AAMC Standardized Video Interview
New requirement for Emergency Medicine Applicants
ERAS Support Services for Applicants
Introduction
Timeline and Fees
NRMP
Eligibility
Supporting Documents
FAQs
Application Process
Irregular Behavior
Resources
Introduction to the ERAS Residency Application Process
ECFMG serves as the designated Dean’s office for all international medical students and graduates (IMGs) who use the Electronic Residency Application Service® (ERAS®) to apply for first- and second-year (PGY-1 and PGY-2) residency positions in U.S. programs of graduate medical education (GME). As your designated Dean’s office, ECFMG is your primary contact for assistance and information throughout the ERAS application process.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are a student or graduate of a U.S. (LCME- or AOA-accredited) medical school, 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, the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) acts as your Dean’s office for the purpose of applying to positions in the United States.
Your pursuit of a residency position involves three separate organizations:
It is vital that you read all websites carefully to understand the role of each organization and to understand the intricacies of resident recruitment, eligibility criteria, and what is expected of you as a prospective candidate for a residency position.
- Serves as the designated Dean’s office for international medical students/graduates using ERAS.
- Issues ERAS Tokens and tracks receipt of certain supporting documents by ECFMG via ECFMG’s On-line Applicant Status and Information System (OASIS) or the MyECFMG mobile app.
- Collects, uploads, and transmits supporting documents to your ERAS application.
- Transmits ECFMG Status Report to your ERAS application.
- Transmits USMLE transcript, if requested, to your ERAS application.
- Maintains the MyERAS website, where you can register with ERAS and complete residency applications.
- Publishes the list of ERAS participating specialties and programs on the AAMC ERAS website. You cannot use ERAS to apply to programs that do not participate in ERAS; ERAS will not forward supporting documents to such programs.
ERAS Support Services at ECFMG strongly encourages you to read the AAMC publication, Roadmap to Residency, which provides an overview of U.S. graduate medical education recruitment processes.
- Collects the preferences of applicants and program directors for available residency positions.
- Matches applicants with available positions. You must register directly with the NRMP to participate in this season’s Match. (Registering at MyERAS does not register you with the NRMP Match.)
- Requires that you have passed the examinations required for ECFMG Certification, and that your passing examination results are available in time to participate in the Match.
- If you are not matched to a position through the Match, you may be eligible to participate in the NRMP’s Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program® (SOAP®).
ERAS Support Services at ECFMG also strongly encourages you to read the biennial NRMP Program Director Survey. This publication provides insight into the factors program directors use in selecting applicants for an interview and in ranking applicants for their programs. Additionally, you are encouraged to read the NRMP Main Residency Match: Match Results by Specialty and State, which details the number of positions secured by IMGs through the Match by specialty and by state.
For information detailing some of the organizations involved in U.S. GME, please visit the ECFMG Certificate Holders Office’s (ECHO) Guide to Organizations Involved in U.S. GME.
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 not in ERAS. You can research this information on your own using AMA's FREIDA Online® and the list of ERAS-participating programs.
There are fees associated with the services provided by ECFMG, AAMC, and NRMP. You must ensure that you satisfy all fee requirements; otherwise, a hold may be placed on your ERAS application and NRMP activities, and ECFMG will not process your requests.
It is important to know that ECFMG and AAMC are not associated with other services seeking to assist you with the ERAS application process for a fee. ECFMG is the designated Dean’s office and primary contact for IMGs throughout the ERAS application process.
Important Dates:
October 1: MSPEs are released to programs by ERAS.
November 30: NRMP Match standard registration deadline. (You may register after this deadline, but you will be required to pay an additional late registration fee to the NRMP.)
All times shown are Eastern Time in the United States.
Supporting documents may take up to five business days to process once submitted.
Monitor the AAMC’s MyERAS website to track the status of your ERAS application and documents.
Charting Outcomes in the Match for IMGs, a report by NRMP