[Xaquake]

As a total newbie, there are many things that I am not 100% certain of:

1- What month of the year do the residencies start, and how far back are the deadlines for applications? Is it important to apply early or not? This is important information for planning exam dates.

2- When applying for a certain residency, are you specifically asked about your visa status? If not then how do they find out about your visa status?

3- What exactly is the 'scramble'?

4- What exactly is a prematch, and what are the pros and cons?

 

[StepTaker]

Let me start by listing for you a quick time line information about the match:

• July 2010 - applicants start uploading documents to ERAS and searching which programs they will apply to.
• September 2010 - applicants apply to programs through ERAS
• October 2010 to January 2011 - programs select candidates for interview and set interview dates
• January 2011 - usually you have to be ECFMG certified at this time
• February 2011 - applicants and programs put their Rank Order List
• March 2011 - Match results
• March 2011 - two days after match, the scramble match
• April 2011 - applicants sign contracts with programs
• July 2011 - applicants join the residency programs

Application deadline varies but usually programs will not accept application later than January. However, for IMGs, it's very difficult to get interviews if you apply later than October.

The scramble: is a two days events that is held right after the official match results announced (early March of each). During the scramble applicants who have not been matched apply to unfilled positions that have not been filled by any candidate through the regular match. During these two days, applicants get very busy sending their documents and applications to dozens of programs and program directors have no time to ask the candidate for interview they usually do it over the phone.

Prematch: some candidates are offered a residency post directly at the interview the program ask them to withdraw their ERAS/NRMP match application and sign the contract with them.
Pros: You get matched even before everybody else (piece of mind).
Cons: When withdraw your match application you may risk losing the chance of getting better residency programs.

 

[Xaquake]

Let me start by listing for you a quick time line information about the match:

• July 2010 - applicants start uploading documents to ERAS and searching which programs they will apply to.
• September 2010 - applicants apply to programs through ERAS
• October 2010 to January 2011 - programs select candidates for interview and set interview dates
• January 2011 - usually you have to be ECFMG certified at this time
• February 2011 - applicants and programs put their Rank Order List
• March 2011 - Match results
• March 2011 - two days after match, the scramble match
• April 2011 - applicants sign contracts with programs
• July 2011 - applicants join the residency programs

If we apply for the positions in Sep 2010, but only have to be ECFMG certified by Jan 2011, it means that we can apply before completing both Step 1 & 2? Can you elaborate on that?

And also, seeing as how residency can take many years, I'd like to know in what range the salaries usually are.

 

[StepTaker]

If we apply for the positions in Sep 2010, but only have to be ECFMG certified by Jan 2011, it means that we can apply before completing both Step 1 & 2? Can you elaborate on that?

And also, seeing as how residency can take many years, I'd like to know in what range the salaries usually are.

I'd say 50% of programs require that you your ECFMG certificate at the time of your application (September) & 50% they require it to be ready before ranking (February 2011).
Therefore, as an IMG it's highly recommended that you are ECFMG certified in September which means you should take your last exam no later than August or July if it was the CS.
Most residencies & fellowships in US have an annual salary ranging from 42 to 50 thousands dollars

 

[khanar]

How about waiting for the results

I'd say 50% of programs require that you your ECFMG certificate at the time of your application (September) & 50% they require it to be ready before ranking (February 2011).
Therefore, as an IMG it's highly recommended that you are ECFMG certified in September which means you should take your last exam no later than August or July if it was the CS.
Most residencies & fellowships in US have an annual salary ranging from 42 to 50 thousands dollars

But is it OK to apply before the last exam results are out. I mean apply in September but then your are ECFMG certified at the IV like in December or January