A Chief Resident’s View of Residency Applications: Little Things Go A Long Way

It is that time of the year again; when medical students and physicians across the world prepare themselves for the grueling emotional colonoscopy known as THE MATCH. Last year 38,377[i] applicants applied for positions through the ERAS system, and I can guarantee that every single one of them had the same question in mind: “what can I do on this system to make my application stand out?” ERAS, as we know, is a digital SKYNET waiting to take over your application and send back a cyborg to destroy what you think should be on it. Okay, perhaps it’s not as dramatic as that, but there is a component of ERAS that everyone must understand. Program Directors have the ability to create filters so that people who do not meet those thresholds will be filtered out. For example, if the program states the Step 1 score has to be a minimum of 220; if your score is a 219, your application is auto filtered into the rejection pile.

However, if you do make the cuts and manage to make it past the initial filters then your application is seen by the residency program and will be evaluated by different associate program directors, faculty, and even chief residents. So what will they look for on your application? Are they looking for specific findings? We all know board scores, LORs, and your MSPE speak volumes, but what are some of the atypical things to help your application standout? Well, I have gone ahead and compiled several little things you can do to help your application standout and be seen as a more well-rounded candidate.

1. Professional Organizations – ACP, SGIM, AMA, ACCP, ACOG, ACA, AGA, ASGE….its seems like an endless alphabet of letters but membership in a professional organization shows you are interested in that field. Remember – the professional organizations are where the cutting edge information of your specific field happens. Therefore, if you have been a member for a long time, the program interprets that as someone who has been participating in scientific and scholarly activity. From the Chief Resident’s standpoint: it means you take medicine seriously and are someone who participates in the advancement of medicine/healthcare.

2.  Poster or Oral Presentations – “The number one fear in America is speaking in public. The number two fear is dying. That means most Americans would rather be in the casket than giving the Eulogy”. This joke from comedian Jerry Seinfeld might seem funny but it also rings true regarding our paradigms about giving presentations. However, the ability to present in a public setting is a sign of a skill set that many chief residents look for. From the Chief Resident’s standpoint: the ability to present in public shows confidence, ambition, and a striving for academic excellence.

3.  Hobbies– everyone poo poos this section during the application process, however, I tend to really like this section as it gives me a clear understanding of what the person likes to do outside of the hospital. I have seen this become the focus of the interview where one candidate was a windsurfing champion, while another was a Shakespearean scholar. Odd, quirky, or even fun things should all go in there. However, don’t put generic items on there like “tv”, or as one student put on his application, his only hobby was his “girlfriend”. From the Chief Resident’s standpoint: the Hobbies and Interests section gives insight into what kind of person you are and if you will gel with others of the PGY class.

4. Professional statement or is it personal statement?  IT’S BOTH!! The last and really most important item is what you write in your personal statement. I have said this in numerous blogs before, but this is the one true glimpse we have into you without meeting you. The rest of the items on this little Blog are simply surrogates of what we think you are. Your personal statement is actually what you are saying. So remember to keep it honest, professional and make it personal. Avoid clichés and never let one of the numerous statement-writing companies write one for you. It’s unethical and you will get caught. Best statement I ever read was “I was not good-looking enough for Bollywood so I became a doctor” and worst was “V”. Why just a V? The person didn’t pay attention and instead of copy and paste, just clicked the V (paste on keyboard) without the Alt. key. From the Chief Resident’s standpoint: make your personal statement true and honest. We know when it’s cliché and when it’s true. The most memorable statements are by the applicants who are our interns the following year.

These few hints and opinions are things I take extra time to look for in applications. At the end of the day your scores get you into the door, but the final seal for the interview is a full 360-degree look at the application. We can garner a lot of information from the above items, so when it comes time to submit your applications don’t forget little things really matter.