How To Fill Out Your ERAS Application

The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) is an application service for applying to residency programs. Applicants electronically submit their application materials, including their curriculum vitae (CV), personal statement, letters of recommendation, and other supporting documents. This is an important component of the overall residency application process, and its electronic platform has modernized and streamlined the application and selection process for both applicants and residency programs.

As a future resident, you may already know how important the ERAS application is. In preparation for the upcoming match season, we invited Dr. Cassandra Bradby, Emergency Medicine Physician and Residency Program Director at ECU Health Medical Center, to share pivotal insights on ways to maximize your application during our Match Summit event. 

What Goes Into Your ERAS Application

The ERAS includes your basic information such as certifications (PALS, ACLS, etc.), biographical information, geographical preferences, and educational background. This is also where you can include any languages that you are fluent in.

There is a section for experiences which is limited to 10. Choose experiences that are the most meaningful to you and the ones that you are excited to talk about. Make sure the things you choose demonstrate your ability to do the job you are applying for. This doesn’t have to be medical related; you can talk about your job as a server, bartender, etc. Do not list your medical school rotations, they will already have this information from your application.

List any research experiences even if they are not in medicine. Ask your specialty advisor about how important research is to your application. If you are going into a research heavy specialty, make sure you get the research done in advance.

It’s not enough to just list your awards, you need to be able to talk about them! Some commonly listed awards to include in the awards and accolades section are school awards, phi beta kappa, eagle scout/goal award, sports achievements, and scholarships.

Your personal statement is a great place to highlight strengths that have not been covered elsewhere in the application. Avoid reiterating points you have addressed in your CV; instead, express why this specialty is the one for you and what you will bring to the program. Emphasize what sets you apart as well as any red flags you may need to address. We will dive into how to approach this portion of your application in the next section. 

How to Address Red Flags in Your ERAS Application

Red flags are things that make people pause in offering you an interview. To address your red flags, be clear, honest, and thorough. Make sure that there is enough information in the statement. Avoid blaming others for the red flag; instead, focus on what you’ve learned and how you’ve grown from the struggle.

Board Scores: If your board scores are a concern, you may consider taking Step 3 to augment your application. Some states require you to have completed a year of residency before you can take Step 3, so be sure to find out if your state allows it. Explain in your personal statement what happened to produce a lower than ideal score. This could include a personal issue, studying issue, family issue, etc. Make sure that you also talk about how you learned from it and what you are doing to remedy it in the future. This helps programs understand that you won’t have this problem going forward.

Extended Time in Medical School: It is not uncommon for people to take some time off school. Some examples of reasons people take time off include financial hardship, health issues, and getting an extra degree. Keeping on theme with previous red flags, it is important to talk about what set you on that path and how you learned from it.

Gaps in Professional Experience: Highlight what you did during those gaps that will make you a better resident.

Time Since Graduation: Any time longer than 5 years since graduation is a red flag. Every program will have different policies on this. The longer you have been out, the harder it is to get in, so having a specialty advisor is helpful in this area.

No US Clinical Experience: US residencies are looking for applicants who know what it’s like to work in the US health system. Things that count toward this experience can be clinical rotations, sub internships, etc. Things that don’t count include observations or shadowing where you were not directly responsible for patient care.

Professionalism Deviations: Your school performance evaluation or dean’s letter will contain any professionalism deviations. You may view that letter ahead of time so that you know what it contains. One way to combat this is by having strong letters of recommendation. Your interviews will likely touch upon this topic, so being prepared to share what you have learned from the experience will pave the way for your success.

Where to Apply

A big thing to consider is the location. Think about the program’s proximity to your family/support system, ease of travel to and from, cost of living, and your familiarity with the area. Consider the type of program you want to be at, whether that is a community or academic program, programs in an urban or rural area, or a research-focused program.

Other things to consider include the size and length of the program, years the program has been accredited, fellowship availability, benefits and salary, work-life balance, and support services.

As you navigate ERAS and the residency application process, keep in mind that each element is an opportunity to showcase your journey, your growth, and your readiness for the next phase of your medical career. Watch this video with Dr. Cassandra Bradby from our Match Summit for more insights into demystifying the ERAS process. Good luck on your Match journey!