IMG U.S. Medical Residency Application Timeline and Checklist

This year, due to COVID-19, there are several VERY IMPORTANT changes to the residency application timeline. Key differences in the application timeline are signified in red. We urge you to pay close attention. 

Below is a timeline of events with additional suggested actions per time period for the Main Residency Match® Season from start to finish for International Medical Graduates (IMGs).

June 2020: Start Your Program Research

June 23, 2020: ERAS® Tokens available to IMG applicants

• Apply and pay for your ERAS token through ECFMG®
  • You can find this under ECFMG’s OASIS® ERAS Support or the MyECFMG mobile app

• Use your token serial number to register for MyERAS
• Start researching residency programs that are best suited to your professional criteria
  • Be aware free databases and program websites aren’t always up-to-date, check for timestamps and verify the information!
  • Annually updated and personalized Customized Residency Program Lists are available at Match A Resident

• Schedule and take your USMLE® Exams so you can have them ready when residency applications begin – COVID-related delays permitting. 
  • Remember, you will need your USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS completed by the Rank Order List Deadline in February to qualify for the Main Residency Match
  • The last date to take the USMLE Step 2 CS in order to qualify is December 31st, and testing spots fill up FAST

July – August 2020: Prepare Your Residency Application

• Visit our partner, Residency Experts to learn the best strategies for obtaining strong Letters of Recommendation (LoRs)
  • Learn about the submission process through the ERAS LORP® before talking to your Letter Writers
  • Make sure you confirm with the writers and give them the Letter Request Form from MyERAS
  • Have a one-on-one meeting to discuss their feedback about your performance and your expectations about the letter
  • If you do not waive your LoR, you may upload them through ECFMG’s OASIS
  • If you’ve been asked to write LoRs on behalf of your author, review Residency Experts’ helpful tips by reading Your Complete Residency Letter of Recommendation Guide.

• Start writing your medical residency Personal Statements
  • You will need at least ONE Personal Statement PER medical specialty
  • If you need help editing or completing a statement from scratch, see Residency Statement

• Start filling out your MyERAS Application
  • Preview the application with the ERAS Worksheet
  • Fill out your Contact Information (This is the only part of the application you can change after certifying)
  • You can work on the application and come back to it as many times as you need
  • Utilize professional assistance to edit, optimize, and craft your MyERAS Written Sections to perfection with the help of Residency Experts Application Editing and Review
  • DO NOT CERTIFY until the application is complete and error-free, after certifying your answers will become locked and unchangeable for the rest of the application season

• Request your USMLE transcript
  • Make sure you authorize the release of this document when you begin applying
  • If you haven’t taken the Step 2 CK, take it before September! (scores usually take about 3-4 weeks to come back)

• Take and upload a photo
  • Have a professional take your photograph

• Request the Medical School Transcript and MSPE from your medical school
  • They will not do this automatically, you must ask
  • If you cannot get an MSPE, you will need to let ECFMG know so you can upload a placeholder document that explains you were unable to get this documen

August 16, 2020: Suggested OASIS documents submission date to have the documents ready before the application start (2 weeks prior)

• Ensure all of the documents you have uploaded are ready to use
  • Follow up with your LoR writers and make sure to thank them!
  • Check with OASIS, MyERAS, and your medical school for the status of your documents

September 2020: Apply to Residency Programs

September 1, 2020: Starting from 9 a.m. (EST) ERAS allows residency applicants to certify and submit their applications to residency programs. (Programs will not receive the applications until October 21st, 2020. This is 5 EXTRA weeks, compared to the normal September 15th release date.)

• Certify your MyERAS application
  • Please Note: Do not Certify your ERAS Application until it is 100% completed. If you click “Certify” with incomplete or incorrect content, this document will be unchangeable and set in stone for the rest of the residency season.

• Double-check your saved program choices to ensure you are only applying to programs you qualify for
  • Please Note: ERAS will not refund any money paid to incompatible programs. Choose which programs you apply to wisely based on the state requirements, and individual program requirements.

• Assign document to residency programs
  • Be careful to assign the correct documents to the right programs. For example, Family Medicine programs should be receiving your Family Medicine Personal Statement and Letter(s) of Recommendation  

• Submit your applications between September 1st and October 21st
  • All applications submitted during this period will be time-stamped “October 21st,” so you do NOT need to rush all of your applications on September 1st.
  • You may continue to find programs and submit applications throughout the rest of the Residency Application Season

October 2020: Applications Released and Interviews Start

October 21, 2020: Applications are released to residency programs, who can begin reviewing them. MSPEs are released to programs from ECFMG. 

At 9 a.m. (EST) Residency programs begin receiving applications previously submitted by residency candidates. NRMP® registration opens at 12:00 p.m. (EST).

• Double-check your program choices to ensure you are only applying to programs you qualify for
  • Please Note: ERAS will not refund any money paid to incompatible programs. Choose which programs you apply to wisely based on the state requirements, and individual program requirements.

• Submit your applications
  • You may continue to find programs and submit applications throughout the rest of the Residency Application Season
  • Apply to at least 100 programs per specialty (if applicable)

• Register with NRMP
  • Remember, registration with ERAS does not mean you are registered with NRMP
  • Register with NRMP before November 30th to avoid late fees.

• Check on and follow up with the status of your applications
  • Be sure to check your messages on MyERAS

• Send Follow Up Letters to residency programs you haven’t heard back from

November – January: NRMP, Applying, and Interviews

• Register with NRMP before the early registration ends
• Send Follow Up Letters to residency programs you haven’t heard back from
• If you’ve obtained interviews and completed them, send a Thank You Letter after

December 31, 2020: Last date to take the USMLE Step 2 CS to qualify for the Main Residency Match

January 31st, 2021: Last day for NRMP early registration ($50 late fee after this date)

February 2021: NRMP® and Rank Order Lists

February 1, 2021: Rank Order List ranking opens

• Be sure to register with NRMP by the Rank Order List Deadline (required for Post-Match SOAP® eligibility)
• Create, change, and certify your Rank Order List
  • You may make changes to your Rank Order Lists after certifying until the deadline

March 2020: MATCH Week and the Post-Match SOAP®

March 3, 2021: NRMP Rank Order List Deadline (9 p.m. EST)

• Register with NRMP (required for Post-Match SOAP® eligibility)
  • Please Note: Registration with NRMP is required to participate in the Main Residency Match and Post-Match SOAP
  • The Rank Order List Deadline is also the last day for your USMLE exam scores to be verified. IMGs must have their USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2 CK and USMLE Step 2 CS verified by the Rank Order List Deadline in order to qualify for the Main Residency Match

March 12, 2021: All NRMP-registered applicants will receive their Post-Match SOAP® eligibility email (Please Note: Being eligible for the Post-Match DOES NOT mean you did not Match. You will learn your Match Status on Monday of Match Week.)

March 15, 2021: Match Week® begins and Post-Match SOAP kicks off

• Check your Match Status on Monday of Match Week at 11 a.m. (EST)
  • You will be either Matched, Partially Matched, or Unmatched

March 18, 2021: Post-Match SOAP concludes at 11 a.m. (EST).

March 19, 2021: MATCH DAY! If you were Matched, your residency location will become available at 1 p.m. (EST)

May 2021: 2020-21 ERAS Application Season ends

May 31, 2021: 2020-21 ERAS Application Season Ends

• Do you have copies of EVERYTHING you may want in the future? If not, your documents will be purged from ERAS’ system (some documents in OASIS carry over)
• After all that hard work, if you are Matched, you will begin training July 1st the year of The Match.
• Just to clarify, this is a timeline and checklist for the Main Residency Match Season. Further in-depth information about the Post-Match SOAP will be released beginning January 2021.
• **Please Note: Dates and times are subject to change. Always keep informed by visiting the websites

Official Websites Resources:

1. ERAS:  https://students-residents.aamc.org/attending-medical-school/how-apply-residency-positions/applying-residencies-eras/
2. ECMFG: http://www.ecfmg.org/
3. NRMP: http://www.nrmp.org/
4. USMLE: http://www.usmle.org/

 

The NATIONAL RESIDENT MATCHING PROGRAM®, The NRMP®, SUPPLEMENTAL OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE PROGRAM®, and SOAP® are registered trademarks of National Resident Matching Program. THE MATCH™ is a trademark of National Resident Matching Program. ResidencyPrep, LLC and this page are not sponsored by, endorsed by, or affiliated with National Resident Matching Program.