How to Get the Right Residency

1
How to Get the Right Residency

• Michael G. Kavan, Ph.D.
• Associate Dean for Student Affairs
• Creighton University School of Medicine

2
Agenda

• Match schedule
• Timeline
• Residency program evaluation
• Application numbers
• CV
• Personal statement
• Letters of recommendation
• Roadmap to Residency
• ERAS Lora Freberg

3
Match Schedule

• Go to
• www.nrmp.org
• www.sfmatch.org
• Ophthalmology
• www.auanet.org
• Urology

4
Timeline

• In handout
• Please make sure you look over the timeline
  periodically in order to be prepared for your M4
  year and the match

5
Residency Program Evaluation Guide (AAMC Careers
in Medicine)

• A guide can be helpful in that it
• Provides general guidelines in regards to what to
  look for in a residency program
• Provides a way to rate and compare residency
  programs
• Helps to organize the many interviews that you
  will participate in as you apply

6
(No Transcript)
7
(No Transcript)
8
CiM Residency Preference Exercise

• Go to www.aamc.org/students/cim
• Log in
• Go to Getting into Residency
• Click Residency Preference Exercise
• You will be able to Rate Your Preferences for
  what you want from a residency program ? My
  Predicted Residency Profile
• You will then be able to rate specific programs
  and to save these for future reference

9
How Many Programs Should I Apply To?

• Based on several factors
• Competitiveness of the specialty area
• Competitiveness of your application
• Location of programs you are seeking
• Those students who typically do not match have
  either
• Underestimated the competitiveness of the
  programs
• Overestimated the competitiveness of their
  application
• Applied to too few programs

10
(No Transcript)
11
Curriculum Vitae

• A summary of your academically related career to
  date (include undergraduate through medical
  school)
• Should include
• Name/address/phone number/email no SSN
• Education
• Honors/awards
• University service/community service
• Publications/presentations
• Research
• Employment
• Teaching
• Military
• Personal interests

12
Curriculum Vitae

• This provides others with a first impression so,
  make sure to
• Be well organized
• Use appropriate headings and subheadings
• Reverse chronological order
• Neat
• Use good paper (off white, cotton bond) of 8 ½ by
  11 inches
• Use 12 font although you can get by with 11 font
  (no funky fonts)
• Maintain adequate margins and spacing 1-1 ½
  inches

13
Curriculum Vitae

• Length
• As long as it has to be without fluff
• Printing
• Laser printer
• Proof read
• Examples at www.aamc.org/students/cim

14
Personal Statement

• A one-page statement that includes information
  on
• Explanation as to what got you interested in the
  specialty?
• What significant experiences (e.g., clinical,
  volunteer, research, etc.) solidified your
  decision?
• Strengths in general and in relationship to
  your specialty what makes you a good fit for
  this specialty?
• What are you looking for in a program?
• What do you see yourself doing in the future?
• This does not have to be too specific, but give
  the reader a sense that you know what you are
  getting yourself into and why

15
Personal Statement

• Keep it to one page
• Use proper margins
• 12 font
• Avoid abbreviations and jargon
• Use a spell checker, thesaurus, etc.
• Have others help you but not too many
• Reading it aloud or having others read it aloud
  to you can be helpful
• Dont be too cute or funny
• If also applying to preliminary programs, please
  modify slightly to include what you want out of
  the preliminary program

16
Letters of Recommendation

• Typically will send four through ERAS (3 for
  SFMatch)
• Usually from the Chair and three faculty
• At least two from specialty area you are pursuing
• Use clinical physicians unless you are attempting
  to get into a high-powered research program
• No residents or fellows
• Set up a meeting with the faculty writer
• Bring your CV and PS
• Treat it like an interview
• Would you feel comfortable writing me a
  favorable letter of recommendation?
• Give writer adequate time
• To waive or not to waive

17
MSPE

• Will begin conducting MSPE (Deans Letter)
  interviews beginning Mid May
• Must have completed by September 15th
• Interview attire
• CV and personal statement
• AAMC rule states that the MSPE may not be
  released until November 1st
• SIGN UP FOR MSPE MEETINGS AT APRIL 8th M3 CLASS
  MEETING

18
Other Residency Resources

• Results of the 2008 NRMP Program Director Survey
• http//www.nrmp.org/data/programresultsbyspecialty
  .pdf
• Characteristics of Matched Seniors, 2006-2008
• Similar to Charting Outcomes in the Match, but
  Creighton-specific data
• Available in Office of Student Affairs

19
Roadmap to Residency From Application to the
Match and Beyond

• Provides comprehensive information about the
  process of making application to GME programs in
  the U.S.
• Candidacy requirements
• Factors involved in specialty choice
• Possible criteria for residency selection
• The match process
• Program visits
• Potential application outcomes
• Transition issues
• Available at https//services.aamc.org/Publicatio
  ns/index.cfm?fuseactionProduct.displayFormprd_id
  183prv_id222