Strolling Through the Match

1. Strolling Through the Match The Beginning of the End …or the end of the beginning Presented by Owen P. Phillips, M.D. and Debbey Hester

2. The Application Team • Letter Writers • Owen Phillips, M.D. • Gerald Presbury, M.D. • Renate Rosenthal, Ph.D. • David Stockton, M.D. (Knoxville) • Robert C. Fore, M.D. (Chattanooga) • The Faculty (excluding the MSPE) • Application Coordinator • Debbey Hester

3. Our Contact Information 910 Madison Avenue, Suite 1043 Memphis, TN 38163 Tel: 448-5684 | Fax: 448-7085 http://www.uthsc.edu/medicine/studentaffairs

4. STTM Overview • Medical Student Performance Evaluation • Letters of Recommendation • Preparing your Curriculum Vitae • Writing your Personal Statement • Applying for Residency • Nat’l Resident Matching Program (NRMP) • Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)

5. Preparing for your Future • Designed Programs • AAMC Careers in Medicine (CiM) • Appraising The Challenge • Self Assessment • Surveying Alternatives • Evaluating Alternatives • Achieving Commitment • Career Day (January) • Strolling Through the Match (STTM)

6. Preparing for your Future • The Process • experiences prior to medical school • summer preceptorship • research experiences • clerkship experiences • specialty interest groups • senior electives • attending Alumni panel • seeking out private practice experiences • speaking to specialty counselors • remembering family & significant other

7. Preparing Your Credentials Curriculum Vitae & Personal Statement Strolling Through the Match May 2011

8. Getting Ready for the Match Preparation for Success • Be certain about career choice • Narrowed it down- or come see me • Talk with Clerkship Director (and others) to answer nagging worries about career choice • Once certain about career choice, talk with department chair • competitiveness of specialty, where to apply, outside rotations, etc. • Get CV together

9. Getting Ready for the Match Preparation for Success • Write your personal statement • Consider who should write you letters of recommendation • contacting his/her secretary to schedule an appointment • Debbey Hester schedules ALL MSPE appointments • Scheduling begins July 11, 2011 • Instructions for scheduling MSPE appointments will be sent via email late June

10. Curriculum Vitae Strolling Through the Match May 2011

11. Curriculum Vitae A ‘CV’ is… • Your life course • The course of your life • An organized document of how you have spent your professional life • not intended to be a philosophical statement, but rather a fact sheet with order and content • On paper, it’s who you are professionally

12. Curriculum Vitae Format • One page • Good quality paper • White or near white • Ordered and structured

13. Curriculum Vitae Do NOTneed to put your… Age Marital status Names of children SS # or NRMP # Place of Birth Courses taken Career plan

14. Curriculum Vitae (CV) The Header (top of page) • Identifying Information • Full name • Address • Telephone number • E-mail Address

15. Curriculum Vitae The Body • Education • college, NOThigh school • School, years of attendance, major, degree • Add GPA, class standing ONLY if it’s impressive

16. Curriculum Vitae Honors Alpha Omega Alpha, 2011 Presidential Scholarship, UTK, 2005 – 2009 Summer Honors Research Scholar, 2007 Activities Vice President of Academic Affairs, 2010-present President of Class Notes, 2009-2010 TIP: Do NOT list all; limit your society memberships unless an officer.

17. Curriculum Vitae TIP: List chronologically. Employment Electrocardiogram technician,Methodist Hospital, Summer, 2002 Chemistry lab assistant, UT, Knoxville, 2006-2007 Research UT, Knoxville 2006-2008 Investigated cardiac output of rats under the influence of nitrous oxide. Under supervision of Dr. Thomas Mitras TIP: Be prepared to discuss your research. List reverse chorological order.

18. Curriculum Vitae Publications & Presentations Presented National Association of Rat Biologists, 2009. “Effects of Nitrous Oxide on Cardiac Output of Rats” Personal Interests Painting, hiking, photography Special Abilities Capable in sign language, fluent in Spanish

19. Curriculum Vitae Summary • Try to keep to one page • Exception: Research and publications • Ask friends, family, faculty to proofread and comment • Be prepared to discuss any research documented • Explain any awards

20. REALLY LONG!

21. TIP: Don’t include GPA, Class Rank • One page • Good quality paper • White or near white • Ordered and structured

22. Personal Statement Strolling Through the Match May 2011

23. Personal Statement A Personal Statement is… • In contrast to CV, personal statement may be philosophical • A narrative • About the past that is relevant and as importantly, what the future dream is • Who you are that is not revealed in your transcript or your CV • Doesn’t describe your life chronologically • An introductory sentence to capture interest

24. PersonalStatement A Personal Statement tells… • Why I chose medicine • How I chose this specialty • Where I see myself • Insight into family and very special interests

25. Personal Statement Format • One page long • Have others proofread: spelling, proper English, flow & appropriateness of content • Use good paper & a font that is easy to read • Use humor • Talk about fears, poignant events in life if they are relevant • Be positive about the traits you possess that will help make you a good resident

26. Personal Statement • Suggestions • This is your own statement; individualize • Make an attempt to reveal who you are on paper • Pitfalls • Be careful talking about religion practices • Too long or too short • One long paragraph • Make it reader friendly

27. More issues with personal statements • Don’t use it to explain bad grades • Or explain step score failures? • And what about future plans? • Optional

28. CV & Personal Statement Summary • CV & PS quality will not make or break you • May induce a great deal of interest and augment ‘the numbers and grades’ • Poor grammar or sloppiness may hurt • Bring a good copy of CV and personal statement with you when you meet with faculty about writing a reference letter

29. Quote from Hillel the Elder, Jewish Philosopher “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?”

30. “… And, if not now, when?”

31. What do you think… Plus or Pitfall? “At this point in time, I see myself pursuing a fellowship in sports medicine… In the future, I see myself practicing in a medium sized community working with the local high school and college teams while at the same time serving the various members of the community…”

32. What do you think… Plus or Pitfall? “From summer camp to teenage youth director, I have always loved being around kids – shy, screaming, laughing, unreserved, honest kids… The pediatric ward reinforced my feelings in real time… An equally rewarding aspect of pediatrics is preventive medicine…”

33. What do you think… Plus or Pitfall? “In his essay on the profession of medicine, Sir William Osler writes that the medical field strives for a time, ‘when there should be no more unnecessary death, when sorrow and crying should be no more, and there should not be any more pain.’…” “Though I intend to first and foremost become a clinical physician, I also plan to participate in investigation and education throughout my career… The balance for which I search in my career will unite direct and honest patient care with practical discovery and education. A residency in internal medicine will provide the ideal foundation for this pursuit… I see myself not only as a future leader in providing health care to my community, but also as a leader outside of medicine as a respected citizen, neighborhood advocate, author, and role model…”

34. What do you think… Plus or Pitfall? “In my journey through medical school, I have realized that pursuing a career in family medicine will allow me to address several of my special interests while also allowing me to serve me community effectively… My interest in adolescent populations is one of the main reasons I am opting for a career in family medicine… I also hope to address the needs of the special populations…” “I have learned that people with substance abuse issues present a special set of challenges, and I plan to use what I have learned in a prevention effort in my community… I had some academic difficulties in the basic sciences as a result of my difficulties with test taking. I was able to address these difficulties in a decelerated curriculum that allowed me to spread out the traditional preclinical courses and focus on each course in more depth… Returning to a full-time curriculum for my clinical clerkships… Though it was personally difficult for me to accept a change in the course I had planned, I am grateful for the additional enriching opportunities…”

35. Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) Strolling Through the Match May 2011

36. The MSPE… • The MSPE is a comprehensive assessment regarding comparative performance. • It should describe, in sequential manner, the student’s performance, as compared to peers, through 4 full years of school. • It should be an assessment of both academic performance and professional attributes. • It should be 2-3 pages in length and appropriately formatted with appendices.

37. The MSPE… • Is neither a letter of recommendation nor a prediction of future performance in residency

38. The MSPE… • Format • Identifying Information • Identifies you as a fourth year medical student at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center • Personal Comments / Noteworthy Achievements • demonstrated leadership • research abilities • community service • significant challenges/hardships

39. The MSPE… • Format • Academic History • graduation and matriculation dates • breaks, gaps, LOA • Transfer school and dual degreed program information • explanation of remediated coursework • explanation of adverse actions

40. The MSPE… • Format • Academic Progress • basic sciences & introduction to clinical medicine (PCC/DRS) • required clinical core clerkships and electives reported thru mid-October

41. The MSPE… • Format • Summary • summative assessment of comparative performance relative to peers • reference to unique characteristics / accomplishments • overall performance in basic medical sciences & clinical clerkships with emphasis on professional attributes

42. The MSPE… • Format • Overall Medical Student Performance Rating • GPAs taken from GPA/Class Rank report (available early September) OVERALL MEDICAL SCHOOL PERFORMANCE Very Good(0.00-0.00) Satisfactory(0.00-0.00) Outstanding(0.00-0.00) Excellent (0.00-0.00) 15% 25% 50% 10% Indicates percentage of class in each category; not an indication of class rank.

43. The MSPE… • Format • Appendices • A – bar graph of performance relative to peers in each preclinical course • B – bar graph of performance relative to peers in each core clinical clerkship • C – assessment of professional attributes relative to peers ** • D – bar graph showing overall performances relative to peers • E – medical school information page ** Not currently included in the MSPE

44. Letters of Recommendations Download ERAS LOR Coversheet for US Graduates from Student Affairs Website Strolling Through the Match May 2011

45. Letters of Recommendation • Generally 3 - 4 are required; 4 recommended • ERAS will allow a maximum of 4 letters per program • department chair of your chosen specialty • senior faculty member usually in specialty of choice (i.e., faculty with whom you did JI) • other faculty member(s), not necessarily in specialty, who knows you well • make appointment EARLY to review your professional goals and answer questions • provide a CV, personal statement, transcript, and list of programs; attach ERAS LOR Cover Sheet • don’t be shy about discussing your strengths or extenuating circumstances

46. Chair’s letter • Call to set up an appointment- do not email • The chair is expecting you- even if you have never met • The interview as well as your performance on the rotation will be enough for him to write you a letter • Bring with you a list of programs you are applying to • Ask about your competitiveness for programs and listen to the feedback

47. The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) ~ the electronic application delivery system

48. ERAS What is ERAS ? Electronic “application delivery service ” used to transmit applications, letters of recommendation, MSPEs, transcripts, and other supporting credentials from applicants and medical schools to residency program directors using the Internet. • Tokens will be distributed via UT email to applicants in late June • MyERAS available (but not live) for applicants mid July • ERAS Post Office opens September 1st; available for transmission of documents to programs • Required for NRMP and some early matching services

49. ERAS • ERAS is comprised of four main components: • MyERAS is the Web site where applicants complete their ERAS Application • select programs to apply to, and assign documents to be received by programs. • DWS is the software used by the designated dean's office. • scan and attach supporting documents to the application, such as photographs, medical school transcripts, MSPE, and LoRs. • PDWS is the ERAS software used by program staff to receive, sort, review, evaluate, and rank applications. • ERAS Post Office is the central bank of computers that transfer the application materials from applicants and their designated dean's office to residency programs.

50. Students should NOT wait on a complete file before submitting application • No supporting documents can be transmitted through ERAS UNTIL THE STUDENT SUBMITS HIS/HER APPLICATION!