@creekland - Not sure what the first day to submit actually means in terms of timelines. I googled and dont see actual time lines outside of September 1st and October 21st. I rechecked timelines last year and it essentially closed on 15th September for applications and MSPE release date was October 1st - not sure if Optho and Urology have earlier official dates. D received 4 of the interviews before the MSPE release date and within 10th of October, most of the rest. The more selective programs take longer to call.
Med school lad sent me a text:
NEW THIS YEAR, programs canāt see your application until the MSPE letter from the school is submitted in mid October.
Our Dean just told us this.
Iāll trust the Dean knows what heās telling themā¦ If anyone knows otherwise though, feel free to let me know and Iāll pass it on!
Wow! That is different. My kid had 6 interview invites before that date last year, and additionally completed two interviews (at programs where she did elective rotations which arenāt happening this year).
Exactly why Iām double checking. I honestly expect a Dean to be on top of whatās new, but it never hurts to confirm (in my mind).
The application process seems to be delayed by 2 weeks. Sept 15th was filing deadline and October 1st was MSPE release to programs last year. An application is not considered complete with MSPE. Message from last yearā¦
However, some programs decide to interview based on scores alone and start sending out interview invites as I mentioned in my previous posts (D received 3 or 4 invites before October 1st and 4 more by 10th of October).
ERAS official announcement:
https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-residency/article/eras-news-and-announcements/
Previously ERAS opened on Sept 1 and programs had access to applications starting Sept 15, though most programs waited until MSPEs were released on October 1 before sending out interview offers.
It appears this year, PDs wonāt have access to any part of a candidateās application until the MSPEs have been releasedāand thatās happening 3 weeks later than previous years.
Like @thumper1 and @texaspg mention, D1 had received interview offers before her MSPEs were released. D2ās specialty (which has small 3-6 person resident cohorts and a unified set of interview guidelines that all programs adhere to) doesnāt tender interview invitations before MSPEs are released.
So am I correct in thinking thereās no way interview invites can go out before Oct 21st this year?
Regardless, the lad is submitting his part as early as he can. I just want to know because Iām his back up for emailsā¦
Sometimes, itās hard to believe that D was just thinking of this process last year. Feels like it was so long ago.
I found the first-come, first-serve policy for interviews rather strange - and it is incredibly stressful for the applicant. D had sent me all her info and I used to track it (am online all the time for my job). But, she had also set up alerts/notifications in her email and was very good at responding - luckily, I never had to. She stopped by our house one Friday evening along with some friends (they were on their way for a weekend out skiing) - and during the 15 minutes they were at our house, she got a ping for an interview. She dropped everything immediately, signed up for a slot. By the time she left less than 10 minutes later, there were no more slots available. Wild.
@Creekland
If I am reading the news release correctly and no part of an candidateās application will be released before Oct 21, then thereās no way any IIs can tendered before that date since PDs/APDs wonāt have any idea whoās applying to their program. (And realistically, he probably wonāt get any IIs on the 21st or for the next few days since the PD/APD need to download and review/read applications first. )
The one exception might be his home program. Sometimes medical schools will interview their own internal candidates before the official release of applications.
@WayOutWestMom Thanks. So I have about three months to be ready! Since heās off in Nov, heāll probably be able to do a lot himself anyway - unless heās interviewing (or showering!) when something comes in.
I assume he and his home program will take care of themselves. I know they like each other. Iām not sure where they are on each otherās list, but it would be tough for me to imagine they wonāt be on the list somewhere. At this point my lad isnāt even sure where any particular place will be on his list. He just knows which ones he wants to pursue for interviews. Who knows, even that might change between now and Sept 1st as he learns more.
@WayOutWestMom Looks like they have not only changed rules but delayed everything by almost 5 weeks since it is slipping from 15th september to 21st October before a program can see any part of the application.
@arisamp - I did mention this in earlier messages where there was exactly one earlier slot by several weeks that opened up that D would have preferred but she was in the middle of an interview. There was no way she could have accepted it before 10 others who were copied if I had not accepted it for her.
A backup email monitor is always recommended and it does not have to be a parent if a significant other is able to manage.
@Creekland
Since there are no aways this year and residency interviews will be virtual, Iād recommend that your son reach out to any current residents in his future specialty he knows and asks them about the āfeelā or impressions of their programs. He should also reach out to any friends from undergrad who attend a different med school and ask them about their impression of the neurology department at their schools.
Things to ask aboutā
āthe quality (or lack thereof) of the facilities at the rotation sites (including access to labs and imaging)
ācase loads, overall case volumes and case complexity*
ādiversity of patient population**
āāfriendliness/chillness/helpfulnessā of the current residents & attendings ***
āsupportiveness of the hospital administration
āsubspecialty rotation opportunities, particularly if your son is interested in doing a fellowship
ācall schedules/coverage
ātypical work week hours
- low volume/low acuity programs don't offer a lot of learning opportunities for residents. You want a good mix of bread & butter problems together with some real *avis rara* thrown in. You don't want the first time you see ______ is when someone with the condition walks through the door of your office..
** certain patient population tend to present with certain problems. You want a good mix of patients (age, race/ethnicity, SES) so that youāre exposed to the whole range of issues common to those populations.
***residents primarily learn from their more senior residents. You want to be part of a group that gets along together well and you feel that you fit in with. Also realistically your fellow residents will likely be the only people you know when you first relocate for residency. It helps if you all share common interests outside of medicine.
@WayOutWestMom Thanks again. I sent your helpful info on to him. Not sure how much he was already doing or not, but figured it canāt hurt and might help. Itās definitely better than any advice I can offer.
Saw the questions about Chief upthread. Sonās program is a 3 year residency. He completed the 3 years and the Chief position at his hospital/program is that of an attending. He is paid as such (not as a PGY4) and has faculty credentials at the medical school (albeit jr faculty). He has his full medical license (not temp as a resident would) and has privileges at now 6 hospitals. He is paid a salary as an attending and draws a different shift salary for each shift at each respective hospital (as part of the med schoolās hospitalist group).
So no longer resident pay, ārealā pay. And this is for his program, donāt know how other programs work.
@katwittens nice that he gets paid as an attending also gets paid for additional shifts! This program does seem to be different since they are attendees acting as chiefs. Do they hire chiefs from other programs also or stay internal?
Is he planning to do a fellowship in future?
Hi @TexasPG! Last years Chief was hired from a different residency program. The year before it was from their own program. Depends. The main hospital is very large 900+ beds, lots of patients, keeps all the residents busy. He is putting his MBA to good use and his MD is working over-time literally!! He wanted a role in leadership to see how the two would mesh in real-life.
No, no fellowship. He knew early he wanted medicine, not so much clinic, all hospital, all the time.
I have no idea what will be next. He has spent decades surprising me. He turned down West Point and MIT for econ at pāton and I havenāt yet figured him out. Nope, havenāt a clue. He could say he wants to go on a dig (hellenic studies minor) in some obscure part of the world with his buddies and I would not be shocked. Surprised but not shocked.
Who else is in the residency hunt this year besides my guy? (Old, radiated brain would like a shorter list to try to remember then going back through posts.)
D2 has decided to pursue a fellowship (not really a surprise thereā¦) but her specific fellowship choice is. Sheās interested in an emerging niche sub-specialty.
Because of personal constraints, she currently plans to try to āsuicide matchā at her current residency site. (Suicide matchāapply to only one program.)
Contingent on her matching for fellowship, D2 will become the junior partner in her residency mentorās practice. Her mentor is a senior faculty member at the university hospital, but Iām not sure if the partnership means D2 will be joining a private practice or will be on the junior faculty track.
D2 wonāt be applying until next summer so she has time to figure out some alternative plans in case match doesnāt go her way.
@wayoutwestmom - is D2 at a private university? I see people in Houston selling their practice to UT Houston and listed as either faculty or just a doctor and their income information becomes public at that point (they are published). I am not sure if people who are part of the practice are given a role in the university.
No, the residency is at a public medical school so the hospital is public.