ERAS Support Services for Applicants
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.
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ERAS Support Services at ECFMG:
- 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.
Token Request
The Token is a 14-digit, alpha-numeric code that you request via ECFMG’s OASIS or the MyECFMG mobile app. You must obtain a Token in order to register at MyERAS and start your residency application. Your Token is associated with your USMLE ID, ECFMG Status Report, and USMLE transcript; therefore, do not allow any other ERAS participant to use your Token.
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How do I request a Residency Token?
Log in to ECFMG’s OASIS or MyECFMG and select ERAS Support Services from the menu. You will then see the option to Request a Residency Token. The request is fulfilled entirely on-line.
When will Tokens for ERAS 2018 be available?
Tokens for the ERAS 2018 season will be available on June 20.
How much does the Token cost?
There is a $115 non-refundable fee for this service.
How can I pay the Token fee?
When you request your Token using OASIS or MyECFMG, you can pay on-line using a credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express). You can also pay by electronic check from a checking account at a U.S. bank.
Once I request the Token, when will it be issued?
You will have immediate access to your Token after your request and payment are made. After your payment is approved, you will receive a confirmation number for your records. Please print this page or write down your confirmation number. To access your Token, click Continue, and your Token will be listed on the ERAS Token Request page. Your Token will remain on the ERAS Token Request page in OASIS and MyECFMG and may be accessed at any time during the ERAS 2018 season.
Can I use my ERAS 2018 Token to apply in future seasons?
No. The ERAS software will not recognize a Token issued for previous ERAS seasons. You need one Token per ERAS season, and you can use that one Token to apply to as many specialties and programs as you want during the ERAS season. You can also use your 2018 Token to apply for both a clinical year (PGY-1), which begins in 2018, and for an advanced position (PGY-2), which begins in 2019 (e.g., Radiology, Neurology, etc.).
I am a fellowship applicant. How do I request a Token?
Fellowship Tokens must be requested through the ERAS Fellowships Documents Office (EFDO). Tokens requested through ECFMG’s OASIS are for residency applications only. If you are currently enrolled in a residency program and require a Token for a fellowship application, you must request your Token through EFDO.
Last updated May 24, 2017.
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- Collects, uploads, and transmits supporting documents to your ERAS application.
- Transmits ECFMG Status Report to your ERAS application.
ECFMG Status Report
ERAS Document Submission At-a-Glance
Click to view
The ECFMG Status Report confirms your ECFMG certification status. The ECFMG Status Report contains the month and year that you passed examinations for ECFMG Certification. It does not include your USMLE scores, which can be reported only as part of an official USMLE transcript.*
ECFMG Status Reports contain the following information:
- USMLE/ECFMG Identification Number
- Applicant name
- Birth date
- ECFMG-certified: (Yes or No)
- Certificate issue date
- Exams passed for ECFMG Certification*
- CSA valid through date, if applicable
- Medical school of graduation
- Degree year
- Medical Education Credential Status (complete or incomplete)
- Explanatory notes (if applicable)
*If you received your Standard ECFMG Certificate based on any of the following exams, the scores will be listed on your ECFMG Status Report:
- One-day ECFMG Examination
- FMGEMS
- VQE
- NBME Part exams
- FLEX
Your ECFMG Status Report will be transmitted automatically to your ERAS application, and will update automatically as new information is available. You do not need to request the Status Report or automatic updates, and the cost is included in your ERAS Token fee.
Last updated May 24, 2017.
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- Transmits USMLE transcript, if requested, to your ERAS application.
USMLE Transcript
ERAS Document Submission At-a-Glance
Click to view
The USMLE transcript contains your examination history on Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK), Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS), and, if taken, Step 3. It includes all attempts: passed, failed, incomplete, etc. For complete information on what is included in the USMLE transcript, refer to Official USMLE Transcripts and Providing Scores to Third Parties in the USMLE Bulletin of Information.
The USMLE transcript is not transmitted automatically. You need to request its transmission, assign it to your programs, and pay the one-time $80 processing fee. You can request the release of your current USMLE transcript from the Documents tab of MyERAS. Please read the instructions carefully. Should new scores become available after you first release your USMLE transcript, you will need to retransmit it from the Documents tab of MyERAS after you have obtained your new scores. USMLE scores may only be reported in an official USMLE transcript.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Your USMLE transcript request will not be processed until you have applied to at least one program. Each time you apply to a program, it can take one to two business days for your USMLE transcript to be transmitted to the ERAS application, where it can be accessed by the program.
If you are applying to programs that do not participate in ERAS and require a USMLE transcript, request a paper transcript from ECFMG.
Last updated May 24, 2017.
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AAMC’s Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS):
www.aamc.org/eras
- 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.
National Resident Matching Program (NRMP, or “the Match”):
www.nrmp.org
- 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.
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