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Applying for Residency
The Match: General Information
Obtaining Residency Information/Applications
The Application: General
Information
The Curriculum Vitae
The Dean's Letter
Letters of Recommendation
The Personal Statement
Interviewing
Rank List
Obtaining Residency
Information/Applications
What resources are available to help me decide which
residency programs to apply to?
Applying for residency begins with the
gathering of information to help you decide which residency programs to apply to.
We recommend that you use as many of the following resources (not an exhaustive
list) as possible:
- Department chairman at your own institution (in your chosen
field)
- Faculty members in your chosen field at your own
institution
- House staff in your chosen field
- Your advisor
- Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database
Access (AMA-FREIDA)
- Graduate Medical Education Directory
What is FREIDA?
FREIDA, which is an abbreviation for
Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database Access, is a directory of
residency programs published and updated annually by the American Medical
Association. This database provides comprehensive information about each residency
program. Every year, the AMA sends out an annual survey to each residency program.
After completing the survey, the data is entered and made available to
applicants.
How do I access FREIDA?
FREIDA can be accessed at the
American Medical Association website (http://www.ama-assn.org/).
What information is available to me in the FREIDA database?
You will be able to access the following information through FREIDA:
- Name/address/telephone number/email address/fax number of
residency program director
- Contact person for additional inquiries
- Website address of the residency program
- Program sizes
- Participation in ERAS
- Participation in NRMP match
- Earliest and latest date for applications
- Interview period
- Work schedule
- Call schedule
- Educational benefits
- Employment benefits
What is the "Green Book"?
The Green Book, also known as
the Graduate Medical Education Directory, is also published annually by the
American Medical Association. It is a directory of residency training programs but
is not as extensive as FREIDA in terms of residency program information. It does,
however, have some information not present in FREIDA such as requirements for
accreditation of residency training programs and state licensure.
How many residency programs should I apply to?
The
number of residency programs you should apply to depends on your answers to the
following questions:
- How strong of a candidate are you?
- How competitive is the specialty you are applying for?
- How competitive are the residency programs you are applying
to?
Your faculty advisor can be of considerable help in deciding on
how many residency programs you should apply to. If you are unsure of the number
to apply to, it's better to apply to more training programs. Then as the interview
invitations start coming in, you can decline interviews if you so choose.
How do I get residency applications?
In recent years,
the residency application process has become easier, mainly because of the arrival
of ERAS. ERAS, which is an abbreviation for the Electronic Residency Application
Service, allows applicants to complete one common application, which can then be
sent out to the residency programs you are interested in.
For programs that do not participate in ERAS, you will have to
contact them directly for an application. Remember to request an application
early, preferably before August of your fourth year of medical school. If you have
not received an application two to three weeks after your request, be sure to call
the program.
For specialties that have early matches (neurology, neurosurgery,
ophthalmology, otolaryngology), obtain information about residency application by
visiting the San Francisco Residency Matching website (http://www.sfmatch.org). Urology
also has an early match; residency application information can be obtained by
visiting the American Urological Association website (
http://www.auanet.org).
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