USMLE STEP 2:
Residency Application Resources:
VSLO Advice:
  • Start early! Applications open as early as February 1st (Umich), but most open in March
    • Visit the website early and often to make sure you are not missing deadlines
    • Aways are very important in that they are your best chance of matching (for competitive specialties) and learning about a program
    • Most students aim for 2-3 away rotations, but ask your mentors as this depends on specialty 
    • Apply to more programs than you need as it is difficult to get aways. However, make sure you withdraw all outstanding applications as soon as you get an away for that month so that you don’t ruin your relationship with those programs. You are able to apply to multiple months for 1 program.
  • How do you select programs?
    • Ask M4s in your specialty of interest to get an understanding of programs 
    • Reach out to any WSUSOM alum 
    • Use your connections!!
    • Things to consider: 
      • Location location location!! (Can you see yourself living there?)
      • Length of program 
      • Academic vs Community
      • Do you like research?
      • Do they accept applicants outside of their program?
      • Expenses- some cities are expensive 
  • What do you need for the application?
    • CV
    • Professional Picture 
    • Vaccinations 
    • Draft of Personal Statement- you can definitely change this throughout the year 
    • Additional essay questions depending on program
    • Some programs require letter of recommendation 


Letters of Recommendation:
  • Letter of Recommendation Guide
  • Months to request letters of recs are usually May-August 
  • You can have a person you rotated with in 3rd year write a letter, be sure to meet with them and update them on what changed in your cv since then 
  • Don't be afraid to ask multiple docs in the same rotation 
  • Ask people who have seen you work for at least 5 days 
  • You can let doctors know that you’d like to earn a letter from them this week, this will allow them to really pay attention. If you don’t feel comfortable with this,  a little more subtle approach is to let them know you're an M4 and interested in their speciality 
  • Go above and beyond, do procedures, come early and read up on your patients, take on 2-3 patients and act as independently as you can. Interns and residents want to see you succeed and ask them for help before attending. 
  • Nurses are your best ally. Attendings work with nursing staff for years. If a nurse ( or any ancillary staff for that matter) comes to a doc and lets them know how good a student is to work with, that will go a LONG way. The opposite is also true. 
  • You can choose which letter goes to which program
  • Its ok to ask you letter writer if they know PDs and to put a more personal word in for you if they do 
  • Send letter writers your CV, personal statement, and any important character traits or experiences you want the to highlight
  • Specialty specific guidance:
    • For IM, your “extra third optional” letter is your time to shine. Don’t be afraid to stray away from IM docs to write this one. This would be a great one to show your leadership or research or community outreach endeavors. 
    • For Ob/Gyn, you will need 2 regular LORs, a chair letter, and a SLOE
      • Don’t have a letter writer you know will write a glowing LOR write your SLOE. Save that for someone who may not have as much to say in a comments section!
    • For EM, you will have a SLOE from each elective you rotate on
  • If you have a letter writer who is recognized in the field as a big wig name- that's an easy tick in your pro column. With that said, don’t sacrifice letter quality for letter writer prestige. 


Scheduling:
  • Talk with advisors in your field about which specific electives you should take!
  • Block 1: April-June
    • Most students take Step 2 in this block
      • Many choose to start studying right away (April/May) so that information is fresh
      • If you want >1 month to study, take a more relaxed elective (QI w/ Dr. Levine, radiology, etc.) before your step month to maximize study time
      • 4-6 weeks of studying is average but do what feels right for you!
    • Whatever months are leftover in this block will be used for specialty-specific electives so that you can start getting letters of recommendation
      • Most people will do at least one clinical month in Detroit before going to aways (if you plan to do aways)
    • Early June: ERAS opens
  • Block 2: July-September
    • This block will represent the bulk of your specialty-specific electives and is a major time to get letters of recommendation
    • People may do away electives during this time
    • Gradually work on ERAS. Try to get all letters in by mid-September
    • Late September: Submit ERAS
  • Block 3: October-December
    • Some people continue to do away electives in October/November
    • Pick electives that will give you ample time to schedule your interviews as November/December tend to be busy months for most specialties
  • Block 4: January-March
    • January: Last month of interviews!
    • Finish up any outstanding requirements: EM, Sub-I, etc.
    • Take a break/chill elective! You deserve it!
    • Depending on specialty, some students may have residency prep course during this block
  • Block 5: April-May
    • April: Many students have residency prep
      • If that does not apply to you, finish up any outstanding requirements or relax!
    • May: Graduate!


(Virtual) Interview Advice
  • Interview Set Up: 
    • Find a professional backdrop for your interviews— this can be a neutral wall or include some art or decor representative of your interests.
      • If needed, you can book rooms at the school of medicine for your interview day. This can be helpful if it is hard to find a quiet environment at home or if you have concerns about wifi connection 
    • Ensure that you are well lit – make sure you are not backlit. Natural lighting is great, but for socials in the evening or interviews in different time zones, it’s not always reliable. Utilize lamps or ring lights (can be purchased for $10-15 online).
    • You can purchase an external microphone if your laptop/set up doesn’t have a great built in microphone. Some people use headphones but only use professional looking ones. 
    • Before your interviews, test out your lighting and microphone set up with friends and with mock interviews. 
    • Interviews might be held on multiple platforms, including Zoom or Thalamus. Make sure to test your tech on various platforms! 

  • Interview Scheduling: 
    • Try to schedule an interview quickly after you receive an invitation to get your preferred date. Turn on email notifications from ERAS and thalamus. 
      • There should be (per NBME rules) enough spots for everyone who gets an invite to sign up. If you can’t make any of the available slots, you can waitlist yourself for dates that work for you. 
    • Scheduling for online interviews can occur via a number of different platforms: 
      • ERAS: Go to the “Interview” tabs under “Invitations.” Select “Schedule” for your preferred date. If you see the green “Scheduled” box, you’re all set! 
      • Thalamus: you won’t be able to make an account on thalamus until you get your first interview invite through that platform. To schedule interviews, click the “calendar” and view available dates in the “pending” section. 
        • Thalamus also has an app that I highly recommend so you can easily schedule interviews! Also, if your laptop / tech breaks down on interview day, you can just join thalamus from your phone or tablet.  
      • Interview Broker: You’ll be emailed a link to a page with a calendar. Choose your selected date and confirm. 
      • Some programs will ask you to email them your availability and schedule through the program coordinator. 
    • Generally, if possible, try to schedule interviews that are at your top-choice programs in the middle of the season, so you have some experience at lower-stakes interviews first. 

  • Interview Prep: 
    • Interviews can be nerve wracking but they just take practice! Practice with mock interviews or looking at common questions online and practicing out loud! 
    • Important questions to have down: 
      • Tell me about yourself. 
      • Why this speciality? 
      • Why this program? / What are you looking for in a program? 
      • Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? 
      • What do you bring to a team / what are your strengths? 
      • What is your biggest weakness and what are you doing to improve it? 
      • AAMC: Frequently Asked Questions of Applicants
  • For behavioral questions, try to prepare a few key stories that you can adapt to multiple questions. Common behavioral scenarios include: a time you dealt with conflict on a team; a time you made a mistake; and a time you received feedback and how you implemented it. 
  • Make sure you can talk about all research, extracurriculars, and hobbies listed on your application in depth. It might be helpful to reread your posters/papers, revisit what roles you played, etc. 
  • You might be asked for a memorable case that you saw, or in procedural specialties, to talk someone through a procedure or case. 
  • Make sure you prepare questions to ask your interviewers!!