Understanding the residency match timeline (2024/2025) is important if you are applying for residency this year!
Residency applicants need to pay attention to two residency timelines:
1) The Residency Matching Timeline
2) The Residency Application Timeline
The ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service) is a standardized application system used by the majority of specialties to streamline the application process, making it easier to medical school students to apply to multiple different medical residency programs. Even though ERAS doesn’t open until June each year and you cannot submit your application until September, there are many steps you should be aware of so you can stay organized to submit your application as early as possible which is becoming increasingly important each year. While this article will focus on ERAS, we will outline all application systems available to apply for residency.
There are several systems through which applicants apply for residency. We realize this can be confusing at first glance so we will try to outline this all clearly.
All applicants, except those applying to urology, must register with the AAMC National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). Applicants use the NRMP to submit rank lists and to find out where they matched.
Applicants use different systems to actually submit applications to residency programs.
Ophthalmology applicants must use the NRMP and ERAS to match into into a PGY1 position.
The Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS) is used for all applicants except those applying to urology, ophthalmology (to start PGY2 year), OBGYN, and plastic surgery.
What specialties use ERAS?
Applicants applying for ophthalmology apply and match via SF Match:
Applicants for Plastic Surgery apply only through the Plastic Surgery Common App:
Applicants applying for Urology apply and match through the AUA:
OB/GYN applicants apply only through the ResidencyCAS:
International applicants applying for residency (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens):
Your medical school Dean’s office will provide you with a one time “token” ID to sign up for MyERAS. The ECFMG serves as the Dean’s office for international medical graduates. As soon as you receive your token ID number, you should register with MyERAS system. A token can be used only once. Make note of and remember your AAMC ID when you register.
You must upload a picture of yourself (max of 3” x 4”), Resolution: 150dpi, File Size: 100kb.
Complete the MyERAS application, which includes sections for biographical information, education, medical education, training (if applicable), experience descriptions, publications, licensure and medical licenses (if applicable), self-identification, language fluency and miscellaneous. Within MyERAS, you also have to manage and keep track of your documents. In this section, you can create one or multiple residency personal statement(s); identify the people who will write letters of recommendation (LoRs) and authorize the release your USMLE/COMLEX scores.
Below is the MyERAS fee schedule per application
For example, if applying to 30 internal medicine and 30 family medicine programs the cost would be: ($11 x 30) + ($11 x 30) = $660
If applying to 60 internal medicine programs, the cost wooed be: ($11 x 30) + ($30 x 30) = $1230
The applicant’s designated Dean’s Office will use ERAS to upload the Medical Student Performance Evaluation and medical school transcript. Some medical schools will upload letters of reference on each student’s behalf, however, many letter writers will upload their letters to the system directly via the ERAS Letter of Recommendation Portal (LoRP).
Once your application is processed, residency programs will start receiving applications. Typically, residency programs will review applications only once all documents (including letters of reference) have been received. Most programs review applications on a computer and do not print out applications. Each reviewer also has his or her own method for reviewing applications. Some might look first at USMLE/COMPLEX scores, someone else might first read letters of recommendation, and another might go straight to the personal statement. The number of people who review your application to decide whether or not you receive an interview also varies. At many programs each person involved in residency admissions might read a certain number of applications and have sole discretion about whether or not to interview an applicant or several people might review each application. Keep in mind that some programs also have filters to weed out some applicants. The most common filters are USMLE/COMLEX score minimums, type of medical school (MD, DO, international) or years since graduation from medical school.
Once your application materials have been reviewed, you will either be granted an interview in which case you will receive an email notification or you may be put on “hold” or “rejected.” In these latter two instances you likely won’t be notified.
January – May 2024:
January – May 2024:
June 5, 2024: The ERAS season begins!
July – August 2024:
September 4th, 2024 at 9 AM EST:
September 16th, 2024 at noon EST:
September 25, 2024:
October – December 2024:
October, 2024 – January, 2025:
Mid-January, 2025:
February 3, 2025
March 5, 2025 (9PM EST):
March 17, 2025: Match Week!
March 21, 2025:
The primary reason a program would not participate in the NRMP match is if that program wanted to offer positions to applicants outside of the match. It used to be common practice for programs to fill some spots outside of the match and to offer some spots to applicants directly. However, since the “all in policy” was implemented, programs participating in the NRMP match must offer all spots through the match. The primary reason a program might not participate in ERAS is if that program was a part of the National Matching Service (NMS/AOA) match. You can search for programs that don’t participate in the NRMP and/or ERAS by using the “Application Info” feature on FREIDA, however, a recent search of ours found some outdated information.
In March, the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP®) main residency match results are available. This is when applicants find out where they matched and if they matched! Programs will also find out with whom they matched and if their programs filled. Unmatched applicants and unfilled programs participate in the The Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP).
MedEdits helps students get admitted to medical school and residency programs. Our consultants have years of experience serving on medical school admissions committees, and as faculty members at the top medical schools in the country.
JESSICA FREEDMAN, M.D., a former medical school and residency admissions officer at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, is the founder and chair of MedEdits Medical Admissions and author of three top-selling books about the medical admissions process that you can find on Amazon.