
MSPE!
STEP II CK and CS
CK
Same registration process as step I (www.ecfmg.org)
Board review classes- Kaplan Intense Prep, USMLE World
question bank, Kaplan Q-bank
Scheduling exam if you did poor on Step 1 take CK early so a
great score will increase # of interviews.
You will have get school certification w/ orange card (like Step 1)
CS
Register and Schedule NOW- Dates are filling!!!
Try to take before interview season begins (Oct.)
MUST be reported to ECFMG/NRMP before final rank list
submission- February!!

Now that boards are out of the
way


Get organized and know your dates!

Time to start the residency process
WHERE TO START???




Your CV
Get this done now!
Use the format in the green book (next slide)
Submit with all LOR requests!
Keep a copy on file with GME.
Dont forget to send it to Steve Orkin for
your MSPE!
Name
Address
Phone
Email address
Personal:
Birth Date:
Birth Place:
Education:
Dates Medical School name
location of med school
Cumulative GPA:
MD Degree expected May 2007
Dates Undergrad name(or graduate school if attended)- same format as med school with NO GPA!
Dates Highschool name and location
Certifications:
Date USMLE I: passed
Date USMLE II CK: to be taken
Date USMLE II CS: to be taken
Date any other certification you have
Honors and Awards:
Date list
Extracurricular Activities:
Date List name; position held if any
Research Experience:
Date Position, Name of institution
Title of Article/ abstract
Work Experience:
Date Position held, name of company
Outside Interest:
List hobbies

Letters of Recommendation
Start asking SOON (the earlier the better)
Most programs require 3 LORs.
Try to obtain at least 4-5!
Chairman Letters- IM, Peds, Surgery, OB/GYN
Not sure if you need a chairman letter- get one anyway!
DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE !!
Consider opening a Fed-Ex account
Able to track LORs and ERAS must sign for document


Letters of Recommendation
What you want to give to your attending:
Place in a file folder the following
Personal Cover letter
CV
Personal Statement if completed- if not- state in your cover
letter that it is not finalized.
ERAS Cover letter- instructions for letter writer
3 Addressed and Stamped envelopes
ECMFG-ERAS Documents
SGU: Attn. Steve Orkin
GME office at your hospital (Nancy)

Personal Cover letter example
Date
From: Your Name
To: Dr. XYZ
Subject: LOR
Dear Dr. XYZ,
Thank you so much for agreeing to write a strong letter of recommendation on my behalf for the Match
Process. Having finished my third year core clinical clerkships at *your hosp*, I found my *specialty*
medicine experience extremely satisfying and have decided that *specialty* is a good career fit for me.
Therefore, I am excited at the prospect of pursuing a *specialty* residency position for 2006.
To assist you in writing a personal letter on my behalf, I have enclosed my curriculum vitae and
personal statement. Also, you will find instructions on the ERAS coversheet as to their format.
Thank you again for taking the time out of your busy schedule to write a recommendation letter. Upon
completion of your letter, please enclose one copy of your letter and the ERAS cover sheet in the Fed-
Ex envelope addressed to ECFMG-ERAS Documents, send a copy to *your hosp.* Graduate Medical
Education office and mail one copy of your letter in the addressed SGUSOM envelope.
If there is any other information you might require to help you in this process, please dont hesitate to
contact me at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Your Name
MS IV SGUSOM
Your Email Address
ERAS Request for LOR Cover Sheet
Letters of Recommendation
Follow up with Attendings
They are very busy.. Thus get info to them early!
Dont be annoying!
PLEASE write thank you notes !
Once you match let your respective
Attendings know where and thank them
again!
Your MSPE !!!
Make sure your file is complete at SGU
All evaluations must be in- comments listed on MSPE
You will receive info from Steve Orkin around May/June
Submit to Steve Orkin:
MSPE information form
CV
Personal statement (can be in draft stage)
ALL letters of rec.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF ABOVE IS
AUGUST 1
st
!! DO NOT BE LATE!!!
If you miss this deadline- your MSPE WILL go out LATE! And
that is NOT GOOD!!!

Your MSPE
REQUEST A COPY TO REVIEW
request must be made in writing
review for errors please do this !!!
Just remember to have all of this done
BEFORE NOVEMBER 1, 2005 !!

MSPE and Official Transcript
These documents will be submitted by SGU
Request must be made in writing to SGU-Steve
Orkin
SEND $5 check sent (to SGU) for the transcript
to be released to ECFMG
Send request Early: August 1
st
!!!
MSPE not sent by SGU until Nov. 1
st
.
Personal Statement
Ironically, the hardest part of the application!
Edit, Review, Edit, Review!!
If not sure of specialty, may need multiple
personal statements.
Have many, many people review it nonmedical
opinions are GREAT
This is the only personalized part of your
application so really try to make it personal
ERAS yes its finally time !
ERAS Electronic Residency Application
Service
www.aamc.org/eras will become your best friend!

First- Request Token through ECFMG
June/July 2007- www.ecfmg.org request token through Oasis link- you
will need your USMLE/ECFMG ID number
Cost $75
Token will be emailed to you prior to the July 1
st
opening of ERAS



What you need to know about
ERAS
Token to register will be emailed to you
You will NOT have an AAMC ID # so leave this field
blank when you register
Once registration is complete, you will receive
your AAMC ID#
Brand this # into your brain!
ECFMG acts as our Deans Office!!

ERAS opens on July 1, 2006! This is the date you
can register and begin your application!
ERAS Application
A long process complete in segments
Proof read multiple time
Have someone else look for errors
You may NOT change anything on the
application after you certify your common
application form (CAF)
You can change your Personal Statement and LORs
Documents to be sent to ERAS
Can be sent after July 1, 2007!
To be sent by YOU
Wallet size CURRENT photo
Letters of recommendation
To be sent by SGU
MSPE
Official Transcript

Documents take a few days to be scanned into your file
ERAS Document Submission Form
Researching Programs
Please research ALL programs you are applying
to!
Tools to use
FREIDA online (link from ERAS homepage)
www.scutwork.com
www.medfools.com
www.residentcafe.com
Do NOT hesitate to contact programs request
info
Different deadlines, different requirements, etc.
How many programs to apply to??
Average number of applications per US Applicant by specialty in 2003 (info from
ERAS/AAMC)
Anesthesiology 20
Dermatology 41
Emergency Med 25
Family Practice 12
IM-Peds 13
Internal Med 15
OB/GYN 22
Ortho. Surgery 42
Pathology 14
Peds 16
PM&R 14
Plastic Surgery 23
Psych 14
Radiation Onc 24
Radiology 37
Surgery 19
Transitional 8
Urology 38

Number of programs to apply to
The previous slide is based off US Students!!!
Thus you should expect to apply to more as a FMG
A number of factors play into the number you
should apply to
Location, couples matching, USMLE scores/ grades,
competitiveness of specialty!

SEPTEMBER 1, 2006
FI RST DAY PROGRAMS ACCEPT
APPLI CATI ONS !!
Try to submit your application on this day !!
SEPTEMBER 1, 2006
Do I have to be ready to apply by this date?
# of interviews
Deadlines to apply
Most programs will not view applications
until 5-7 days after September 1 but it
varies.
Your best bet PLEASE DONT WAIT!
Residency Interviews
Be smart about scheduling interviews
Cost
Time of year
JET LAG !!
Absence schedule of particular hospital- TBHC allows
3 days off per 4 week rotation.

Interview Season- Oct through Feb.
Most November through end of January
No interviews btwn Xmas and New Years
Residency Interviews
Preparing for interview
Be Prepared! Read up on program
Freida website; program website
SGU Alumni
Read over your CAF- you WILL be asked
questions from your application/PS
Interview Questions- think about typical
questions asked


Interview Questions
Why are you applying to this program?
Why did you go to St. Georges?
What will you bring to our program- strengths and weaknesses?
Tell us something that is not listed in your application.
Talk about your path toward this specialty
Tell us about an interesting case you have seen.
Talk about your clinical experience at SGU- in Grenada and Vinnys
How do you learn best/ what is your learning style.. What is your
education philosophy?
What are you looking for in a residency program?
Your biggest challenge in Medical school
Group interview- what separates you from the others in this group?
How do you plan to pass board exam?
Expect to be asked about your Personal Statement and Common
Application Form- do not list anything you are not comfortable
discussing!
Residency Interviews
Traveling
CARRY ON!! You do not want to be stuck without
your interview suit!
Try to make it to the resident dinner the night before.
Correspondence after interview
Send Thank you notes!
Consider second look
Letters expressing interest to top 3-5 programs send out
late Jan to early Feb
Second Looks
Not required, but looks VERY good!
Go to top 2-3 programs if time allows.
Try to meet with program director briefly
Ask any last questions you have
Express sincere interest in their program
Try to complete second looks by end of January to
beginning of February!
Programs submit their rank list prior to our submission date
Be ready to go on rounds clean white coat and
stethoscope!

NRMP
National Residency Matching Program-
they conduct the actual match
Register by December 1
st
regardless if
doing an early match (SanFranciso Match
or AUA)
Cost- $100

Additional fees if couples matching.

The Rank List
Rank list certification deadline
February 21, 2007 (your date will be different)
Most programs meet in early February to
certify lists!
Please try to have your lists certified at least
one week before deadline!
Remember no CS means no rank list!
Rank List
Rank ONLY those programs you would be
happy at!
The match is a legal contract and you CAN
NOT get out of it once you Match!!!
The more you rank, the more chance you have
to match
When NOT listing a program would you
rather scramble than work at that program??
Other Matches
San Francisco Match www.sfmatch.org
Programs: Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology,
Plastic Surgery
Urology www.auanet.org

Rank list for these matches are due by early
January with match results at the end of
January.
MATCH WEEK !!
The culmination of medical school and all
your hard work

Be calm you have no control over the
match!

Match Week!
Monday
Noon- email sent stating Match vs. Unmatched
Tuesday
Scramble begins -have everything ready
Wednesday
Scramble continues
Thursday
If you matched on Monday
Noon- find out where you matched!!!!
But
Be prepared to scramble !
Find an attending to act as your Dean/Mentor
Have all your documents in case!
CAF, USMLE scores, Photo, PS, Deans Letter and
Transcript (sgu will send them to you in Feb), LORs
(GME file)
You will need a team!
You will need all phones, faxes, etc. available!
GME Office at TBHC
Programs now using ERAS to scramble- no longer need
to fax applications
Scramble Resources
www.electronicresidency.com

www.imgresidency.com
Other Resources
SGU Website- Office of Career Guidance
site, clinical news site, Angel.
Iserson's Getting into a Residency: A Guide
for Medical Students, Sixth Edition

First Aid for the Match

OTHER STUDENTS/RESIDENTS!
Relax, you are an M.D. now!
Hope this helped!!
Questions/comments let us know!
Contact info:
Neelay Gandhi - GreatSoul7@aol.com

Good Luck we know you
will do well !!!