RESIDENCY GUIDE RESIDENCY GUIDE

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STUDENT TO STUDENT INTERVIEWS INSIGHTS FROM CURRENT RESIDENTS INCLUDING § EMERGENCY MEDICINE FAMILY MEDICINE GENERAL SURGERY INTERNAL MEDICINE OB/ GYN OPHTHALMOLOGY PEDIATRICS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT “THE MATCH” BY LMSA EDITORIAL STAFF THE MATCH PROCESS FROM THE OSTEOPATHIC PERSPECTIVE BY FELIPE CAMEROAMORTEGUI, PAMELA CASTRO, & LUCIE MITCHELL

Transcript of RESIDENCY GUIDE RESIDENCY GUIDE

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LMSA SNMA

Residency GuideSpring 2014•8th Edition

STUDENT TO STUDENT

INTERVIEWSINSIGHTS FROM CURRENT

RESIDENTSINCLUDING

§

EMERGENCY MEDICINE

FAMILY MEDICINE

GENERAL SURGERY

INTERNAL MEDICINE

OB/ GYN

OPHTHALMOLOGY

PEDIATRICS

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT “THE MATCH”BY LMSA EDITORIAL STAFF

THE MATCH PROCESS FROM THE OSTEOPATHIC PERSPECTIVEBY FELIPE CAMEROAMORTEGUI, PAMELA CASTRO, & LUCIE MITCHELL

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FEATURES 23 THE MATCHBy the LMSA writers & editors committee. Updated by Warren McCauley. Understand the in and outs of applying to residency programs and successfully matching. Topics include How the match works, the SOAP, and Non-ERAS applications.

30 OSTEOPATHIC SECTIONBy Felipe Cameroamortegui, Pamela Castro, & Lucie Mitchell. For all of our DO members. A section specific to your concerns including the osteopathic match time line, application information, the AOA/ACGME Merger and much more.

41 STUDENT TO STUDENT INTERVIEWSCompiled and edited by Cortlyn Brown and Abner Antonio Murray. Current residents and our alums answers all your questions about all the steps of matching, the transition from medical school to residency, and how things have changed since entering residency.

CO N T E N T S RESIDENCY GUIDE 2014 • 8TH EDITION

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On the Cover: University of Washington LMSA members Uriel Castañeda and Ashley Castillo before opening up their Match Day envelopes. On this page: From Left: Amy Moreno (Radiation Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center/ preliminary year at UC Irvine), Charisse Madimika (Internal medicine/primary YNHH), Maria Koenigs (ENT at Ohio state)

“United we aspire, together we achieve”

2

Population Health Programs:• InternalMedicine/PreventativeMedicine/MPH• InternalMedicine/MPH•Pediatrics/MPH

Learn more at http://residency.kp.org/ncal

Internal MedIcIne, ObstetrIcs/GynecOlOGy, OtOlarynGOlOGy, PedIatrIcs, POdIatry,

FaMIly MedIcIne,* cardIOlOGy FellOwshIP*Scheduled to start in July 2014

togetherwebuildabrighterfuture.

Kaiser Permanente Northern California Residency Programs

Our vision is an ambitious one…

toenddisparities,

helpeveryon getthecaretheyneed,

andmakebetter healtharealityforall.

follow us on Twitter follow up

www.SNMA.org Spring 2014 Residency Guide 3

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6 CONTRIBUTORS

7 FROM THE EDITORS

8 MISSIONS OF THE LMSA/SNMA

9 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDEMaximize what you get out of this guide. Details of sections and how to obtain the information that you need.

10 HISTORIES OF THE LMSA AND SNMAA brief history of each organization. our origins, where we have been, and where we are now.

12 TIPS FROM A FOURTH YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT

14 HOW TO CHOOSE A SPECIALT Y

16 APPLICATION TIME LINEA comprehensive timeline including various matching services in order to get into residency.

18 ELEC TRONIC APPLICATIONAm no an listening depending up believing. Enough around remove to

20 INTERVIEW TIPS Now seven world think timed while her. Spoil large oh he rooms on since

68 RESOURCES

SECTIONS

Diversity is making our community healthier.

1-866-UH4-CARE | 1-866-844-2273 UHhospitals.org

© 2012 University Hospitals COR 00277

University Hospitals’ commitment to diversity and inclusion embraces our patients and families, our work force, our business partners and the communities we serve. We respect and celebrate the diverse cultures, beliefs and identities of the individuals, groups and organizations with whom we work to achieve our mission – To Heal. To Teach. To Discover.

To learn more, visit UHhospitals.org/diversity.

University Hospitals is a proud sponsor of the Student National Medical Association.

4 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net

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© LMSA 2014. The LMSA Residency is published on a yearly basis. All reproduc-tion of this material is strictly prohibited without the consent of the LMSA. For

advertisement placement please contact [email protected].

ContributorsCortlyn BrownExecutive Editor

Student National Medical AssociationPublications Committee Co-Chair

Yale School of MedicineMD Candidate 2015

Abner Antonio MurrayExecutive Editor

Latino Medical Student AssociationPublications Committee Co-Chair

Student National Medical AssociationPublications Committee MemberCase Western Reserve University

MD/PhD Candidate 2020

Rucca AdemolaEditor

Student National Medical AssociationPublications Committee Member

University of North Carolina at Chapel HillBA in Women’s and Gender Studies and African

Studies 2013

Jonathan BatsonEditor

Student National Medical AssociationPublications Committee, Vice-Chair

Florida International UniversityBS in Biology 2013

Warren McCauleyEditor

Student National Medical AssociationPublications Committee Member

Duke University School of MedicineMD Candidate 2014

Garen Slay WolffEditor

Student National Medical AssociationPublications Committee Member

Indiana University School of MedicineMD Candidate 2016

Felipe CameroamorteguiWriter

Latino Medical Student AssociationPublications Committee Co-Chair

Michigan State University, DO/MPH Candidate 2015

Pamela CastroWriter

Latino Medical Student AssociationPublic Relations Committee Chair

Michigan State University, DO/MPH Candidate 2015

Lucie MitchellWriter

Student National Medical AssociationOsteopathic Schools Committee Chair

LMU-DCOMDO Candidate 2015

Alisha StephensWriter

Student National Medical AssociationAcademic Affairs Committee, Co-Chair

University of Connecticut School of MedicineMD Candidate 2014

Former LMSA writers and Editors:Heather Aguirre

Maria Arizmendi, MDAnika Backster, MDElizabeth Capifali

Claudia Castiblanco, MD Victor Cueto

Phil DeChavez, MD, MPHCristina Gamboa, MD

Alvaro GalvisDavida Gerena, MD

Elizabeth Homen- Sandoval, MDRafael Lemus-Rangel, MD

Michael Lopez, PhD Raymond Morales Emma B. OliveraLinda Paniagua

Orlando SolaEfrain Talamantes, MD, MBA

From the Editors...Dear LMSA and SNMA,

Since 2007, the LMSA has produced an incredibly informative residency guide and distributed it to its members at the LMSA national conference. This guide has evolved throughout the years but has always maintained the goal of furthering the success of all medical school students with particular focus on the challenges Latino medical students and physicians face.

This year, the SNMA decided it would benefit from a residency guide as well. In the spirit of collaboration, particularly of two organizations with very similar passions and missions, the SNMA Publications Committee reached out the LMSA Publications Committee and expressed interest on combining forces to produce the 2014 Residency Guide. This has been an incredible collaboration that we hope will continue for many years in the future.

As with past editions of the LMSA residency guide, this publication has several main components: choosing a residency, how to apply for residency, and what happens after The Match. This guide has also benefited from advertisements from residency programs as well as organizations focused on helping in the residency application process.

This was an incredible undertaking that would not have been possible without the help and support of many. Of particular note, we would like to thank the 2013-2014 LMSA Publication Committee as well as the 2013-2014 SNMA Publications Committee who not only updated and wrote the articles you will be reading but also provided constructive criticism without which this guide would not have been the same. We would also sincerely like to thank the past LMSA writers and editors whose brilliant idea and years of work on prior LMSA Residency

Guide editions have been the keystone of this current residency guide.

We are pleased to present the first LMSA/SNMA Residency Guide. We hope you enjoy.

Sincerely,

Cortlyn Brown and Abner MurrayExecutive Editors

If you would like to communicate with us, please write us at publications@

lmsa.net. All feedback is welcome and this publication would not be possible

without your participation.

www.SNMA.org Spring 2014 Residency Guide 7 6 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net

Contributors

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Mission of the LMSA/SNMAThe LMSA Mission is the following:

The Latino Medical Student Association unites and empowers medical students through service, mentorship and education to

advocate for the health of the Latino community.

The SNMA mission is the following:

Student National Medical Association (SNMA) is committed to supporting current and future underrepresented minority

medical students, addressing the needs of underserved communities, and increasing the number of clinically excellent, culturally competent and socially conscious physicians.

How to use this GuideBy the LMSA writers & editors committee

Updated by Rucca Ademola

On behalf of the 2014 the Latino Medical Student Association and the Student National Medical Association Executive Boards, we would like to introduce to you the LMSA/SNMA, “Residency Guide.” Its purpose is to provide information and resources to approach the residency application process.

The guide has the following main components: tips from a current fourth year, information on choosing a specialty, advice on how to apply including information about the interview and the match, osteopathic information and lastly, words and advice from numerous LMSA/SNMA alumni residents.

Your medical school will be instrumental in determining key dates and deadlines. Make sure to take advantage of your school’s career and residency guidance services. Early application planning will make the residency application process easier and stress free. While it is our intention to lay out the process

in a thorough and broad-based fashion we expect that you will use this guide as a resource in conjunction with information from your medical school.

Please do not hesitate to contact LMSA and SNMA alumni to get any of your questions answered and to give you a rundown of their experiences with the application process. Our alumni may be at programs you are interested in.

The residency guide covers over the years.

8 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net www.SNMA.org Spring 2014 Residency Guide 9

Mission of the LMSA/SNMA

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The History of the LMSA and SNMA

By Rucca Ademola, Raymond Morales, & Emma Olivera

The Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) organization began as the National Network of Latin American Medical Students (NNLAMS) in 1987, a network between pre-existing organizations with similar goals, but which were separated geographically. This network of latino(a) medical students is composed of five regions spanning the United States: Midwest (1983), Northeast (1972), Southeast (2003), Southwest (2003), West

(1982). In 2003, all five regional organizations were incorporated under one umbrella organization and subsequently received 501(c)(3) status establishing a unified, non‐profit, tax exempt organization. It has continued to evolve as an organization with national, as well as, regional aspirations and accomplishments through conferences, strategic affiliations, and the development of chapters in medical schools across the nation. In July 2009,

LMSA officially announced the transformation of NNLAMS into what is now known as the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA). The logo, adapted from the West region, was also altered to reflect the unity of all five regions under one name.

The Student National Medical Association (SNMA) is composed of ten regions around the United States who share the mission of constructing a strong network of students dedicated to increasing diversity in the healthcare profession and shaping culturally competent physicians. SNMA was originally founded as a sub-division of National Medical Association (NMA) in 1964. After growth and expansion, the SNMA became an independent organization in 1971. Soon thereafter, SNMA developed more chapters across the country in order to bring together medical students hoping to change the face of medicine. Throughout the 1980’s, SNMA vocalized opinions surrounding

the need to transform medical teaching by including cultural competency in medical school curriculums. SNMA’s advocacy and promotion of this theme has grown to include initiatives ranging from community outreach to HIV/Aids intervention.

Today, the SNMA and LSMA continue to successfully fulfill objectives pertinent to the increase of minority student recruitment, admission, and retention in schools training future healthcare professionals. In addition, they continue advocating for the healthcare needs of all people through educational enrichment programs, community engagement, and collaboration. ▪

www.SNMA.org Spring 2014 Residency Guide 11

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Tips from a Current Fourth Year Medical School Student

By Alisha Stephens

Medical school is a journey unlike no other; just as you master medications and the coagulation

cascade, your next task includes perfecting oral presentations on the wards and learning the finesse of scrubbing in for an OR case. As you venture through different specialties in third year, you will have many experiences that help you determine the field that is best for you. Fourth year is an exciting year. Between applying to residency programs, writing your personal statement, and traveling for interviews, it can be hard to feel excited with the abundance of tasks at hand. Here are a few tips for the major tasks ahead.

Planning your Fourth Year Schedule• Elective rotations can be used to gain skills

that will be useful in residency, explore an area you might not see in future training, or expand your knowledge in an area you love

• Electives during fourth year provide lots of flexibility. Consider traveling abroad or spending time at an institution other than your home school

• Away rotations are a great opportunity to explore new medical institutions. For those entering competitive fields or applying to competitive residency programs, away rotations may seem more stressful because they might serve as audition electives in which the programs have an opportunity to see your skills. Other students may prefer to

spend time in a field in which they will not pursue while on their away rotation. Either way, away rotations are an opportunity to gain first-hand experience in a program and interact with the faculty and house staff. Talk with your advisor about what opportunities are best for your career plans

• Review your schedule with your advisor before submission

• Many residency programs interview in October through January. Consider scheduling vacation time or a rotation that has flexible scheduling during interview season

• Consider speaking with your financial aid office regarding budgeting for interview traveling and application fees

Writing a Personal Statement• Don’t wait until the last minute to start

this, you may write many drafts until you are happy with the final product

• Start by brainstorming experiences and activities that motivated you to apply to that particular field

• Seek feedback on your statement from an advisor

Choosing Programs • The Association of American Medical

Colleges has a created a section on their website called Careers in Medicine that includes details regarding different medical specialties and advice for matching successfully

• If you feel overwhelmed by the plethora of residency programs, start by looking at programs in a particular region

• Program websites are a great source to learn about the unique features of programs

• Ask your advisor or Dean for a list of programs where recent graduates from your school matched

Completing your Residency Application

• There are tutorials and information online with instructions on how to use the features of the online application

• Update your CV before starting to complete your application, it will be easier to fill in the details about your experiences

• Be sure to save your information once you complete a page

• Proof read your application before submission

Before the Interview• Review your application, especially

the methods and results of the any research projects you completed

• Traveling to a new city? Considering scheduling time to visit a landmark or great restaurant in the area. Might as well take some time to explore an area you are considering moving to for residency

• Review commonly asked interview questions. Professional organizations for the field in which you are applying most likely have a list of questions on the student section of their website

• Prepare questions you have about the

interview program• Many residency programs host a

dinner the evening before interview day. You may have heard two schools of thoughts regarding attendance at the dinner. Some people say the dinner is just an opportunity to meet the residents, while others say it looks badly if you do not attend. In my opinion, if the program wanted to put a high weight on the dinner they would require attendance or schedule the dinner on the same day as the general interview. Programs understand that applicants are traveling and may not be able to attend. The dinner is a great way to meet the residents that may become your future colleagues. Take the time to ask questions and learn what they love about their program and location. Although it is an informal setting, it is important to remain professional.

As with any stage of medical school, some of the best advice you can receive is from the people that have walked the path before you. Don’t forget to ask the most recent graduates form your school or your colleagues in LMSA and SNMA for strategies that worked for them. Success comes easy to those who are prepared. Organization will help you achieve everything you need to do. Enjoy every stage of fourth year!

12 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net www.SNMA.org Spring 2014 Residency Guide 13

Tips from a Current Fourth Year Medical School Student

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How to Choose a SpecialtyBy the LMSA writers & editors committee

Updated by Garen Slay Wolff

Once a medical degree is obtained, physicians must complete supervised training in the field of

their specialty in order to obtain a medical license and the appropriate certifications. This is a stage of graduate medical education (GME) called residency training. Selecting a residency is both an exciting and challenging step in a budding physician’s career.

Typically, you need to start narrowing the choice of specialization by the end of third year. Meet with your medical school faculty, advisors, and deans to get feedback on your choices along the way. The choice of residency is highly personalized—no one can tell you what is best, except you. However, there are many resources that can help the decision process.

The Association of American Medical Colleges offers a website that can help medical students select a specialty and residency program, successfully land a residency position, and plan the trajectory of a medical career. (Resource #1).

Once you have selected a field, you can start searching for accredited residency training programs. The accrediting body for U.S. residency programs is the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). It is important that the programs you investigate, and subsequently apply for, are ACGME accredited. (Resource #3).

The American Medical Association (AMA) hosts a searchable online database of accredited Graduate Medical Education programs called Fellowship and Residency Electronic

Interactive Database (FREIDA, Resource # 4). The Graduate Medical Education Directory, also called the “green book,” is a hard copy publication that lists accredited residency programs published by the AMA. You can also find detailed information and stats on the residency match process at the National Residency Matching Program website (NRMP, Resource #6). ▪

THE WARREN ALPERT MEDICAL SCHOOL OF BROWN UNIVERSITY VALUES DIVERSITY

459 total students• 23% underrepresented in medicine• 54% women• 101 undergraduate institutions• 41 states, 5 countries represented

776 residents and fellows

2,172 campus and hospital-based faculty

Visit the O� ce of Diversity and Multicultural A� airs at http://brown.edu/academics/medical/diversity

14 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net

How to Choose a Specialty

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By Abner Antonio Murray

Year Prior to Match: January-May Determine eligibility for residency January-September Identify prospective programs January- July Compose CV and Personal Statement Determine your matching program - National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Main

Match - American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Match - Urology/Specialty Match - San Francisco Match - Joint Service Graduate Medical Education Selection

Board (JSGMESB) Match - CaRMS April- September Obtain letters of recommendation April-December Determine when to sit for Step 2 CK April-Graduation Pre-Licensure documentation - Collect CA, IL, OK Clerk Verification June Introduction to ERAS Download ERAS 2013 applicant manuals American Urological Association registration opens Ophthalmology registration begins July 1 MyERAS Opens. Register with MyERAS DO applicants can begin applying to AOA residency

programs July 15 AOA Programs contact ERAS PostOffice to download

applications. Plastic surgery registration begins July-September Send your transcripts to ERAS July- October Send letters of recommendations to ERAS August Register for the NRMP Match August Register for the Canadian Match, or CaRMS August-October Send your Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE)

to ERAS September Last day to register

Application Sept. 15 NRMP registration opens. Begin applying to ACGME

programs. ACGME Programs contact ERAS PostOffice to download

applications October- January Schedule and attend interviews October 1 Universal MSPE available date November Urology Rank Order List (ROL) submission and

certification open ROL submission deadline November 30 Last day to register without late fee December Last month to sit for Step 2 CS and Receive scores on time Urology registration deadline Military match results available December-February Pre-Match December-January SF Match ROL submission and certification

Match Year: January Urology ROL submission and certification deadline Ophthalmology ROL submission and certification

deadline Neurotology registration begins Ophthalmology match results available Late Jan Urology match results available Jan. 15 ROL entry opens Jan. 31 Quota deadline for signing Pre-Match February AOA Match results available ROL submission and certification deadline March NRMP Match Results March Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) March-Grad Report your Pre-Match or SOAP Results March-Grad Begin collecting licensure documentation May Plastic Surgery ROL submission and certification deadline Plastic Surgery match results available June-July Start residency October Neurotology ROL submission and certification deadline Neurotology match results available

Timeline

www.SNMA.org Spring 2014 Residency Guide 17 16 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net

Application Timeline

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The Electronic ApplicationBy the LMSA writers & editors committee

Updated by Garen Slay Wolff

The application process for residency will require seven major materials in support of your

application: Application Form, Personal Statement, Curriculum Vitae, Letters of Reference, The Dean’s Letter (Student Performance Evaluation), U.S. Medical Licensure Exam Transcripts, and Medical School Transcripts. All U.S. medical students applying for residency will need to submit an application to the residency programs. Most programs utilize the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), a service sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), that transmits residency applications and supporting materials between applicants and residency programs. It is your responsibility to determine if a particular residency program utilizes ERAS. You should visit the ERAS website (Resource #2) to view their current list of participating residency programs. It is best to contact the residency program directly if there are doubts about their participation with ERAS. The ACGME has an online search tool available to search by state and/or specialty (Resource #3).

ERAS call their application form the Common Application Form (CAF) or

“MyERAS” application. In mid-June, on the ERAS website, an ERAS manual will be posted with detailed instructions on how to use the ERAS application service. Your medical school will distribute a “token” number in late June-early July (depending on the school). This “token” can be used to access “MyEras” to work on your application and personal statements. The ERAS application becomes available in July.

The ERAS uses a central database to store your application and supporting materials on what is called the ERAS Post Office. Application materials will be submitted to the ERAS Post Office by you, your Dean’s Office, or a third party such as the National Board of Medical Examiners (Resource # 5).

Residency programs will download your completed application from the ERAS Post Office.

You can start sending your completed application to residency programs on September 1st. The deadline for submitting applications is determined by each individual residency program and not the ERAS. Therefore, you must contact programs directly to receive deadline information.

Upon submitting your ERAS application, check your e-mail and ERAS account daily for interview offers. ▪

Mayo Clinic offers outstanding opportunities to prepare talented learners to transform clinical care, research and education. The College of Medicine fosters a diverse learning environment creating the excellence required to prepare the health care workforce of the future.

Mayo Clinic offers outstanding opportunities to prepare talented learners to

Discover the Unique Experiencesof the College of Medicine

Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education is an outstanding place for residents and fellows to advancetheir knowledge and skills in medicine and research.

The Visiting Medical Clerkship offers four-week clinical rotations at one of Mayo Clinic’s campuses in Arizona, Florida or Minnesota and can be subsidized by a $2,500 diversity scholarship. Visiting medical students become active members of a multidisciplinary health care team and attend teaching rounds and conferences, take patient histories, perform physical examinations, and assist with operating room and other procedures.

Mayo Medical School emphasizes a patient-centered focus, augmented by the expertise, compassion and traditions of Mayo Clinic to educate and prepare medical students to be physician leaders in 21st century medicine.

www.mayo.edu ©2012 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Rochester, Minnesota Jacksonville, Florida Phoenix/ Scottsdale, Arizona

Contra Costa Regional Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Program

Full-spectrum, challenging, hands-on training focused on serving a diverse population in a safety-net healthcare system with compassion and dedication.

Unopposed Family Physician "Registrar" System

Culturally Diverse Population Global Health Track

Where we do the common things uncommonly well.

2500 Alhambra Avenue Martinez, CA 94553 Email: [email protected]

www.cchealth.org/residency (925) 370-5117

18 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net

The Electronic Application

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Interview and Travel Tips and Information

By the LMSA writers & editors committee

Updated by Jonathan Batson

Early Match SpecialtiesSince Dean’s letters do not go out until

November, some programs will base their decision to invite you for an interview based on your application, letters of reference, and boards scores.

Traveling (Pack Light)Try to avoid checking your suitcase and take

it as carry-on. This way you do not risk not having a suit in case your luggage gets lost.

Flight Deals

Check out the website http://www.mobissimo.com for a comprehensive comparison for plane tickets. http://fly.com is also helpful.

Rescheduling InterviewsIf multiple interviews dates fall on the

same day, you can reschedule some of your interviews with other dates to enable you to attend as many interviews as possible.

PicturesERAS will also require you submit a picture.

From Right to Left: Maria Koenigs (ENT at

Ohio state) & Jorge Ramallo (Med

Peds at UIC)

University of Washington LMSA

members Uriel Castañeda and Ashley

Castillo couples matched at Emory

University. Here they are celebrating

the great news at the 30th Annual

LMSA-West Regional Conference on March

22nd. Uriel matched into Pediatrics and

Ashley matched into the Internal

Medicine- Primary Care Track program.

Leisel Martin (Psych at YNHH)

Improving health and health care for all

UC Davis Health System physicians, researchers, nurses, students and staff are a

reflection of California’s unique diversity and offer high-quality, compassionate and

culturally relevant care, with the goal of reducing health disparities for all. Widely

recognized for excellence:

n UC Davis Health system was named “Best-in-Class” by the Institute for Diversity

in Health Management in 2012 for improving diversity management through the

recruitment, retention and promotion of minority individuals.

n UC Davis School of Medicine offers curricula and programs in delivering culturally

competent care for underserved populations.

n On average, 25 percent of our incoming first-year medical students identify with

groups historically underrepresented in medicine.

To learn more about our award-winning and diverse health system, visit healthsystem.ucdavis.edu

SOM ad.indd 1 4/7/14 1:49 PM

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Interview and Travel Tips and Information

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Other specialties that do not participate in ERAS may require you to bring passport pictures to each program you interview at.

Second Look Opportunities:

Some residency programs have an Office of Minority Affairs or Development where they can accommodate

you in getting your questions answered and linking up with house staff that share your background and/or similar interests. Many of these programs will offer meet-greet sessions/dinners/second look events after the interview day to address issues or questions that may not have been answered. You also have the opportunity to meet current minority residents/faculty during these events and discuss their experiences. These are great opportunities to find out more about the programs and opportunities available to you as a potential resident in the program.

Questions to ask yourself…• Are you happy here?• What are the strengths of this

program?• Are the faculty accessible?• What is the patient population

like?• Have I evaluated all the hospitals

I may rotate at in this program?• Do you feel you will receive enough

teaching?• Do you have protected learning

time?• How are the ancillary services?• Does the program provide a

pleasant learning experience?• How have residents done in terms

of receiving fellowships?• Do they have problems matching?• Do residents feel prepared upon

graduation?• How receptive is the program to

suggestions and feedback?• How are the residents evaluated

and how often?• Benefits? Health care insurance?

Salary? Housing options? Childcare?

• Does this program offer vacation time or academic funds?

You bet they will ask…

• Tell me about yourself?

• Why did you choose this specialty?• Why did you choose this program?• Where do you see yourself in 10-15 years?• Why did you participate in a certain activity?• Where are your strengths?• Where are your weaknesses?• What was the most interesting patient you have

seen?• What was the most challenging experience for

you during medical school?• What kind of people do you enjoy working with?• Why did you get a particular grade?• What do you like to do for fun? ▪

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PsychiatryDIVERSITY MATTERS

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AddictionsChild-AdolescentForensicsGeriatricsInterventional Psychiatry

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MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

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Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Charleston, SC 29425

psychres [email protected]

22 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net

Interview and Travel Tips and Information

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By the LMSA writers & editors committee

Updated by Warren McCauley

The MatchAll you need to know for successful residency application and

Match process

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Th e

purpose of the Main Residency Match is to provide a uniform time for both applicants and programs to make their training selections without pressure. Applicants must register for both the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) separately. ERAS provides a forum for applicants to upload their application materials and apply to residency programs. NRMP provides a forum for applicants to rank the residency programs at which they interviewed. Applicants are able to register for ERAS beginning in July.

The NRMP is a private, non-profit corporation which oversees the appointment of positions in U.S. Graduate Medical Education. In other words, they match residency programs with medical student applicants. The NRMP is not an application service. Instead, it is a matching service and acts as an unbiased third party that utilizes the preferences of both applicants and residency programs to create a “match.” Applicants should remember to rank programs in order of their true preference and not where they think they will match.

The deadline for altering rankings and certifying

lists is in late February. All rankings must be completed by this deadline, effectively ending the application/interview season. Once the rankings are completed the results are announced by the NRMP on Match Day (mid-March). These results are binding and only in rare cases will programs or applicants be able to waive the results of the Match, as per the agreement you enter once you register for the Match. Some applicants may need to go through an additional matching service other than the NRMP. Those wishing to match in urology will need to register for the American Urological Association Match Service (www.auanet.org). Those wishing to match in neurotology, plastic surgery, or ophthalmology will need to register for the San Francisco Match Service (www.sfmatch.org). Both the AUA and SF Match have their own application processes and timelines.

How Does Match Work?

The NRMP matching algorithm uses the preferences expressed on the rank lists

submitted by applicants and residency programs. The process begins with an attempt to match the applicant to the program most preferred on that applicant’s rank list. If the applicant cannot be matched to their first choice program, an attempt is then made to place the applicant

into their second choice program, and so on, until the

applicant obtains a tentative match, or all the applicant’s choices have been exhausted. An applicant can be tentatively matched to a program if the program also ranks the applicant on its rank list, and either:

• The program has an unfilled position, in which case, there is room in the program to make a tentative match between the applicant and program, or

• The program does not have an unfilled position, but the applicant is more attractive to the program than another applicant who is already tentatively matched to the program. In this case, the applicant who is less preferred by the program is removed to make room for a tentative match with the more preferred applicant.

Matches are “tentative” because an applicant who is matched to a program at one point in the matching process may be removed from the program at a later point, to make room for an applicant more preferred by the program. When an applicant is removed from a previously made tentative match, an attempt is made to re-match that applicant, starting from the top of his/her list. This process is carried out for all applicants, until each applicant has either been tentatively matched to their most preferred choice possible, or all choices submitted by the applicant have been exhausted. When all applicants have been considered, the match is complete and all tentative matches become final.

Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP)

The SOAP is uti l ized by

applicants who are completely unmatched (did not attain an intern year or advanced position) or partially matched (attained an intern year position or advanced position, but not both) thorough the NRMP. For example, most anesthesiology residency programs offer advanced and categorical positions. Categorical positions include all years of training, including intern year. Advanced positions do not include an intern year, which

26 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net

The Match

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allows applicants to fulfill this requirement through preliminary or transitional year programs. Thus, it is possible for an applicant to match into an advanced program and not match into a preliminary or transitional year program for their intern year. Such an applicant would be considered partially matched and SOAP eligible.

On Monday of Match Week, applicants are notified as to whether or not they have completely matched. Applicants are not told the specific program at which they have matched. To be eligible for the SOAP, applicants must be: 1) registered for the Main Residency Match, 2) completely or partially unmatched, and 3) eligible to enter Graduate Medical Education on July 1 of the year of the Main Residency Match. All applicants are notified of their SOAP eligibility status on the Friday prior to Match Week. This notification is not an indication as to whether or not applicants have matched via the NRMP.

The SOAP process is very similar to the Main Residency Match. Applicants who meet the above criteria, can access the list of unfilled programs for those positions which they are eligible on Monday of Match Week. Applicants can only apply to unfilled Match-participating programs that are participating in SOAP and are required to use ERAS to submit their applications. Applicants are able to apply only for the categorical, preliminary and/or advanced unfilled positions for which they are eligible.

Based on the ERAS applications they receive, program directors may contact applicants via virtual interviews via phone, email, etc. SOAP concludes at 5:00 pm ET on Thursday of Match Week. Programs may contact applicants at any time during this period so it is imperative that applicants be available.

Based upon the ERAS applications

they receive, program directors create preference lists of applicants in the R3 system. The R3 system is a list of unfilled programs for unmatched applicants to view. The list is dynamic in that it allows program directors to update the number of unfilled positions as they are filled. The R3 system uses a series of rounds to offer positions to applicants in order of the program preference list and according to the number of unfilled positions remaining in the program during each round.

Applicants can receive multiple offers in any round. It is important to note that positions offered and accepted during SOAP establish a binding commitment enforced by the Match Participation Agreement. If an applicant rejects an offer, it will not be extended again. Additionally, positions fill extremely quickly. Therefore, it is important to make an honest assessment of any offer and seriously consider whether to accept it.

Non-ERAS and Special Cases

Applicants applying into the Early March Specialties

(ophthalmology and urology) will have an accelerated matching process and should consult their respective program directors. If a program does not participate in the ERAS, it is likely that they are one of the early match residency programs or a military residency program. These residency programs that do not use ERAS may have their own electronic or paper based application service, which should be consulted.

• The San Francisco Match: neurotology, ophthalmology, plastic surgery

• The Urology Match ▪

28 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net

The Match

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Osteopathic By Felipe Cameroamortegui, Pamela Castro, &

Lucie Mitchell

Do you need to take USMLE as an osteopathic student?The answer is yes and no. No program can deny your application if you just submit your COMLEX scores; however,

they may choose to not consider you. This is program dependent. At some programs, your chances may be increased if you take the USMLE. Choosing to take only COMLEX depends on how competitive an applicant is and how competitive their specialty choice is. COMLEX is based on the COMS curriculum while USMLE is based on the LCGME curriculum.

A D.O. must pass all 3 parts of the COMLEX only to be licensed as a D.O. If you fail any exam and the state licensing board inquires, you must report your results, which becomes a part of your permanent record that your state licensing board keeps! You double the cost, preparation time, etc. by taking both exams. Some ACGME programs will accept candidates with COMLEX only. You can take the USMLE Step 2, without taking USMLE Step 1. There is not a consensus if this is helpful, however, I would like to make you aware of this option.

All things you need to know as an Osteopathic medical student applying

to residency

Section

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Osteopathic positions you may apply to:

OPTION 1 (OGME-1 REsIdENT) = sPEcIalTy TRack

The first postdoctoral year will be the first year of residency. This is the same as the current specialty track model. All trainees will receive residency credit for this 1st year of training. These positions will be known as OGME-1 Resident.

OPTION 2 (OGME-1 PRElIMINaRy)= sPEcIal EMPhasIs

The first postdoctoral year is not included in the residency, but is a specific preliminary entrance requirement into the specialty to produce an enhanced educational opportunity for that specialty. The trainee will have been accepted into the OGME-2 specialty while a senior in osteopathic medical school. These positions will be recorded by the AOA as Preliminary Interns and be known as OGME-1 Preliminary.

OPTION 3 (OGME- 1 TRadITIONal)= TRadITIONal

Rotating InternshipThis first postdoctoral year is not included

in the residency, but is available in the format of a Traditional Rotating Internship. It may be utilized by any osteopathic graduate uncertain of residency plans or those who want a single year program. These positions will be recorded by the AOA as OGME-1 Traditional.

What happens if you choose not to do an Osteopathic Internship?

There are five states (PA, OK, FL, WV, and MI) which require completion of an osteopathic internship in order to be licensed to practice in that state. Without this internship or osteopathic approval you are unable to

participate in a residency, fellowship, or practice in these five states.

Osteopathic Match Application Info:• The osteopathic match occurs through

the National Matching Services (NMS).• You will sign up in September for this

match after you are provided a pin number from your medical school.

• The initial fee is $60 to sign up for this match! http://www.natmatch.com/aoairp/

• For the DO match, your Rank Order List is created on the AOA Intern/Resident Registration Program website www.natmatch.com/aoairp/

• You can go here to find information on the match algorithm: http://www.natmatch.com/aoairp/ (click on “match process”)

Osteopathic Match Timeline:

JuNE

• Beginning in June, students can download the Agreement form for participation in the AOA Intern/Resident Registration Program (the “Match”) from this website: https://natmatch.com/aoairp/. To register for the Match, each student must return a signed agreement to National Matching Services Inc. accompanied by the appropriate registration fee

July - JaNuaRy

• Students must apply to programs independently of the Match (via ERAS). Programs receive applications and interview students independently of the Match. Application deadlines for programs vary; therefore students should check with programs regarding their deadline dates

A lifetime of care.

CHOOSE RHEUMATOLOGYMake a difference by selecting rheumatology as a subspecialty

50 million Americans are waiting for you to choose rheumatology as your subspecialty, and the American College of Rheumatology is here to help you make the choice.

What is Rheumatology?Rheumatology is the pathogenesis, diagnosis and management of over 100 complex diseases including: autoimmune disease, arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions. Rheumatologists also see patients with inflammatory disease like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and scleroderma and common musculoskeletal diseases like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Rheumatologist care for a wide array of patients – from children to senior citizens.

Lifestyle of a Rheumatologist Work-life balance

Exciting research opportunities

High demand and competitive compensation

Rewarding long-term patient relationships

Huge impact on quality-of-life issues

Variety of fellowship and funding opportunities

Happiness! (the happiest specialty is rheumatology!)

32 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net

Osteopathic Section:

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auGusT - sEPTEMbER

• Each institution offering osteopathic internship positions beginning in 2007 must provide their information on the program(s) being offered by the institution in the Match to the National Matching Services

OcTObER

• Recommended date by which students should return their Agreements and registration fees to National Matching Services Inc.

EaRly NOvEMbER

• By this date, a listing of programs participating in the Match will be available on this website

laTE NOvEMbER

• By this date, instructions for submitting Rank Order Lists and obtaining Match results will be provided to registered students and programs

laTE JaNuaRy

• Final date for submission of student and program Rank Order Lists. No Rank Order Lists or Agreements can be accepted after this date

MId FEbRuaRy

Results of the Match are released to all participants in the Match (students and institutions), as well as to the colleges of osteopathic medicine

Osteopathic Scramble:Students who fail to match initially are

provided with information on programs with available positions for them to contact. Likewise, programs with available positions are provided with information regarding unmatched students to contact. Thus,

opportunities to obtain a position may still exist after the Match. Unmatched students may receive emails from programs that did not fill. If you have to scramble, go back to your medical school so that they may help you.▪

The AOA ACGME Merger

There have been many questions regarding this exciting merger, which would create a

great opportunity for osteopathic medicine to be more widely recognized as well as secures fellowship access to osteopathic students. While many details are still in the works, here is brief summary of information gathered from American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA):1. Starting July 2015 to July 2020, all AOA

residencies will transition to ACGME certification. ACGME boards will incorporate osteopathic representatives from the AOA and AACOM on all its residency review boards and main bodies (except were the AOA had no original residency programs). The AOA will stop certifying residencies past 2020.

2. Residency directors will be MDs and DOs who are both AOA and American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) certified depending on the rules set by each residency review board.

3. Before the merger, any DO doing an AOA residency (except for dually accredited) was not eligible for ACGME fellowships unless they qualified for an “exceptional” status and took the USMLE boards. DOs graduating from AOA residencies were eligible for some fellowships and select programs did accept the AOA traditional internship while others did not.

At UCSF we are committed to training physicians from all backgrounds, including those from groups traditionally underrepresented in medicine. UCSF offers abundant opportunities in over 72 accredited residency and clinical fellowship programs allowing trainees to pursue career goals in clinical care, advanced subspecialty training, health care policy, clinical epidemiology, and basic science and health services research.

University of California, San FranciscoOffice of Graduate Medical Education

To learn more, visit: medschool.ucsf.edu/gme. Interested 4th year U.S. medical students are also encouraged to apply for a Visiting Elective Scholarship. Please contact Dr. René Salazar, GME Director of Diversity for more information: [email protected] or (415) 476-1578.

34 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net

Osteopathic Section: The AOA ACGME Merger

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4. When the merger begins in 2016, all osteopathic residents whose residencies have applied for certification (they do not have to be certified but can be in the process) will receive temporary pre-accreditation and will be eligible to apply to all ACGME fellowships. AOA transitional years will also count towards meeting ACGME requirements.

5. Once the residency program is certified, students in osteopathic focused residencies (prior AOA residencies) will become ACGME certified. This will ensure residents are eligible for all ACGME opportunities and fellowships without any limitations.

6. AOA residencies can apply for certification multiple times and no residency will be denied certification based on size.

7. MDs and International medical graduates (IMGs) will be eligible for AOA residencies and fellowships once they become ACGME certified but must fulfill several requirements to be determined by the AOA and ACGME. Residencies will also have the choice of sponsoring visas for IMG’s or refusing to do so.

8. Residents whose AOA residencies are 4 years but ACGME residencies are three will be dealt with by the specific residency committee in terms of compensation.

9. Osteopathic residencies unique to the profession (such as NMS residencies) will also become ACGME certified and will be assigned a special residency review committee created specifically for that field.

10. A single match was not part of the deal since different corporations run matching programs. Nevertheless, there has been strong support of a single match and is part of the current planning.

11. COMLEX and USMLE will still be required depending on the residency program. Residents in programs who take the COMLEX will not be then required to take USMLE boards prior to entering

fellowships. 12. The AOA will continue to provide

specialty board certification. Graduates of osteopathic focused programs will be eligible for both allopathic and osteopathic state boards.

13. Resolution 42 will still be used in Oklahoma, Michigan, Florida, and Virginia for the immediate future. Nevertheless, there has been some thought that these states will drop their AOA traditional year requirement once the merger becomes functional.

Please consult the AOA and AACOM websites for up to date information, FAQ’s, and further information.▪

Comprehensive Osteopathic

Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) vs. United States

Medical Licensing Examination

(USMLE)

This is a decision that every osteopathic student considers when board time

approaches. Whether it is advisable and necessary to take both boards depends on each student and their future goals. Here are some things to consider:

1. Both tests cover the same material but differ in the way they test. COMLEX tends

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36 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net

Osteopathic Section: COMPLEX vs. USMLE

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to be a more clinically guided test while the USMLE is more molecular based. Some DO students do better in one or the other depending on their test taking style. Please explore this difference if considering taking both and use question banks design for each specific test instead of just one overall. Also, take into account the cost of taking each exam.

2. If you are interested in only AOA accredited residencies then this is not an issue and the USMLE is not needed. Remember that all AOA residencies will become ACGME accredited so the benefits will be the same in terms of applying for fellowships

3. Over 77% of all allopathic residencies take the COMLEX. Please look into the desired field and see if the USMLE is required. For example, primary care has a vast number of allopathic residencies that will accept the COMLEX while surgery has very limited number of allopathic residencies that would consider the test. In addition, different regions tend to be more or less COMLEX friendly so please look into the specific area you want to apply for residency in terms of allopathic programs.

4. Before making the decision of taking both exams, take diagnostics and analyze if you will score well on both exams. Doing well on both exams will open many residency opportunities. Nevertheless, doing well in one and not the other might actually be more detrimental than just taking the COMLEX. Some residencies might not consider you if you have a bad USMLE but might have considered you if you were applying with only a COMLEX score. Other residencies will not care about a bad COMLEX if you have a good USMLE. Be wise before making a decision.

5. If applying in both the allopathic and osteopathic match, remember that if you match osteopathically, you are automatically withdrawn for the allopathic match. Taking both exams could better your chances of matching into a desired

field but might be a waste of money if you are going to both matches and know you have a high chance of matching osteopathically. This is especially true if matching into duel allopathic and osteopathic residency programs or an allopathic program (77% of them) which takes the COMLEX.

6. Some allopathic residencies who do not accept the COMLEX may take COMLEX level one but require USMLE step 2 which is an option that might be considered

In conclusion, taking both board examinations and scoring well is a huge benefit. Nevertheless, this is a perfect scenario and many things must be considered including time, money, desire to match into a specific residency, and actual performance. Please be wise in making your decision. In addition, it is good to remember that if you change your mind, you may take the USMLE at any time. ▪

DIVISION OF DIVERSITY AND HEALTH EQUITY

APA/SAMHSA MINORITY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION

Your Professional Partner Throughout Your Career

The American Psychiatric Association is a national medical specialty society, 35,000 physician members specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illnesses including substance use disorders.

APA’s Division of Diversity and Health Equity works to:

• Increase understanding of mental health needs of diverse and underserved populations • Forge alliances to help prevent and eliminate mental health disparities • Increase diversity in psychiatry and psychiatry leadership • Foster professional well-being of psychiatrists from underserved groups • Promote education and training and increase workforce diversity through the Minority

Fellowships and scholarships for residents and medical students.

For more information about our medical student programs visit us at: www.Psychiatry.org/minority-fellowship Free videos by request: “Real Psychiatry: Doctors in Action”

Mental Health: A Guide for African American and their Families and Fact Sheets on Mental Health Disparities are also available by request. Also visit www.psych.org and www.healthyminds.org or call 888-35-PSYCH or 703-907-7300.

"Mental Health: A Guide for Latinos and their Families"

www.SNMA.org Spring 2014 Residency Guide 39 38 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net

Osteopathic Section: COMPLEX vs. USMLE

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“The interview trail really gives you a new perspective regarding what type of program will help you grow.”

— Kito Lord

“Do not try to think about what they might want to hear, just be yourself. Don’t hide your deficiencies, address them with confidence. you go visit. ”

— Roberto Fernandez

“Be kind to EVERYONE. Some programs will ask their cleaning staff who was disrespectful and immediately eliminate applicants that way. ”

— Jessica Fowler

“Being called ‘the doctor’ was strange at first, and it is hard to be the one responsible for making decisions, especially early on in intern year... ”

— Christina Fernandez

S t u d e n t -to-Student Interviews

Insights on all things Match from the LMSA and SNMA class of 2013

—By Abner Antonio Murray & Cortlyn Brown

“[lifestyle] is essentially everything. If you are interested but hate your schedule you will never be happy ”

— Stacey Pereira

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The Application ProcessName How did you decide which

programs to apply to and determine which ones

would be safety vs. reach programs?

What were the challenges when applying for residency?

What was the most

surprising thing about applying to residency?

Craig Andrews

They were all reach programs to me, and talked to my adviser to see which

ones to apply for

1. Paperwork, setting time aside to do what needs to be done

2. Meeting the right personnel

I got in

John Paul Sanchez

I wanted to stay local and be near friends, family and

community. There is no easy answer to safety vs reach

programs. Some programs will be a better match for

you because of mutual personal and professional

interests. The most difficult part is figuring out how

well you will get along with others in the residency

program. Take the time to get to know residents and

faculty in the residency program to assess mutual

interests in community, teaching, research and other

important aspects.

The interviews

were straight forward.

Interviewers just want to get to know

you and whether you would be a

good match, personally

and professionally.

Emergency MedicineMeet the Residents

Name Medical School and Degree Obtained?

Residency Program (residency type,

hospital name, and year)

What are your life goals in terms of medicine?

What tools did you use when

applying to residency?

Craig Andrews

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center In

Shreveport, MD

Emergency Medicine, Earl K Long Medical

Center/Now Our Lady Of The Lake

Continue to learn, adapt, treat patients fairly

Kito Lord Howard University College of Medicine,

MD

Emergency Medicine, Yale-New Haven

Hospital

Ultimately, I would like to practice emergency medicine in an academic environment

within hospital administration with goals of one day being a

departmental chair

I applied mostly geographically and reputation based

John Paul Sanchez

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

2006, MD with a Distinction in

Research

Emergency Medicine, Jacobi Medical Center

2006-2010

To practice and serve in academia through teaching and research.

Name How did you decide which programs to apply to and

determine which ones would be safety vs. reach

programs?

What were the challenges when applying for residency?

What was the most

surprising thing about applying to residency?

Kito Lord I clicked a lot of buttons. When it comes to the

application process, do not limit your applications

secondary to money. Consider taking out

additional loans. Where you do residency and which

residency will dictate the rest of your life. Do not let a few hundred dollars limit your options. You will make it back numerous times over

with a more options.

Prepare... Prepare... Prepare. 1. Always get more letters of recommendation than you

need. At least two of them should be from people who know you well. There is nothing worse than a weak letter of recommendation to hurt you.

2. Help your letter writers. During my emergency medicine Sub-I, I carried around a feedback list. After every shift, I would ask my attending how I did and request he/she to make a comment. By the end of the rotation, I had a long list of amazing comments that I sent to my letter writers and clerkship director. I’m not sure whether this made a difference or not but it sure did not hurt.

3. Procrastination. ERAS takes forever to complete. I recommend finding a friend in your medical school to help one another with your applications. You need friends who are not scared to give you negative feedback and send you back to the drawing board when your application needs improvement. Also, you want to get application into ERAS as soon as they open.

4. Theme. Try to focus your CV, personal statement and career goals together. If your CV is filled with community service, stating you would love to be a researcher is not supported in your history.

The biggest surprise I

learned was that things I thought I wanted in residency

turned out to be far less important.

The interview trail really gives you

a new perspective regarding

what type of program will

help you grow.

InterviewingName How many interviews

did you go on? If you had to do it over, how many

would you go on?

Any advice for Interviewing?

Craig Andrews

6 all of them Be well dressed, on time, do not fall sleep during sessions.

Kito Lord I would not change how many I went on. I learned a lot regarding what I needed in a program. This was true even if the program was not

at the top of my rank list.

1. If you are crazy at baseline, avoid your natural behavior during the interview. Attendings and residents have to spend 3-7 years working with you. They want to make sure, at a minimum, you will be easy to work with.

2. Always talk about what you will do in the future rather than what you’re interested in. “I want to be an ultrasound director” sound much stronger than, “I really like ultrasound.”

3. It is a match for a reason. They will tell you how they will help you reach your goals. Make sure they understand how you will contribute to the residency program.

John Paul Sanchez

4. Practice, practice, practice. Reach out to current residents and ask them what questions to expect.

42 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net www.SNMA.org Spring 2014 Residency Guide 43

Student-to-Student Interviews: Emergency Medicine

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Picking a ProgramName What factors

were you considering in your decision

making process?

Were you sure of what you wanted to do early

on? If not, what were you deciding between and why

did you go with one over the other?

Why did you pick your field? When did you know that “this is what I want to

do”?

How much do you think lifestyle

should matter when you are selecting a

field?

Craig Andrews

According to my advisor

No, it wasn’t until I did a rotation that I really thought

I wanted to do and found out it was not for me. I did a

rotation in EM and enjoyed it.

It is fun, interactive, and allowed me to have an

enjoyable lifestyle.

A big part for me

Kito Lord 1. Does your ER have admitting privileges?

2. Elective time.3. Faculty

mentorship4. Resources

outside the hospital.

5. Do the resident seem supportive?

Picking a career with the little information you are presented in medical school is difficult. If you are torn between two or 3 different specialties, aim for

the more difficult of the three. If you change your mind, you then have a stellar application

for the less competitive specialty.

When picking a field it is okay to incorporate life style, reimbursement and personal

satisfaction. For whatever reason, these factors are

always somewhat taboo. You have dedicated your life to help others. You should do a specialty that makes you

happy.

I think it is silly not to incorporate

the things that make you happy

into your decision making. It will be

your “lifestyle” after all. Certain decisions, such as inpatient vs.

outpatient or surgery vs. non-operative can

really help narrow down what will make

you happy.

Now that you are in ResidencyName What was the hardest part of the medical school to

residency transition?What has been the hardest thing about

residency for you?Craig

AndrewsMoving Sleep schedule is always off.

Kito Lord Second half of senior year is filled with free time. Internship is not. I think the drastic change in free time was difficult at first. Also, as an intern, you are learning medicine and a hospital system at the same time, which

can be challenging. The good part is that there are a number of co-interns and residents to help support you.

The hardest thing in residency and medicine overall is leaving your family and friends behind. You miss weddings, babies being

born and holidays. At the same time, I am privileged to save lives every day I work.

Looking BackName What would you redo if you had the

opportunity?Anything you know now that you wish you would’ve

known during the application process?Craig

AndrewsPut more emphasis into studying the correct

way so I would have had better grades.Be prepared to suck up.

Kito Lord Nothing. I try to live life with no regrets and learn from my mistakes.

Always send thank you letters and follow up with programs you will rank highly. Many programs do note the number

of times you correspond and communicate.

Family MedicineMeet the Residents

Name Medical School and Degree Obtained?

Residency Program

(residency type, hospital name,

and year)

What are your life goals in terms of medicine?

What tools did you

use when applying to residency?

Krys Foster Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, MD &

MPH

Family and Community

Medicine Residency Program, Thomas

Jefferson University Hospital

I want to be a strong physician, one who is knowledgeable and competent, one who

works well in collaboration with others. I am interested in at some point being involved in medical education, either from the medical

student or residency training side. I would like to be involved in my community as a physician

as well as a community advocate. I hope to further my knowledge of medicine and public

health, and use this to the advantage of my patients, their families, and the communities

they live in. I would like my career to be focused around outpatient prevention. I am

also interested in possibly being involved as an adviser or dean for minority medical students/

residents.

The AAFP website

John Franco

UIC, MD Family medicine, Northwestern,

Underserved medicine at Federally qualified health center with full spectrum family

medicine

Websites I really liked

going to the big AAFP student and resident

conferences to get a sense of the diversity in programs. Exhibitors at LMSA

conferences were

informative too.

Nathan Kittle

Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine, MD/

MA (bioethics and health policy)

Family Medicine, Swedish Cherry

Hill Program (Seattle, WA)

Work in underserved areas, either rural or urban. Work in academic medicine

increasing student interest in working among underserved communities here in the US and

abroad.

 

Fernando Maldonado

UCSF, MD Family Medicine, UCSF

Community Medicine with academic affiliation. Talked with residents in the

program and friends who had already

applied.

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The Application ProcessName How did you decide which programs to

apply to and determine which ones would be safety vs. reach programs?

What were the challenges when applying for

residency?

What was the most surprising thing

about applying to residency?

Krys Foster I decided on programs based on my desire to train and work in underserved, urban community settings. I wanted to train with people who believed in the mission of public health and prevention, while training their residents to be academically sound. I wanted to apply to programs that placed emphasis on teamwork, leadership, continued learning, and provided opportunities to perform research and be involved in teaching, while allowing and encouraging residents to pursue their individual interests.

When I went to the American Academy of Family Medicine National Conference, I was able to meet programs (I think I was “region” based in my approach, with goals of working in large, urban cities) that shared a lot in common with my goals. In terms of deciding safety vs. reach, I don’t think I really made that distinction. I just aimed for what I wanted. I did have a number of

“safety” programs looking back. I realized after I interviewed and I realized they weren’t as strong, but then I realized they also weren’t what I wanted, so I never ranked them.

1. Coordinating schedules.2. Narrowing down the

number of programs to apply to/interview at.

3. Trying to incorporate advice from too many different people (you have to do what’s right for you).

4. Deciding what things are most important in a program and using this to derive your list for application, and then later, your ranking.

How friendly everyone was at the programs I applied

to.

John Franco

I knew I was going to stay in Chicago and that I wanted to go to programs with attached FQHCs that served the Latino community. These program were rated first then others in Chicago

5. Trying to get identify what was unique or special about each program

It was fun at first and then after 10

interviews you just want it to end

Nathan Kittle

For family medicine it’s all about location. Choose a part of the country you would like to

go to and apply to that part. There are awesome programs all over the country so you really just

need to focus on an area and go from there!

   

Fernando Maldonado

I paid a good amount of attention to the program’s mission statement. Another

important aspect was the patient population they served. Finally, I talked to as many

residents in the program as possible. This gives you a lot of insight into the personalities at the

program.

Scheduling interviews along with my wife. She was applying

in Emergency Medicine and they traditionally have later

interviews.

How different programs can be despite having

the same ACGME requirements.

InterviewingName How many interviews did you go on? If

you had to do it over, how many would you go on?

Any advice for Interviewing?

Krys Foster The same as I did this time. I applied to 14, got 12 interviews, went on 9. I interviewed

at my favorite programs, and I think if I went on more, it could have confused what

I really wanted.

Pay attention to the residents you are meeting. Determine if they are doing what you hope to do. Be yourself, so you can get a good feel of how you would fit in if you went there. Go to the resident meet and greet events. If there is a second look event at a program you are really

interested in and you can make it, definitely go!

Name How many interviews did you go on? If you had to do it over, how many would

you go on?

Any advice for Interviewing?

John Franco

12. That was too much 10 would have been enough.

Relax and be yourself.

Nathan Kittle

Same number about 10-15 Be yourself, especially in Family Medicine, at this point everyone is pretty equal; just show them why you care!

Fernando Maldonado

Same number  

Picking a ProgramName What factors were

you considering in your decision making

process?

Were you sure of what you wanted to do early on? If

not, what were you deciding between and why did you go

with one over the other?

Why did you pick your field? When did you

know that “this is what I want to do”?

How much do you think

lifestyle should matter when

you are selecting a

field?Krys Foster 1. Type of city

2. Residency program’s respect at the institution (how is that program seen by other departments there).

3. Size of the program.4. Where the

residents came from (institutions, cities. are you going to be the only

“outsider”? etc.)5. Why was the

program trying to recruit me? What is it that they think I will contribute?

6. Is there someone at that program you feel would be a good mentor or someone you could talk to if you needed?

I was not. I initially thought I wanted to do Pediatrics going

into Medical School, but I always knew I wanted to be a community

doctor. I became interested in public health and decided to

do the dual degree program at my school. I did a good amount of outreach through a M2 year

preceptorship, SNMA, volunteer opportunities in Chicago, and really met some great mentors in Family medicine who were

passionate about the community’s health and prevention and public

health. By my M3 year, I was swaying towards Family Medicine, particularly because of the affect I could have on the community by taking care of entire families and understanding that it’s not just

one individual that plays a role in the health of a family. Although my pediatrics rotation was great, the experience I had with a lot of the residents was discouraging

since most of them were interested in specializing, and I was more

interested in being a primary care doctor.

What really got me excited about Family medicine was the opportunity to take care of adolescents and young adults, and

realizing that as a pediatrician I would lose many of my patients as they age out. This age is very important for

creating healthy lifestyle habits, and is the area I

am most interested in as of now and I would hate to lose that opportunity.

And also, realizing that my patient focus may change

over the years, being in Family Medicine gives me the flexibility to switch as

I choose.

A lot. Medicine is a lifetime

career that often consumes

other areas of your life outside of

“work”. You need to

be happy with your decision to limit burnout,

and allowing

the freedom to have a

happy and successful “life” not

just “career” can make a world of a difference.

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Name What factors were you considering in

your decision making process?

Were you sure of what you wanted to do early on? If

not, what were you deciding between and why did you go

with one over the other?

Why did you pick your field? When did you

know that “this is what I want to do”?

How much do you think

lifestyle should matter when

you are selecting a

field?John

Franco7. Which program

seemed the best fit for me

I knew I wanted to do primary care and then I liked doing all the third year rotations. Family med was a

good way to combined them.

After finishing medicine rotation and family

medicine rotations in third year

Somewhat but don't let that

scare you out of doing something

you love

Nathan Kittle

Underserved focus, expert teaching, diverse patient

population, awesome residents/teachers

I was sure early on. I chose family medicine because it prepares you

to care for patients in an outpatient setting better

than any other specialty. I don’t really like hospital medicine and I want to

try and keep my patients from going to the hospital. I also like the perspective family medicine provides to a person’s health. We

are trained to look at the whole person, not just their illness which I believe is the best way to approach a medical

problem. If someone can’t afford food, how can you expect them to change

their diet?

Some, you have to

be happy to care

for your patients.

Fernando Maldonado

Geography was very important. Next was

the population I would be working with.

I liked many different specialties but knew all along I would do

Family Medicine.

Family medicine gives me the ability to choose my own path with a diverse

patient population in terms of age, gender and

ethnicity.

A big part for me

Now that you are in ResidencyName What was the hardest part of the medical

school to residency transition?What has been the hardest thing about residency

for you?Krys Foster Moving to a new city and trying to adjust while

trying to be an intern.Keeping up with studying, finding new friends outside

of work. I love my co-residents, don’t get me wrong, but I also want to explore outside of this bubble.

John Franco

The waiting By the end of third year, it gets frustrating waiting until I can be completely independent.

Nathan Kittle

Actually making decisions, but you have plenty of support in my program to do this!

 

Name What was the hardest part of the medical school to residency transition?

What has been the hardest thing about residency for you?

Fernando Maldonado

The amount of clerical work you have to do as an intern.

Not getting to see my family as much as I would like to.

Looking BackName What would you redo if you had

the opportunity?Anything you know now that you wish you would’ve known

during the application process?Krys Foster Maybe live a little closer to the

hospital campus.You can ask programs if they offer housing (save some money!).

John Franco

Nothing Relax more

Nathan Kittle

Nothing. For family med, it’s all about activities and personal statement. Especially for my program. We have a separate section for

candidates looking at their underserved commitment, so make sure that is somewhere in your personal statement/activities!

Fernando Maldonado

  Only rank the programs you really like and would go to.

We invite you to apply to all nine of our Family Medicine Residencies in beautiful Colorado!

68 available positions statewide Residency programs in diverse geographic settings Training in metro, underserved, and rural areas Full scope family medicine USMLE & COMLEX accepted by all nine programs Variety of fellowships offered

WWW.COFMR.ORG

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General SurgeryMeet the Residents

Name Medical School and Degree Obtained?

Residency Program (residency type, hospital

name, and year)

What are your life goals in terms of

medicine?

What tools did you use when applying to

residency?Olamide

AlabiUniversity of

Nebraska Medical Center, MD

General Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center

Vascular surgery fellowship and

academic practice

frieda.com friends/networks

Monerva University of Arizona MD, MPH

General surgery resident I will pursue a fellowship after

completing general surgery residency.

The Application ProcessName How did you decide which

programs to apply to and determine which ones would be

safety vs. reach programs?

What were the challenges when applying for

residency?

What was the most surprising thing about applying to residency?

Olamide Alabi

I only applied to places I could see myself going to/good fit. “Safety”

programs were just programs I liked a little less than the other ones. I do not

think I had any reach programs.

I decided on general surgery late, so I had to rush to get my

application together and define for myself what I wanted in a program. Given more time, I

do not think anything would’ve changed, but the luxury of

time would’ve been nice to sort through everything.

The higher tier programs I interviewed at really put on a “show” compared to lower

tier programs. But when discussing with residents after the interview about their true experiences, it

seemed people were much more real about they

experiences one on one outside of the interview.

Monerva I did a couples match. There were no safety programs. It was a complicated

ranking process, but doable.

Competitive specialties like surgery like to see step 2 scores

and high step 1. Recommend taking step 2 early in 4th

year so it can be part of your application packet.

Fun process. Plan on spending at least one

extra day/night in the city so you can see what it is Ike separated from the

hospitals/residency program. Helps you see if you could

even picture yourself living there.

InterviewingName How many interviews did you go on? If you had to do it over, how many

would you go on?Any advice for Interviewing?

Olamide Alabi

<15 for sure. Maybe 10.

Monerva Don't remember. People get tired. Only interview & apply to places you could really consider moving too for the full term of residency.

Yes, always carry-on your suit and anything

you actually need. Don't be late. Sleep well. Look

up staff & interests (research, clinical

practice, etc.) before interview.

Stanford University General Surgery Training Program

The Goal of Stanford University Department of Surgery…

…to train the future leaders

of American Surgery and develop the clinical skills

To be superior surgeons

http://med.stanford.edu/gensurg/

The Stanford University Department of Surgery is pleased to announce the creation of the Samuel L. Kountz Diversity Fellowship to help encourage student interest in an academic surgical career. This Fellowship will provide a stipend for a senior student sub-internship in the Division of General Surgery. Stanford University Medical Center is a major referral center for the management of surgical disease and major trauma. Students enrolled in our sub-internships will be part of a surgical team and will be expected to function as an integral member of that team. This may include assisting in the medical management of floor patients, assisting in the operating room and attending surgical clinic. As a member of this team, students will gain important insight into the management of complex surgical and non-surgical problems.

Given the cost of living in Palo Alto, CA, we

realize that not all students may be financially capable of participating in our general surgery sub-internships. For this reason, the General Surgery Program is offering a stipend in the amount of $2,500.00 to help defer the costs of flight, lodging, $100 tuition fee, and incidental expenses. This will be awarded to the medical student who best demonstrates his or her interest in surgery and academic ability to pursue the rigors of an academic surgical career.

Application deadline is June 10th. The winner will be informed by July 1st thereby allowing time for the medical school’s scheduling deadline for the autumn quarter clinical clerkships. Sub-internship will take place during Stanford University’s period 6 or 7 rotation (November-January).

Application Requirements: *Available to 4th year medical students who

have successfully completed a General Surgery clerkship

*Cover letter *Write a one-page letter describing interest in

pursuing a career in surgery *A copy of most recent medical school

transcript *Curriculum vitae *Photo Please forward application to Anita N. Hagan: Division of General Surgery, 300 Pasteur Drive,

Room H3691, Stanford, CA 94305 or email documents to [email protected].

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Picking a ProgramName What factors were you

considering in your decision making process?

Were you sure of what you wanted to do early on? If

not, what were you deciding between

and why did you go with one over the

other?

Why did you pick your

field? When did you

know that “this is what

I want to do”?

How much do you think lifestyle should matter when you are selecting

a field?

Olamide Alabi

Location, proximity to family/friends, proximity to larger city,

number of training sites, how early residents actually start operating, how autonomous the seniors are,

how knowledgeable/confident the seniors are, how the attendings

advocate for the residents- if at all, relationships with other services.

No, I liked everything. My mentor, a

pediatrician, helped me sort it out. I liked procedures, I wanted to be self-sufficient

as a practitioner, and if I did overseas, I

wanted to do short spurts with large pay

offs.

First time I scrubbed for a heart

transplant I knew. Even

though I don’t want

to do CT surgery.

Depends. At that time in your life is lifestyle is the most important thing to

you. Lots of time with friends/family was not a HUGE priority to me

at that time, so I knew I could cope with a surgery

residency. Now that I want it at this point, I’m tailoring my interests for

that reason.Monerva Educational goals & opportunities to

meet my career long-term goalsgeographic location/weather

Standard of living

I also did a couples match so had to consider factors for another person.

No. I was convinced surgery wasn’t for me. Then I rotated

on it and found that I absolutely loved it! The surgery faculty

during my med school rotations also encouraged me when they saw that I had

“good hands” and was working hard. They took me under their

wing to help me learn more and decide whether I really

wanted to change my plan. I did and don’t

regret it at all!

Lifestyle choices depend on each individual. I knew I had to spend

my time at work doing something I truly loved

so I can devote my energy to being a good

doctor for my patients. If I felt bored at work, how could I provide the best

care?Lifestyle during residency

is temporary and you gain control over your

schedule as faculty. That’s an important detail to

remember.

Now that you are in ResidencyName What was the hardest part of the medical

school to residency transition?What has been the hardest thing about residency

for you?Olamide

AlabiNothing, I was well prepared with my training. Being away from family. As busy as I am, even those

who live close are not really close enough.

Looking BackName What would you redo if you had the

opportunity?Anything you know now that you wish you

would’ve known during the application process?Olamide

AlabiChose surgery early. No.

Internal MedicineMeet the Residents

Name Medical School and

Degree Obtained?

Residency Program

(residency type, hospital name,

and year)

What are your life goals in terms of

medicine?

What tools did you use when applying to residency?

Christina M. Cruz

Columbia University College of

Physicians and Surgeons, MD

Primary Care and Social Internal

Medicine, Montefiore

Medical Center

Primary care in an underserved

community. Medical education

People, talk to other people.

Roberto J. Fernandez

Des Moines University, College of

Osteopathic Medicine

(D.O.)

Internal Medicine, Genesys

Regional Medical Center

I envision a diverse medical career

that encompasses academic pursuits,

research, leadership and involvement in health policy, governance, and

teaching.

I utilized the AAMC Career Navigator and FREDA, as well as the AOA search engines for D.O. residencies. I also relied on word-

of-mouth from graduates and current trainees in various programs and advice from practicing physicians and mentors. You can get a lot of information about a given residency off of their website, even the night before an interview (which I did

on more than one occasion). See if your school offers discounts or partners with rental-car or hotel chains to help offset the costs of travel for interviews. And if not, see if the residency program offers

an option to stay with a current resident the night before your interview so you don’t have to spend money on a hotel.

Try StudentUniverse.com for cheap flight fares. And don’t spend a bunch of money

to travel across the U.S. for an interview if you are 90% sure you are not interested in going to that program. That is a waste of

time and money.

The Application ProcessName How did you decide which programs

to apply to and determine which ones would be safety vs. reach

programs?

What were the challenges when

applying for residency?

What was the most surprising thing about applying to

residency?

Christina M. Cruz

1. Geography2. Speaking to leadership at my

medical school3. Speaking to graduates of my

medical school and programs I was interested in.

1. Figuring out which programs to apply to.

2. Figuring out what was going to be a good fit for me (which was ultimately a visceral connection for me)

It’s not as hard as people would have you believe. It was fun

sometimes.

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Name How did you decide which programs to apply to and determine which

ones would be safety vs. reach programs?

What were the challenges when

applying for residency?

What was the most surprising thing about applying to

residency?

Roberto J. Fernandez

I developed a rubric that was divided into categories such as geography, academics/didactics, leadership opportunities, salary, etc. Then I

assigned percentage weights to each category and ranked each category for each residency program and compared scores. I asked my wife to try to do the same and then I was going to compare the two lists to develop an “informed”

rank list. While this was indeed helpful to guide me and help me prioritize

aspects of a residency program, in the end I just went with my gut (which also

coincided to the highest score from my rubric) and I ended up at my top

choice and have been happy ever since. Thus, I recommend doing the above as a planning/exploring exercise, but

ultimately base your decision based on your gut feeling about a program, its culture, and your desire to train there.

As a D.O., I had to decide whether to do the NRMP (i.e.,

ACGME) match or our AOA match. As such, I had to make the tough decision to not apply to ACGME residency

programs since I knew I would likely match

into my top choice AOA residency and would as a result forgo the NRMP

match altogether. In the future, the AOA and NRMP match days may occur on the same date

(which makes sense) and this could eliminate

this challenge and difficult decision for

D.O. graduates.

You really do get a sense for the resident “culture” by interviewing

and rotating at an institution that you are considering. The

culture of the residents, the faculty, attendings, etc. is VERY important. It needs to be a good match if you

want to be happy during your training. A “malignant” culture is

definitely not something you want to enter into if you can avoid it.

I was also surprised by how

little the residency interviewers commented on board scores. Obviously this is extremely

important, but my interviewers seemed more interested in my

background, my experiences during medical school, plans for the future,

etc.

InterviewingName How many interviews did you go

on? If you had to do it over, how many would you go on?

Any advice for Interviewing?

Christina M. Cruz

a. 15 b. 1

Be yourself, your best self.

Roberto J. Fernandez

I would probably do it about the same. If I was interviewing for a more competitive residency

program (i.e., not Internal Medicine) I may elect to double or triple my interview opportunities.

But for IM, 10-15 is plenty.

Just like medical school interviews, know your application inside and out. Do not try to think about what they might want to hear, just be yourself. Don’t hide your deficiencies, address them with

confidence. Be positive and interested in any program you go visit. Don’t be cocky or overconfident. Make sure to have questions

prepared for them, and try to think of some unique ones that are not asked by every applicant. Practice interviewing with someone

you trust to get comfortable with common question/response scenarios.

At Johns Hopkins Bayview, we believe that diversity creates strength. By fostering a

diverse and inclusive culture throughout the program and the medical center, we attract the best and brightest students from all walks of life, and help them become healers

and leaders in medicine. Along the way, they build relationships with faculty, staff, and other residents that last a lifetime. We hope you’ll take the opportunity to talk to our residents and learn more for yourself.

Please visit our website at http:/www.hopkinsmedicine.org/jhbmc/imresidency or call 410-550-0526 for more information.

“The heart of Bayview will remain in every

resident who has trained here.”

- Linda Mobula, M.D.Class of 2011

Training Healers and Leaders in Medicine

Celebrate

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Picking a ProgramName What factors

were you considering in your decision

making process?

Were you sure of what you wanted to do early on? If

not, what were you deciding between and why did you

go with one over the other?

Why did you pick your field? When did you know that “this is

what I want to do”?

How much do you think

lifestyle should matter when you are

selecting a field?

Christina M. Cruz

Geography, program

culture, and program

leadership

No. I was going to apply to OB/GYN and wanted to do GYN Onc. On my GYN onc

Sub-I (in August of my 4th yr) I realized it wasn’t for me and decided to apply into medicine

because that clerkship (my last clerkship of 3rd yr) really

resonated with me.

I liked the idea of approaching a patient as a complete person instead of an organ or disease.

Continuity

Depends on the person.

Roberto J. Fernandez

As described above

I have been sure for a while, but I know others who have

changed their minds 4th year or even after they matched.

Internal Medicine is a broad field with many options for careers

and fellowships. It forces you to problem solve and to approach

difficult, complex pathology systematically. It’s like detective

work. And there is always more to learn and teach. Very academic and

fun (in my opinion).

This is individual, but for me it’s very

important.

Now that you are in ResidencyName What was the hardest part of the medical school to

residency transition?What has been the hardest thing

about residency for you?Christina M.

CruzResidency is better than being a medical student. The

hardest part was adjusting to being at work all the time.Independent learning

Roberto J. Fernandez

No book or advice can prepare you for residency. It’s experiential.

Never seems to be enough time to study for boards or inservice exams. But plenty

of time spent working.

Looking BackName What would you redo if you had the opportunity? Anything you know now that

you wish you would’ve known during the application process?

Christina M. Cruz

Stress less Everything is going to work out.

Roberto J. Fernandez

I definitely think getting involved in medical school in extracurricular clubs and student government was a good idea.

Great networking.

N/A

Obstetrics & GynecologyMeet the Residents

Name Medical School and Degree Obtained?

Residency Program (residency type, hospital name, and year)

What are your life goals in terms of

medicine?

What tools did you use when applying

to residency?Stacey Pereira

Rush Medical College, MD

St Joseph Hospital General practice OB/GYN

 

Vicky Vargas

GWSOM, MD OB/Gyn, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and

Massachusetts’s General Hospital

Academic global Ob/Gyn

Mentors, websites.

The Application ProcessName How did you decide which

programs to apply to and determine which ones would be safety vs. reach programs?

What were the challenges when applying for residency?

What was the most surprising thing about applying to

residency?

Stacey Pereira

I applied to all programs in the cities I wanted to live in.

1. Money2. Coordinating to get

interviews paired

1. Knowing people is way more important than you think

2. People break rules during interviews all the time

3. Programs may pleasantly surprise you.

Vicky Vargas

I applied broadly and at all of the best programs. I determined

safety and reach programs by reputation and at the interview

day. My mentors also helped with this.

1. Expense of interviews. 2. Not knowing where

you stand against other applicants. Staying eager and motivated throughout the process of interviews (it’s tiring).

Mentors are wonderful, seek out people who are supportive and

will be honest with you.

InterviewingName How many interviews did you

go on? If you had to do it over, how many would you go on?

Any advice for Interviewing?

Stacey Pereira

I went on 7 of the 9 interviews I was offered. I applied to 40

programs.

Apply to more programs. Texas really likes Texans, make your ties clear. Take the time to make personalized personal statements, especially if you have

family in the area or other ties that might make you want to move to a different city.

Vicky Vargas

13. Probably no more than 10-13. Be yourself. Read your application before. Read about the program before and have questions ready. Socialize with the residents.

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Picking a ProgramName What factors were

you considering in your decision making

process?

Were you sure of what you wanted to do early

on? If not, what were you deciding between and

why did you go with one over the other?

Why did you pick your field? When did

you know that “this is what I want to do”?

How much do you think lifestyle should matter when you are

selecting a field?

Stacey Pereira

1. I was open to community programs.

2. Location Location Location.

3. Ability to go to fellowship if I wanted.

4. Credible program

I was not sure, I was considering internal

medicine. I realized I hated rounding.

Lots of hands on and surgical procedures.

Loved relating to my patients and the patient population is excellent.

It is essentially everything. If you are interested but

hate your schedule you will never be

happy.

Vicky Vargas

1. Academic 2. Strong clinical

training 3. Good opportunities

for mentorship for fellowship applications and job search

4. Good feel

I was not sure until third year. I was between

medicine and OB/GYN. Ultimately I opted for a

surgical field.

End of third year. I loved the procedural

aspects and the opportunity to work in

women’s health.

A lot.

Now that you are in ResidencyName What was the hardest part of the medical school to

residency transition?What has been the hardest thing

about residency for you?Stacey Pereira

The learning curve is pretty rough the first few months-- mostly hospital operations and getting to know the attending

preferences.

Controlling stress/anxiety, making sleep a priority.

Vicky Vargas

The huge amount of responsibility suddenly on your shoulders. Long hours and demands of the job. Very intense field.

Looking BackName What would you redo if you

had the opportunity?Anything you know now that you wish you would’ve known

during the application process?Stacey Pereira

Personalized my personal statements

Make your ties to programs clear. Follow up on residents you know in various programs, ask them to reach out to their directors for

you. Many times directors do not know you have a personal tie at a program.

Vicky Vargas

More engaged and excited every day.

You’ll be happy where ever you go if you choose to be.

OphthalmologyMeet the Residents

Name Medical School and

Degree Obtained?

Residency Program (residency type,

hospital name, and year)

What are your life goals in terms of medicine?

What tools did you use when

applying to residency?

Nikisha Richards

Wayne State University School of

Medicine, MD

Ophthalmology, Howard University

Hospital

Closing the gap between “cosmetic” and “functional” ophthalmic plastic surgery by teaching others that “cosmetic” procedures

increase a person’s functionality in their everyday life.

mentors, other residents,

SNMA, Frieda.com

The Application ProcessName How did you decide which programs to

apply to and determine which ones would be safety vs. reach programs?

What were the challenges when applying for

residency?

What was the most surprising thing

about applying to residency?

Nikisha Richards

Reputation of program, region of the country, subspecialties represented, track record of

fellowships

Finances, time allotted from medical school for travel

 

InterviewingName How many interviews did you go on? If you

had to do it over, how many would you go on?Any advice for Interviewing?

Nikisha Richards

Same Be pleasant. Interview starts when you email the residency coordinator to accept interview offer.

Picking a ProgramName What factors were

you considering in your decision making

process?

Were you sure of what you wanted to do early

on? If not, what were you deciding between and

why did you go with one over the other?

Why did you pick your field? When did you

know that “this is what I want to do”?

How much do you think

lifestyle should matter when you are

selecting a field?Nikisha

RichardsReputation of program,

region of country, subspecialties represented, track record of fellowships, current status of program

(probation, ACGME accreditation)

Yes Perfect combination of surgery, medicine,

continuity of care, technology, compensation

and impact on patient’s quality of life. Tenth grade

Scale of 1-10 it should be a 7 (important)

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Now that you are in ResidencyName What was the hardest part of the medical school to

residency transition?What has been the hardest thing about

residency for you?Nikisha

RichardsLevel of responsibility and expectation of knowledge Being away from family and friends for long

periods.

Looking BackName What would you redo if you had the

opportunity?Anything you know now that you wish you

would’ve known during the application process?Nikisha

RichardsWait until after I matched into ophthalmology to apply to transitional year programs in the same

city.

PediatricsMeet the Residents

Name Medical School and

Degree Obtained?

Residency Program (residency type,

hospital name, and year)

What are your life goals in terms of medicine?

What tools did you use when applying to

residency?

Cristina Fernandez

Columbia University College of Physicians

& Surgeons, MD

Pediatrics, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New

York-Presbyterian Columbia University

Medical Center

I plan to participate in academic pediatrics as a primary care pediatrician and to work in

community health advocacy and community program development

and evaluation.

I reviewed the websites of residency programs in cities of interest from the list of programs in ERAS and AAMC. I also looked

at U.S. News & World Report listings to get a

sense of which hospitals were known for research,

or primary care, etc.Jessica Fowler

Duke University School of Medicine,

MD

Pediatrics, The Children’s

Hospital of Philadelphia

I think that I want to practice Critical Care Medicine. I am also interested

in the relationship between academic medical centers and the surrounding often under-privileged/impoverished

community and hope to do some research or advocacy work in this area. I am also very interested in

continuing to develop the pipeline for a diverse physician workforce.

1. Program websites2. Talking with others

applying in pediatrics from my program

3. Advisor at my medical school

4. A LOT of friends/family reviewing my personal statements

Keisha Mitchell

Case Western Reserve

University, MD

Pediatrics, Texas Children’s

Hospital Intern

Likely peds GI, academic medicine with a focus on teaching

Guidance from those who matched in peds the year

before, student doctor network, faculty mentors

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Name Medical School and

Degree Obtained?

Residency Program (residency type,

hospital name, and year)

What are your life goals in terms of medicine?

What tools did you use when applying to

residency?

Emma B Olivera

University of Illinois at Chicago, MD

General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital

of Michigan

My overall goal in medicine is to make an impact on cultural

sensitivity and health disparities, particularly as it pertains to the underserved, within my chosen field. This is not just limited to

my workplace as I would like to be involved with the National Hispanic

Medical Association to have a broader affect. I love kids and that demographic in particular is what

I'm passionate about.

I used the AMA Frieda database to review all

the programs I wanted to apply to prior to

completing the ERAS process. This gave me a

good sense of the varied programs and what to ask for on interviews. It was

reasonably accurate.

Vanessa Salcedo

George Washington University, MD, MPH

Columbia University Medical

Center, Morgan Stanley Children's

Hospital, New York Presbyterian

Hospital, Pediatrics

Be a community pediatrician

The Application ProcessName How did you decide which programs to apply

to and determine which ones would be safety vs. reach programs?

What were the challenges when applying for

residency?

What was the most surprising thing

about applying to residency?

Cristina Fernandez

I chose the programs based on geographic location, proximity to urban communities, ease of access with regards to travel (for example, a place with a big airport or easy access via Amtrak), and based on whether I had family nearby.

“Safety” programs were considered programs in more remote locations or programs that were considered secondary when compared to the more famous program in an urban center. Reach programs were programs in big cities that were considered very desirable, were more famous, were affiliated with large academic institutions that had large amounts of research monies from NIH, and had traditionally received large number of applications.

The personal statement was a challenge. You have to strike a balance between being authentic and selling your strengths. I also was challenged by the fact that I had not performed as strongly on Step 1 and some of my Shelf exams as I would have liked when I was a 3rd year medical student. I had to reflect on what I think happened during that time and what lessons I learned from the experience.

I was surprised by how tricky ERAS can be about formatting and font; it really is very important to

follow the directions and type everything out in WordPad or a

Word document with the appropriate font/

font size.

Name How did you decide which programs to apply to and determine which ones would be safety

vs. reach programs?

What were the challenges when applying for

residency?

What was the most surprising thing

about applying to residency?

Jessica Fowler

1. Looked at the cities where I wanted to live.2. Wanted freestanding Children’s Hospitals.3. Places that had a large patient population and

a variety of specialties balanced with general pediatrics exposure.

4. Places that would offer a primary care clinic (continuity clinic) in the community

Safety vs. Reach• Talking with an advisor at your school and

someone who is in the field to which you are applying, they will have a sense of where your scores and grades fit in terms of larger vs. smaller or academic vs. community hospital programs.

• In pediatrics the larger programs tend to be the most competitive, so “reaches” are usually large academic hospitals in big cities whereas smaller, community hospital programs maybe with a pediatrics floor within a larger adult hospital are less competitive.

• If possible, look up the average scores for a program and see how yours compare. If you are above the averages that may be more of a safety vs. being below the averages might make it more of a reach.

• Things other than grades (such as community service, leadership, research) can also make you a more competitive applicant, these are harder to quantify when looking at programs’ averages.

1. Deciding where you want to live.

2. Trying to get a sense for whether or not the program “feels right”

3. Differentiating between programs that can be very similar - especially with ACGME requirements

4. Picking a broad range of programs

5. Deciding where to interview

Had a lot more fun learning about different programs

and meeting different Pediatric attendings during my interview. Also

had the opportunity to visit with a lot of old college friends as I interviewed in cities where they

lived. I was also surprised how much the city/

location mattered to me.

Keisha Mitchell

Pediatric Faculty mentor Final match list, I was going back and forth which would

be #1

More personal than med school interviews; they were interested in wooing me as

much as I was about impressing them.

Emma B Olivera

I come from a very family oriented upbringing and staying close to home was important to me. I applied broadly, but only within a 5 hour driving

radius from my hometown (Chicago). I also wanted to see what the difference was between different pediatric hospitals (standalone vs free-

standing, etc.). I didn't really limit myself outside from geographic location.

I was not able to take off for vacation during interview

season so I was limited by how much I could miss

during a rotation. I talked to upperclassman to find out

what rotations were flexible about taking time off for

interviews and this helped ensure I was able to make

all the interviews I wanted. However, I was not able to

make any of the dinners offered by the program which often gives you a

better view on the programs' residents.

Understanding I could reach out to

programs I had not heard from was

unique. I was given this advice from a friend who was an intern. Programs

were very receptive to my emails and most offered me

an interview after hearing about my

strong interest.

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Name How did you decide which programs to apply to and determine which ones would be safety

vs. reach programs?

What were the challenges when applying for

residency?

What was the most surprising thing

about applying to residency?

Vanessa Salcedo

Safe programs are programs that are recruiting you. Reach programs are the program that you

are promoting yourself.

Always apply to a couple ideal reach programs because you never know.

Decided what order to rank programs. Most of the time, you know what you want in the 1st or 2nd slot but after that it become a challenge.

InterviewingName How many interviews

did you go on? If you had to do it over, how many

would you go on?

Any advice for Interviewing?

Cristina Fernandez

Interviewing was fun but it got exhausting toward the end, I probably would only

have gone on 8-9 interviews instead of 11.

1. Make a list of 5 things that you absolutely must say every time, ie. things that highlight your strengths and make you an asset to the program and things that are line with the mission/focus of the program you are interviewing for. Always find a way to get those 5 points out, even if 1 or 2 of the points are not directly related to a question you are asked.

2. That being said, you may get interrupted by the interviewer and that is OK. Don’t be so focused on getting all your story out that you don’t answer the interviewer’s questions.

3. PRACTICE INTERVIEWING. A LOT. Give your friends or family a list of generic interview questions and get comfortable answering questions seamlessly

Jessica Fowler

I went on 10 interviews and for me that was a good

number. If I had to do it over, there is probably 1 program that I would have swapped

out for another one.

1. Be sure to review your personal statement and CV.2. Have questions for your interviewers. About them personally, about

specifics of the program (show you have read about the program).3. Have something that you want to leave the interview with about

you. The person who interviews you is usually going to serve as your advocate in the selection committee meeting, so you want them to have a sense of who you are and be able to talk about your strengths. Know what makes you special/unique and find a way to share that with them).

4. Be kind to EVERYONE. Some programs will ask their cleaning staff who was disrespectful and immediately eliminate applicants that way.

5. Be yourself. Remember this is a way not only for the program to interview you, but for you to get a sense of the program.

Keisha Mitchell

10, I would do the same Be yourself and be truthful

Emma B Olivera

I went to ten and I thought that for pediatrics this was a good amount. I think that I would not do more than this. I turned down some

interviews because I felt that I would not gain much once I understood what kind of

program I liked.

Often I would find myself being told different aspects of the program I was interviewing at rather than being asked questions. I would listen and quickly try to tie in how I liked that part of their program because of x, y, z to tie in my extracurriculars or past experiences that made me unique

to their program. I think otherwise they would not end the interview with knowing anything about me aside from my printed out CV or

personal statement. I would recommend if there's a program you really want an interview at- email them and call them. Show your interest and

write why they should take a chance on interviewing you.Vanessa Salcedo

10 Read about the program and ask specific questions which you can tie in your personal experience (CV).

Picking a ProgramName What factors were

you considering in your decision making process?

Were you sure of what you wanted to do early

on? If not, what were you deciding between and

why did you go with one over the other?

Why did you pick your field? When did you

know that “this is what I want to do”?

How much do you think lifestyle should matter when you are

selecting a field?

Cristina Fernandez

I was considering location and whether I could see myself and my personality fitting in with the residents I met at the interview

day.

I came into residency interested in general

pediatrics and that interest did not change.

I had a public health background and I really liked that parents were

more responsive to working with the doctor and considering health interventions when the

child’s health was at stake as opposed to the adults’

health. I also enjoyed my experience during the pediatrics rotation very much as a medical student. In residency,

I really enjoyed my interactions with patients and their families in the

ambulatory setting, much more than my experience in the inpatient setting. This showed me that my

field of interest should be primary care.

I think lifestyle plays a role; if you

can’t consider living the life and working the hours that are required

to sustain a career in a particular field AFTER training is complete, then you

have to seriously consider that field.

Like No OtherA Learning Environment

©2014 The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, All Rights Reserved.

Pediatric Residency Program & Multicultural Physicians’ Alliance

Visiting ClerkshipRotate for one month as an acting intern on an inpatient floor or in the N/IICU or Emergency Department OR Rotate for one month as an elective in one of our subspecialty clinics

Includes: • Stipend for housing and travel • Faculty mentor

• All the history and culture the City of Philadelphia has to offer

Applications due May 2014

For more information, email [email protected].

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is an incredible learning environment in

pediatric primary and subspecialty care, with exposure to innovators in pediatric medicine and a fun,

motivated, intelligent, diverse and passionate group of residents.

www.SNMA.org Spring 2014 Residency Guide 65 64 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net

Student-to-Student Interviews: Pediatrics

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Name What factors were you considering in your decision making process?

Were you sure of what you wanted to do early

on? If not, what were you deciding between and

why did you go with one over the other?

Why did you pick your field? When did you

know that “this is what I want to do”?

How much do you think lifestyle should matter when you are

selecting a field?

Jessica Fowler

1. Where I wanted to live.

2. Did I like the people in the program?

3. Did the program leadership seem approachable and supportive?

4. Could I see myself in that hospital?

5. Good number of patients from which I could learn.

6. Exposure to specialties.

I was not sure. I did sub-internships in both Pediatrics and OBGYN. I actually applied to both but only interviewed in Pediatrics. It is risky to

interview at more than 1 type of program (with the exception of those doing radiology, dermatology,

anesthesiology where it is expected) because many

will think that you have not made up your mind and will

feel that ranking you is a risk. My experience on my sub-internship and prayer

ultimately helped me decide.

1. I love the patient population. Most kids get better and it is challenging to treat kids of all ages

2. Love having to be aware of the WHOLE patient. In pediatrics there is an obligation to public health and social justice because your patients’ health depends on it; I think this is huge in peds more than most other specialties

3. People in pediatrics seemed happy.

4. I love working with kids.

It should not matter. If you are doing what you love it won’t be

too stressful, and you can always

find a way (maybe after residency and fellowship) to get

more of the lifestyle you want in just about any field.

Keisha Mitchell

Size, variety of patients, number of

residents, faculty mentorship program,

city

Between Peds and Ob. Easy decision after my 3rd year

rotations.

Patient characteristics, ability to impact whole

family

A LOT

Emma B Olivera

Residency size was important as well as how happy residents

appeared. I also wanted to make sure I was in an environment

that was friendly and the program director appeared

approachable.

I have wanted to go into Pediatrics since I was four

years old. No guessing game here!

I love the continuity of care that comes with

pediatrics and the aspect of molding a

community’s perspective on taking ownership of

their healthcare. You can really have an impact

early on towards how a person (or child) views caring for their health and thus their future.

Being a part of a family's life is also a highlight to

the field.

It is great that in primary care in general you are able to remain flexible with

choosing between sub-specialties and where you want to practice (clinic vs private practice vs hospitalist). I have

seen stats that pediatricians are some of the most

satisfied physicians and that definitely

made it more appealing.

Vanessa Salcedo

Strong academic program, large

children's hospital, location, patient population and

research interest

Exposure Suits my personality, love the patient population, continuity of care and

great lifestyle

Lifestyle was a plus

Now that you are in ResidencyName What was the hardest part of the medical school to

residency transition?What has been the hardest thing about

residency for you?Cristina

FernandezBeing called “the doctor” was strange at first, and it is hard to be the one responsible for making decisions, especially early on in intern year. But then you realize that you are

NOT the sole person responsible for making decisions and you should be asking your senior resident for advice and management recommendations. And that can be difficult for us to do as newly graduated medical students; we are

all a little “type A” and it can be challenging to ask for help, but it is super crucial and expected and an important

component of teamwork.

Residency requires a challenging schedule and can be a stress on the body, mind, and spirit. The hardest thing for me has been

working on that work/life balance. For example, realizing that it is not weakness to want to get more sleep and that it is ok

to take the time to catch up with an old friend or a relative and finish up research

work the next day.

Jessica Fowler

A different level of thinking. Prioritizing tasks. Responding to families as their doctor when you do not

know the answer.

It is a lot of work. Really requires knowing what you need to get re-energized and

finding people who help you along the way.Keisha

MitchellIt wasn’t as difficult as I imagined. My med school trained

me well. 

Emma B Olivera

It's very intimidating when you have the 'power' to write prescriptions. I triple check even the simplest things to

make sure I am taking the best care of my patients. Dosing really isn't that important as a student.

Trying to balance work and studying... and a 'life.' It's just as hard as it was in M1 year

only more responsibility.

Vanessa Salcedo

Dealing with fatigue and large patient loads Sleeping. Balancing the rest of my life.

Looking BackName What would you redo if you had the

opportunity?Anything you know now that you wish you would’ve

known during the application process?Cristina

FernandezI would have looked for mentors

more aggressively in intern year. In a professional environment, you have to do a lot of the work in finding people to mentor you in different capacities, and I was a bit passive as an intern.

It is important to ask the current residents during interviews about things like vacation, class retreats, sick call, maternity leave, etc. You get a good sense of the residency program’s

policies as well as how the residents feel about the way that is handled (e.g. whether they are stretched thin when a fellow

resident gets sick or is about to deliver a baby or whether there is good coverage, whether they get more than 2 weeks of

vacation a year, etc.)Jessica Fowler

Nothing. No.

Keisha Mitchell

Nothing.

Emma B Olivera

Definitely! There's no doubt in my mind!

I wish I would have written "thank you" cards or emails to the programs I interviewed at.

Vanessa Salcedo

It’s difficult to balance life when you are resident. Going in with the mind

frame that this is your opportunity to learn as much as you can and become a

strong clinician.

Never be afraid to ask questions.

Everyone tell you this but it’s difficult to accept it. There is no perfect program and no matter where you go you are going to

work hard. It’s part of the process :)

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Resources1. American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) Careers in Medicine Program

https://www.aamc.org/cim2. The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)

https://www.aamc.org/services/eras3. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)

http://www.acgme.org/acgmeweb4. Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database (FREIDA)

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/education-careers/graduate-medical-education/freida-online.page5. National Board of Medical Examiners

http://www.nbme.org/6. The National Residency Match Program (NRMP)

http://www.nrmp.org7. AOA master website regarding the merger:

http://www.osteopathic.org/inside-aoa/Pages/ACGME-single-accreditation-system.aspx8. ACGME master website regarding the Merger:

https://www.acgme.org/acgmeweb/tabid/445/GraduateMedicalEducation/ACGME-AOA-AACOM.aspx

Visit GME at Iowa: uihealthcare.org/gme • Email us: [email protected] • Call us: Graduate Medical Education, 319-356-2256

Find it at

I WA• Top-ranked programs•Outstanding faculty and mentors•Wide range of clinical experiences•Clinical and basic science research

opportunities•Balance between autonomy

and guidance•A friendly college town with

big-city amenities

68 Residency Guide Spring 2014 www.LMSA.net

Resources

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