Who needs the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)?
Anyone who wishes to participate in the NRMP, American Urological Association, or military (Army or Navy) match will use ERAS to complete the residency application.
What is FREIDA?
The Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database (FREIDA) contains more than 7,800 graduate medical education programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education as well as more than 200 combined specialty programs. FREIDA is maintained by the AMA.
What is a rank-order list?
A student prepares a rank-order list of preferred residencies to the applicable matching agency. This list indicates the student’s choices for residency in order of the most preferred to the least preferred program. Students must rank only those programs where they are willing to accept a position.
When is the best time to ask for my three to four letters of recommendation for my ERAS application?
You should do that at the beginning of your fourth year. You’ll want to request letters from faculty members who know you well and who can speak about your clinical skills.
Do I need a CV and personal statement?
Yes. You should provide a CV and personal statement to your writers to facilitate their process of preparing the most competitive recommendation letter for you. Early match participants need a formal CV as a part of their application. Later on, all of you will need a formal personal statement, which is an integral part of the application. Some students also create formal CV’s to leave with their interviewers on the day they meet with them.
Is the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) counted as one of my letters of recommendation?
No. The MSPE is designed to be an evaluation of your performance in medical school rather than an additional recommendation letter. It has its own slot in the application process.
Do I get to read my letters of recommendation in advance to make sure I want them included with my application?
Students are encouraged to waive the right to read their recommendation letters. If you refuse to waive your rights, that will be noted in the recommendation letter. Some letter writers will choose to give you a copy of what they have written; you may read those letters.
Where should recommendation letters and transcripts be sent for uploading to ERAS?
Letter writers or their designees are now required to upload letters of recommendation directly to the ERAS website. Letters cannot be uploaded until ERAS opens and tokens have been distributed (usually May of third year). You will need to input your letter writer's name and designate the specialty to which you want the letter assigned. You may have more than one entry for the same letter writer. You will then print off a cover sheet (letter ID# and waiver) for each letter writer. They will need the ID# to upload the letter. Deliver the cover sheet to your letter writer. We suggest that you meet with the letter writer.
Who sends Medical Student Performance Evaluations to non-ERAS programs?
See Stacy Drake in the basement of Graves Hall, Room 043. You may also call 614-292-6450.
What is a token?
A token is an identification number that you obtain from Stacy Drake in order to complete your ERAS application.
What is an Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) number?
This is an ID number provided by the AAMC the first time you use its services as a medical student. Generally, ERAS will provide that number for you. If in doubt, contact Stacy Drake on how to contact the AAMC to ascertain the right number.
Where do I find previous match results?
Visit our page to view match results from 2001 to the current year.
What is a categorical residency?
A categorical residency includes the intern year. You will do your entire residency at one institution if you match into a categorical program.
What is a transitional year? What is a preliminary year? How are they different?
The transitional year is an intern (one-year) experience that rotates through various departments of a residency program. The intent of a transitional year is to provide a broad base of education for those students entering an advanced residency program. The preliminary year is offered in either medicine or surgery. This more-focused intern year also prepares a student to enter an advanced residency or to move into a categorical program at the PGY-2 level. Neither of these programs leads automatically to an advanced program, but a student who takes a preliminary year may be able to step into a second-year residency in medicine or surgery.