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Overview

About ERAS

The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS®), developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), allows medical school students and graduates to apply electronically for first- and second-year (PGY-1 and PGY-2) residency positions in U.S. programs of graduate medical education (GME). ECFMG serves as the designated Dean’s office for all international medical students and graduates (IMGs), including participants in Fifth Pathway Programs, who use ERAS. If you are a student or graduate of a U.S. (LCME- or AOA-accredited) medical school/program, you must apply for residency positions through the Dean’s office at your medical school. If you are a student or graduate of a Canadian medical school/program, the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) acts as your Dean's office if applying to positions in the United States; for more detailed information, go to www.carms.ca.

Your pursuit of a residency position involves three separate organizations:

ECFMG will issue your ERAS Token, which will allow you to access the AAMC’s MyERAS website to complete your residency application. ECFMG will also receive and scan your supporting documents and transmit them, along with your ECFMG status report and, if requested, your USMLE transcript.

The ECFMG Medical Education Credentials Committee reviews allegations of “irregular behavior.” Irregular behavior includes all actions or attempted actions on the part of applicants or examinees that would or could subvert the examination, certification, or other processes of the ECFMG. Examples of irregular behavior include, but are not limited to, failing to comply with a USMLE or ECFMG policy, procedure, and/or rule, and submission of any falsified or altered ECFMG document to other entities or individuals. A determination of irregular behavior shall be sufficient cause for ECFMG to bar you from future examinations, to withhold and/or invalidate the results of an examination, to withhold an ECFMG certificate, to revoke an ECFMG certificate, or to take other appropriate action. ECFMG may report determinations of irregular behavior to the USMLE Committee on Irregular Behavior, Federation of State Medical Boards, state licensing authorities, directors of graduate medical education programs, and to any other organization or individual who, in the judgment of ECFMG, has a legitimate interest in such information. If it is determined that you have participated in irregular behavior, an annotation to that effect will be included in your ECFMG record. This annotation will appear on your ECFMG Credentials Verification Service and ECFMG status reports. Additionally, the AAMC and ERAS have taken a strong position in connection with applicants engaging in irregular behavior. View ERAS policies at www.aamc.org/students/eras/policies/integritypromotioneducation.htm.

The AAMC operates MyERAS, the site that ERAS applicants use to complete their residency application materials on-line. Almost all residency programs participate in ERAS. The list of ERAS participating specialties and programs is published on the ERAS website. You must use ERAS to apply to participating programs.

ERAS Support Services strongly encourages you to read the AAMC publication, Roadmap to Residency: From Application to the Match and Beyond, which provides an overview of the U.S. medical education recruitment processes.

The NRMP matches applicants with available positions in programs. Applying at MyERAS and submitting supporting documents to ERAS Support Services at ECFMG does not register you with the NRMP Match. You are required to register with the NRMP in order to be a participant in the 2008 Match. Additionally, you must meet the NRMP’s examination requirements, and your passing examination score results must be available in time to participate. If you are not matched to a position through the Match, you can participate in the NRMP’s Post-Match Scramble.

There are fees associated with the services provided by the ECFMG, the AAMC, and the NRMP. You must ensure that you satisfy all fee requirements; otherwise, a hold may be placed on your ERAS application and NRMP activities.

It is important to know that ECFMG and the AAMC are not associated with any services seeking to assist you with the ERAS application process for a fee. As the designated Dean’s office for IMGs, ERAS Support Services at ECFMG is here to assist you with the ERAS application process.

It is vital that you read all websites carefully and understand the intricacies of residency recruitment, eligibility criteria, and what is expected of you as a prospective candidate for a residency position.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All international medical students or graduates and Fifth Pathway participants planning to participate in the ERAS 2008 season, must also be familiar with the items that are new for ERAS 2008.

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Eligibility

To participate in ERAS, you must have a USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number.

To participate in the Match, the NRMP requires that you have passed certain exams. Refer to the NRMP website for specific requirements. To maximize the chances that the results of these exams will be available in time to participate, you should be familiar with the typical registration and score reporting turnaround times for the required examinations. You can find information on registration turnaround times in the ECFMG Information Booklet. For score reporting turnaround times for USMLE Steps 1 and 2 (CK and CS), refer to the USMLE Bulletin of Information, available on the USMLE website. For Step 2 CS, updated information on the score reporting schedule is available on the USMLE website. It is solely the responsibility of the applicant to complete and pass the required exams in time to meet deadlines imposed by the NRMP and/or GME programs. Since the number of applicants seeking to complete these exams may exceed the spaces available in time to meet those deadlines, there is no guarantee that sufficient spaces will be available for all applicants to meet deadlines imposed by the NRMP and/or GME programs.

If you were certified by ECFMG based on former medical science exams (such as the VQE or FMGEMS), you should be aware that requirements to participate in training programs vary among medical licensing jurisdictions. You should contact the medical board of the state(s) where you plan to pursue residency training to inquire about medical training license requirements. A list of U.S. licensing jurisdictions is available on the website of the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, Inc.

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ERAS Application Process

The following is an overview of the process:

  1. Prior to applying via ERAS, contact the programs of interest to determine their minimum eligibility criteria and ERAS application deadlines.
  2. Request a Token via ECFMG’s OASIS.
  3. Register at the AAMC’s MyERAS website once you have your Token.
  4. Once you have registered at MyERAS, you can begin work on your Common Application Form (CAF), Profile, and Personal Statement.
    NOTE: Do not certify your application until you are absolutely sure the information that you have provided is accurate. Once you certify your application, you will not be able to make any changes.
  5. Send supporting documents with your AAMC identification number to ERAS Support Services at ECFMG for arrival by August 1. All documents must be accompanied by a completed ERAS Document Submission Form.
    Due to the heavy volume of incoming documents, the lead time for the scanning and uploading documents is up to four weeks. ERAS Support Services at ECFMG makes every effort to have your documents ready for program evaluation starting September 1; however, your timely submission of documents is critical in achieving our common goal.
    NOTE: MSPEs are not available to program directors until November 1. Therefore, the recommended deadline for arrival of MSPEs at ECFMG is October 1.
  6. Track the documents received by ERAS Support Services at ECFMG via ECFMG’s OASIS. Please allow five to seven business days from their receipt by ECFMG for your documents to appear in OASIS.
  7. Register with NRMP in order to participate in the 2008 Match.
  8. The ERAS PostOffice opens September 1. At this time, you may begin applying to ACGME-accredited programs, and ACGME-accredited programs may begin contacting the ERAS PostOffice to download application files. You should make every effort to ensure your supporting documents are received by ECFMG four weeks prior to the ERAS PostOffice opening date to ensure your documents are ready for program evaluation and to meet program deadlines.
  9. A few days after applying, monitor the status of your ERAS application via the Applicant Document Tracking System (ADTS), which you can access from the MyERAS login page.
    NOTE: It takes one business day before any scanned document can be transmitted, even if it has been scanned into your temporary holding bin. This interval affects all applicants, including applicants from U.S. medical schools.
  10. Subscribe to ECFMG-ERAS News, a free e-newsletter for IMGs using ERAS, to receive important updates.
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Token Request

You must request a Token before registering at MyERAS and starting your residency application. The Token is a 14-digit, alpha-numeric code that can be requested via ECFMG’s OASIS. There is a $75, non-refundable fee for this service. Detailed instructions for using the Token to log into the MyERAS website are included on the OASIS Token page. You can request a Token beginning in June. We will start to fulfill all Token requests for ERAS 2008 on June 30, 2007. We will check OASIS every business day for new Token requests and fulfill requests accordingly.

When you request your Token using OASIS, you can pay on-line using a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover) or an on-line payment from your U.S. checking account. You may also pay for your Token by check, money order, bank check, or bank draft, but you still need to request your Token on-line via OASIS; complete Payment Form 900 and mail it with your payment to the address given at the top of the form. We strongly recommend that you make the payment on-line using your credit card.

It takes approximately one business day to process your request and post the Token to your OASIS account. If you request the Token on a weekend or holiday, we will not receive your request until our next business day; in this case your request will be fulfilled 24 hours from that business day.

To access your Token once it has been generated, log into your OASIS account, click on “Request Token,” and your Token will appear. ERAS does not e-mail Tokens to applicants.

You may request a Token from June 29, 2007 through May 1, 2008. You only need one Token per ERAS season. You can use that one Token to apply to as many specialties as you want during the ERAS season. You can also use your 2008 Token to apply now for both a clinical year (PGY-1), which begins in 2008, and for an advanced position (PGY-2), which begins in 2009 (e.g., Radiology, Neurology, etc.). The Token is not transferable for future use. The ERAS software will not recognize a Token issued from previous years.

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ERAS Registration

You may register at MyERAS as soon as you have accessed your Token, but not earlier than July 1. You are strongly encouraged to register at MyERAS no later than mid-July.

To register means to use your Token to establish an identity with your AAMC identification number and password. The registration screen can be accessed only one time. Before completing your registration, please proofread the page. You cannot make any changes to the information once it has been entered.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you receive this error message during registration at MyERAS: "Your Token does not have the correct checksum, please re-enter it," please take a close look at the last three digits of your Token. The last three digits may consist of numbers or letters. Do not type the letter "O" instead of the number zero (or vice versa).

After you have registered successfully, we will be notified by MyERAS. You will then be in our system, and we can scan your documents into your file and keep them until the end of the ERAS season in May.

Once you have registered, you can begin working on your application. This includes completing the Common Application Form (CAF), Profile, and Personal Statement on the MyERAS website. Each time you apply to a program, these documents will be automatically transmitted for download by the program.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Copying text from any source, including the Internet, for use in your Personal Statement is considered plagiarism. Plagiarism of any form will be deemed “irregular behavior” and will prompt an immediate investigation by the AAMC.

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Supporting Documents

As part of the application process, you are required to mail supporting documents to ECFMG. ECFMG will scan, transmit, and upload these supporting documents to the ERAS PostOffice so that they are available to the programs to which you have applied. These supporting documents include:

Due to the heavy volume of incoming documents, the lead time for the scanning and uploading these documents is up to four weeks.

ECFMG will also transmit your ECFMG status report and, if you request it, your USMLE transcript.

Your assignments and program lists are posted at the ERAS PostOffice. The following documents will be made available to all programs to which you have applied: medical school transcript, photograph, and ECFMG status report. To make your Letters of Recommendation available to the programs to which you have applied, you need to assign them to programs; we will download your program selections and assignments the next business day. MSPEs are made available to programs on November 1. We will transmit your USMLE transcript only if you request and pay for it.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you participated in ERAS 2007 season and plan to participate in the ERAS 2008 season, you are not required to resubmit your MSPE, medical school transcript, or photograph. ECFMG will retrieve these stored documents used for the ERAS 2007 season and upload them to the 2008 ERAS PostOffice within three to five business days from the time you register at the AAMC MyERAS website. If you wish to submit an updated MSPE, medical school transcript, or photograph, you must mail these supporting documents, accompanied by a completed ERAS Document Submission Form, to ECFMG. ECFMG will then upload these new documents to the ERAS PostOffice. You are still required to submit of up-to-date, original Letters of Recommendation (LoRs).

ECFMG will identify you automatically as an ERAS 2007 participant at the time you make a Token request via ECFMG OASIS. You will be instructed accordingly at that time.

Effective June 2006, a new policy regarding the submission of original Letters of Recommendation (LoRs) and Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) was implemented. Please read the announcement regarding this policy carefully before submitting LoRs and MSPEs.

ECFMG’s Return of Document Service (RODS) will allow you to request the return of eligible ERAS documents.

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ERAS Application Tracking

You can track the status of your ERAS application materials via the Applicant Document Tracking System (ADTS) accessible from the MyERAS login page. Your uploaded documents will be listed on the ADTS; however, you will not be able to view the actual documents.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you experience any technical difficulties during the registration and application process at MyERAS, contact the AAMC Helpdesk at (202) 828-0413, or e-mail your inquiry to myeras@aamc.org.

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National Resident Matching Program

The NRMP matches applicants with available residency positions. To participate, you must have met the NRMP's exam requirements, and the exam results must be available in time to participate.

For information on Match registration and requirements, visit the NRMP website.

NRMP Post-Match Scramble

This general information about the post-Match Scramble may answer most of your questions. Please be aware that the Scramble also involves the three following organizations:

All applicants who did not match with a residency program may participate in the post-Match Scramble. If you have any outstanding fees with the AAMC ERAS or with ECFMG, you must make the necessary payment(s) to clear any outstanding balances; otherwise, you will be prohibited from participating in the Scramble.

The Scramble starts on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 12:00 noon and ends on Thursday, March 20, 2008 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Time in the United States. You may apply to any program with an unfilled position. Apply as soon as the list of unfilled programs has been posted at www.nrmp.org at 12:00 noon, Eastern Time in the United States, on Tuesday 18, March 2008. You will not have access to the list of unfilled programs if you did not register with the Match; refer to NRMP website for its policies. The Match Agreement prohibits applicants from sharing the NRMP's List of Unfilled Programs with individuals who did not register with the Match.

You may apply to a maximum of 30 programs during the two-day Scramble. There is no charge for applying to programs during the Scramble if you have registered with ERAS. Any programs to which you apply after 12:00 noon, Eastern Time in the United States, on Thursday, March 20, 2008 will be charged at the regular rate.

If you have previously applied to a program with an unfilled position, contact the program to remind them that they have your application and request that they take another look at it. You cannot re-transmit your application.

Important Information

Regardless of whether you have or have not registered with the NRMP, you should not contact any programs before noon on Tuesday, March 18, 2008. It is important that you understand the terms and conditions of the Match Agreement; therefore, please read the agreement found on the NRMP website. Programs will take note of all applicants who violate this Match rule and may report them to the NRMP. Programs as well as applicants are bound by the Match Agreement.

We also urge you not to engage services that, for a fee, purport to help you by flooding programs with unsolicited applications from multiple applicants, either by e-mail or fax. Instead of being helpful, in most cases they are detrimental to your application. Therefore, be sure to register with the NRMP by the late-registration/rank order list certification deadline. After having consulted the list of unfilled programs on Tuesday of Match Week, go to MyERAS and apply to some of those programs. Be sure to assign your LoRs and USMLE transcript to the programs, so that we can transmit them accordingly.

It is important to know that programs may participate in ERAS but not in the Match. The reverse holds true -- programs may participate in the Match but may not participate in ERAS. You will need to research this information on your own.

ERAS Support Services at ECFMG during the Scramble

During the two Scramble days, we will log into the ERAS PostOffice several times each day to retrieve your document assignments and program lists.

We will process those lists and transmit your documents shortly thereafter.

All LoRs must be assigned at MyERAS, and all LoRs must be submitted to ECFMG for scanning two weeks prior to the Scramble in order to have all LoRs sent to programs during Scramble.

You may change the information in your Profile, and you may reassign personal statements and LoRs.

During the 48 hours of the Scramble, there is no time for manual processing. Your file must be ready for automatic processing by our system before the Scramble begins. This means:

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[last update: April 8, 2008]