The Internal Medicine Match ACP Steps to Success 2013

1. The Internal Medicine MatchACP Steps to Success 2013 April S. Fitzgerald, MD, FACP

2. Plan for this hour Discuss • Time-line for applying to residency • Curriculum Vitae (CV) • Personal Statement

3. Start Preparing as a 3rd year (MS3)Late Spring • Schedule your sub-internship (sub-i) early • Finish before September • Why? • Include evaluations in transcripts • Possible letter of recommendation during your sub-internship

4. What happens in Early Summer • Set up meetings with potential letter of recommendation writers • Who to ask is a very important decision • Balance between choosing someone who knows you well vs. someone who is well known

5. Strategies for Asking for Letters of Recommendation • Do’s: • Ask letter writers early (at the start of a rotation) • Meet with your letter writers to discuss goals, highlight accomplishments, describe the program/grant/institution you are applying to • Provide your CV and personal statement (rough draft ok) • Give details about due dates, allow plenty of time, and provide all instructions for letter submission • Don’t: • Don’t be surprised if you are asked to provide a first draft of the recommendation

6. What happens over the Summer • July 1 – MyERAS website opens for you to begin working on your application • Make appointment with your Dean for the Dean’s letter interviews

7. Make sure in August… • Finalize CV and personal statement • Follow up with letter writers • Take application pictures • Meet with your Dean if not already done

8. What happens in September • Programs can begin downloading ERAS applications from mailbox • Check to make sure all letters are submitted • Check to make sure clerkship grades are submitted • Interview schedule starts

9. What happens in October • Dean’s letter and transcript can be downloaded by programs • Most programs are scheduling interviews • Interviews begin for some • Prepare what you will wear to interview • Register for the match (NRMP)

10. Making the Most of your Interview Day • The interview is high stakes • Be prepared • Do your homework about the program, institution, and faculty you are to meet with • Anticipate questions you may be asked • Be prepared to talk/answer questions about anything in your CV (including research) or in your personal statement

11. Standard Interview Questions • Questions you may be asked • Why are you applying to this residency, fellowship, position? • Tell me about yourself, strengths, areas for growth, professional goals etc? • What is unique about you that will add to this program? • Talk about a challenging experience you have had and what you learned from it?

12. Standard Interview questions • Questions you should ask • Expectations, mentoring opportunities • The values/culture of the program/institution • Mission (on website) - how accomplished • If someone asks if you have a question… • Do you ask one? - A Safe question: “What do you feel makes this program stand out from the rest?”

13. What happens in November/December • Continue to schedule interview • NRMP deadline – end of November • Interview at programs • Write follow-up letters/emails to interviewers and program directors

14. January Fun • Continue interviews • Write thank-you notes • Consider 2nd look programs • Discuss rank list with your significant other(s) • NRMP rank order begins Jan 15th

15. February – almost there • Finalize rank list • How do you determine rank? • Mid-Feb – rank list due

16. March Match • 3rd Friday is Match Day (March 21, 2014) • Friday before notifications for SOAP • Once you match • Let your letter writers know where you are going (email, phone, in-person, letter) • Thank them for their help • Start to look for housing, etc

17. The Curriculum Vitae (CV) • A “living” document-part of your professional development toolbox • Your “professional tool” for life • For others: • First impression • An overview of your qualifications and accomplishments • For self: • Helps to identify areas for improvement and set goals

18. What is a CV? • Important representation of YOU • Experiences/skills/training • Accomplishments • Build a “story” (areas of expertise and interest) • Highlight your future potential

19. Why do you need a CV?

20. What a CV can do for YOU • Demonstrates qualifications and provides a personal inventory • Reminds you of strengths/ weaknesses • Set goals, are you building a “story” • Helps you GET an interview-first impression • Assists in preparation of applications • Residency, fellowship and job applications • awards, grants, promotions • Helpful to LOR writers

21. Five Cs of CV writing • Clear- organized and logical • Concise- relevant information only • Complete- don’t sell yourself short • Consistent – formatting/structure • Current- keep information up to date

22. Components of the CV • Contact Information • Education • Honors and Awards • Professional Experience • Research Experience • Presentations • Publications • Grants Professional Memberships Employment/ Teaching Experience Extra-curricular Activities Volunteerism; Service Hobbies and Outside Interests Leadership

23. DO’S AND DON’T’S

24. DO’s • Be HONEST • Use Active Words "For my research project, I had to carry out a study of patients' attitudes towards using dietary supplements. This involved interviewing patients in clinic. A database was used to keep track of data collected.” "Devised and prepared a survey of patients' attitudes towards dietary supplements. Interviewed 300 patients and collected a substantial amount of data. Created a database to analyse and interpret this information. Manuscript of the results currently being drafted."

25. DO’s • Be organized • List education and training in reverse chronological order • Publications may be in chronological order • Be concise • Include name header • Be visually pleasing • Include accurate contact information • Get a trusted mentor to review your CV • Revise/update regularly!

26. DON’T’s • Have spelling or grammatical errors • List an inappropriate email address • Have long sections of prose • Write in the first person • Inflate accomplishments • Sell yourself short • Include Social Security number

27. Keeping your CV current • Just do it • It’s always a work in progress • Create new categories/update accomplishments • Re-organize as appropriate • Create an updating system that works for you • Current CV on flash drive • Don’t eliminate yourself from consideration because of outdated CV

28. CV Writing Resources • http://www.training.nih.gov/careers/careercenter/cv.html • multiple links to resources for writing CVs and resumes. • https://www.aamc.org/download/62348/data/cvsample2.pdfAAMC • Example of a medical student CV

29. Writing Personal Statements • “Doesn’t really help you, but can hurt you” • Important for reflecting on career, goals, values • Needed for many scholarships/awards/grants application • Helpful for letter writers • Opens up areas of discussion during the interview

30. Medical School PS vs. Residency PS • You are now applying for a job (with on-the job training) • You have a great deal more experience and knowledge • You are now going to be more focused on a specialty

31. Where do you want to go in Medicine? • Alternative career options • Specialization • Primary care • Academic versus private practice • Research (academic vs. industry vs. government) • Hospitalist • Federal Government (e.g., PHS, VA, FDA, NIH) • Military medicine • Administration • Business • Public service • International medicine

32. The Basics • What got you interested in the field you have chosen? • What are you looking for in a residency program? • What are your expected goals in the field you have chosen?

33. Other Possibilities • Tie in outside interests • Highlight certain accomplishments • What contributions can you make to the residency program and/or specialty? • Patient examples

34. Personal Statement Do’s and Don’ts • DO: • Start early, have a trusted mentor review PS • Think about who you are writing for; tailor the PS • Try to “show” the reader who you are enthusiastic, honest, dependable, determined, and a team player • Should provide a story (with beginning, middle, end) • Highlight values if you share them with institution

35. Personal Statement Do’s and Don’ts • DON’T: • Provide too much information • Have grammatical or spelling mistakes • Try to be funny • Mention how hard it was for you to get into/succeed in medical school • Focus too much on your research • Show any indecision in your specialty choice • Refer to a relative with a disease as your reason for choosing that specialty • Reference television shows

36. Questions/Answers & Discussion • What questions or comments do you have?

37. “Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with the important matters.” ~ Albert Einstein