Happy Sunday friends!😸
We are already halfway through September, which is absolutely ridiculous😱.
Last week during rounds, we talked about general tips for completing ERAS for the upcoming residency interview season. As a reminder, residency programs will be able to review applications starting on September 25th, so be sure you're submitting before then!☑️
Today though, let's talk about some of the changes for the 2025 ERAS application. Side note: This information will be most useful for repeat applicants and those who have been getting advice from people who filled out 2024 ERAS, but it will still be important for all applicants❗
Let's jump in🦘
- Hobbies & Interests is once again a separate section instead of being an experience type➗. We already talked about the Hobbies & Interests section being one of the most important parts of ERAS, so be sure to look back at Sunday Morning Rounds from last week for tips on filling that out🔎! Since Hobbies & Interests is a separate section again, students don't have to worry about it taking up too many of their 10 experiences and can instead include other relevant experiences, if applicable.
- There is a new section for applicants to explain any unplanned interruptions or extensions to their training😅. The main goal of this new section is to address any delays students may have experienced due to academic performance, professional problems, or other issues😖. These interruptions could sometimes be buried in ERAS and potentially reflect poorly on applicants👎🏻. Instead, applicants will have the opportunity to address these gaps directly🤨. An important thing to mention with these interruptions is how you were able to overcome them and what you learned from this experience💡. Although these gaps can seem awkward to address, this section also allows room for students to show their ability to reflect, adapt, and overcome🌈.
- Applicants can now only list 3 hometowns instead of 5. This is a smaller change compared to the first 2, but still important. In the past, some applicants have tried to list locations they did an away rotation at as hometowns to show they have a connection to that specific area🏡. Not only is this silly and unnecessary, but in reality it probably won't give you any type of leg up, especially if you have nothing to say about that region❌. I would recommend only listing hometowns if you lived there for over 1 year or had a truly significant experience living in that area.
The remainder of the changes to 2025 ERAS are relatively minor, such as where students will fill in their medical education, ACLS certification, and professional memberships.
As always, if anyone has any questions regarding ERAS or the residency interview season, feel free to email me at medschoolmoose@gmail.com📧. One medical student recently reached out to me on X (formerly Twitter) asking if I would review her personal statement, to which I happy agreed📄!
🗣️ More Residency Applicant Advice: Did you know I have a whole playlist of videos on residency applicant advice on my YouTube channel? Be sure to subscribe to be notified of my future videos as well!
📨 Subscribe to Sunday Morning Rounds: Sign up for my newsletter and receive weekly tips and resources to help you learn, grow, and become a better doctor.