As application season approaches, medical students are preparing to distill their diverse experiences into compelling applications via ERAS for EM residencies. Hosts Kaitlin and Patricia are joined by Liz Werley and Alexis Pelletier-Bui to discuss two crucial aspects of the application process: program and geographic signaling. In this episode, they share tips on how to strategically highlight your location preferences and target programs that align with your career goals, to ensure your application catches the eye of your desired residency programs.
Understanding ERAS Program and Geographic Signaling
Program and geographic signaling are both crucial aspects of the application process where applicants can strategically convey their preferences and interests to residency programs. By utilizing signaling tokens to express both program and geographic location preferences, applicants can notably increase their likelihood of securing interviews with their preferred residency programs. This approach enables programs to better align applicant interests with program offerings.
This year, applicants are allotted 5 signaling tokens, down from the 7 available in previous years for EM applicants. This reduction in tokens has increased the weight that these tokens carry in the selection process. When deciding on which programs to signal, It’s advised against signaling both “home” or local residency programs and “away” programs which you have done audition rotations for, as these programs often independently yield high chances of securing interviews. Strategic use of these tokens indicates a genuine interest in specific programs, aiding residency programs in refining their applicant pools early on. While signaling doesn’t impact final ranking decisions, it plays a pivotal role in the holistic review process, with the potential to double an applicant’s chances of securing interviews.
Strategic Considerations for Geographic Preferences
In ERAS, applicants can specify their geographic preferences using 9 divisions across the United States. You have the option to choose 1-3 divisions, indicate no preference, or abstain from answering altogether. It is strongly advised against leaving this section blank, as it can appear to residency programs that you either chose not to participate or indicated three divisions outside of their geographical scope. If you do express a preference, you have the opportunity to briefly explain why certain regions appeal to you. It’s crucial to be sincere in your responses, including setting preferences (rural versus urban) or regional ties, as this choice impacts how your application is perceived by programs. Importantly, programs located outside your selected regions cannot view explanations provided for other regions.
Previous data has shown that around 80% of applicants opt to specify their geographic preferences. However, applicants should consider how well their chosen residency programs align with the geographic regions they select. If your program choices span multiple divisions beyond your specified preferences, indicating “no preference” may be beneficial to avoid sending conflicting signals to programs. Furthermore, data indicates that in-state applicants who do not signal have comparable interview chances to out-of-state applicants who do signal. This finding underscores the importance of thoughtful consideration when allocating your signaling tokens, particularly in regions where you already possess a strong likelihood of securing an interview.
Other ERAS Additions & Tips
This year, ERAS has created a “hobby section” which provides applicants with an opportunity to showcase personal interests outside of their professional experiences. It’s crucial to include hobbies that reflect genuine time and interest. Residency programs value hobbies that demonstrate dedication and passion, as they provide insights into an applicant’s character and potential for work-life balance. Including hobbies that have been actively pursued can help create a well-rounded profile that resonates positively with selection committees.
When utilizing the geographic preferences section in ERAS, keep in mind that signaling preferences typically hold more weight than geographic preferences alone. Furthermore, aligning your geographic signaling with program signals has been seen to yield higher interview rates with desired programs. If you choose to explain a geographic preference in your application, avoid duplicating this information in your personal statement. Instead, use your personal statement as an opportunity to articulate your passion for EM and discuss other core aspects of your candidacy.
Take-Home Points:
- Use your signaling tokens early to indicate genuine interest– they are not meant for ranking purposes down the road.
- Use your 5 program signaling tokens strategically
- When specifying geographic preferences, choose divisions that align with your career goals or select “no preference” strategically to avoid ambiguity.
- Signaling is just one aspect of the holistic application review process– use other areas such as the hobbies section or your personal statement to showcase your candidacy!
Post by Mikaela Brown
About Our Guests:
Alexis Pelletier-Bui, MD
Associate Program Director and EM Subspecialty Advisor, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University – Cooper University Hospital
Liz Werley, MD
Former Program Director and Core Faculty, Penn State Health – Hershey Medical Center
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