Now that youโre completingโor are about to beginโyourย medical school journey, itโs time to start planning your strategy for obtaining a postgraduate position. Youโre probably wondering how to be a competitive residency applicant. The good news is landing the residency you want may be less of a mystery than you might think.
So what do residency programs look for, exactly? Keep reading to discover how you can make yourself stand out.
What are residency programs looking for? 7 factors to focus on
Matching for residency is all about demonstrating that youโre a strong candidate who will work well with the physicians at your desired program. The specific criteria program directors seek will vary among institutions, but residencies typically look for the following in a candidate.
1. Strong USMLE Scores
The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is a three-step test all US physicians must pass to obtain licensure. By the time youโre ready for medical residency, you will have completed both the USMLE Step 1 and the USMLE Step 2 CK. You can be certain residency programs will be looking for these scores as part of their evaluation process.
Dr. Inna Husain, assistant residency program director for simulation education at Rush University Medical Center, explains why. โScores and grades can be incredibly important in this initial stage since all the reviewer has to compare files is objective data,โ she says. โSome programs even have a cutoff for scores.โ
But if you donโt perform as well as you hope on these exams, that doesnโt necessarily rule you out as a potential resident. It all depends on what your results say about you as a person, according to Dr. Amber Billet, St. Georgeโs University (SGU) graduate and program director at the WellSpan York Hospital Emergency Medicine Residency Program.
For example, Dr. Billet highlights an example of a medical student who doesnโt earn a passing score on their first Step 1 attempt. โIf their performance increases significantly on Step 2, then we always want to know, โOk, how did you make such significant improvement?โโ she explains. In many cases, Dr. Billet notes that improvement can be indicative of a candidate demonstrating some important intangible characteristics like self-reflection and motivation.
2. Solid grades
Good grades often go hand-in-hand with strong test scores. And while your medical school GPA is just one part of the equation, itโs helpful to remember that lifelong learning through continuing education requirements is an inherent part of being a doctor. As such, itโs in your best interest to show you can be successful as a student.
Youโll be expected to learn a lot of material during your postgraduate training, and residency programs are looking for an indication that youโll be able to handle the rigorous training. โResidency is a job,โ Dr. Billet says. โAt the same time, youโre still a learner. In residency, youโre constantly getting feedback, learning, and acquiring more knowledge and experience.โ
If youโre looking for how to be a competitive residency applicant, this is an area worth focusing on. Check out our article for tips on how to study in medical school.
3. Excellent letters of recommendation
If youโve made it this far in your medical school journey, youโre no stranger to garnering letters of recommendation to outfit your applications. Itโs helpful to note that these letters can be just as important for residency applicants as they are for medical school hopefulsโperhaps even more so.
Years of the National Resident Matching Programโs (NRMP) program director surveys have shown that letters of recommendation can be particularly critical for certain specialties. โEspecially in emergency medicine, letters of recommendation are very important,โ Dr. Billet offers as an example. โThereโs a standardized letter of recommendation called a SLOE that emergency medicine residency programs take highly into consideration.โ Other specialties are considering a standardized letter of recommendation as well.
Dr. Husain notes that while not all programs will use such a standardized format for their letters of recommendation, itโs still important to secure letters from physicians who practice within the specialty youโre pursuing. Those are the individuals who can speak to your preparedness for that field better than anyone.
Generally, you have two letters of recommendation from practitioners of the specialty you are seeking and two from other specialties.ย The exception to this is general surgery which often prefer three from surgeons and one from another specialty.
4. A positive Medical Student Performance Evaluation
While grades and test scores are typically scrutinized more carefully, your Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) is another thing residency programs will be looking for to objectively compare applicants before extending interview invitations. As its name implies, this document is essentially an evaluation of how well youโve done in medical school.
While there is no standardized template for this evaluation, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has highlighted six key sections that most will include: identifying information, noteworthy characteristics, academic history, academic progress, summary, and medical school information. The MSPE will also give you a rank in your graduating class or perhaps place you in a quartile. Obviously the higher the rank or quartile you earn, the better.
5. A thoughtful personal statement
Itโs not uncommon for students to treat essays as โthrow-awayโ components of their applications, but Dr. Billet points out that this would be a major mistake. โWe do read every piece of the application,โ she notes.
The bulk of your application materials will be comprised of objective data and outsidersโ perspectives of you as a potential physician. But your personal statement gives you the opportunity to show program directors who you are outside of your academic profile.
Before sitting down for a residency interview, your essay is the only real chance to reveal some of the more personal aspects of who you are as a medical studentโdefining experiences, specific aspirations, and more. Crafting a thoughtful personal statement can also be a perfect segue into some relevant talking points you can hit once interview season rolls around.
If you have had some โbumps in the road,โ such as a long leave of absence, a failed term or major exam, the personal statement is the perfect place to address them. Briefly explain how you have grown because of this. Medical care is best provided using a team approach. If you have a strong experience as being a valued team member or perhaps a team leader or coach, itโs worth mentioning this in your personal statement.
6. Relevant skills and experience
All residency programs are looking for candidates who have begun to master some of the most essential skills needed to practice medicine: an aptitude for interpersonal communication, emotional intelligence, and the ability to stay calm under pressure, to name a few.
But depending on the specialty area youโre pursuing, your particular expertise or skills may come into play. โFor academic programs or certain specialties, research is a must,โ Dr. Husain notes, highlighting radiation oncology and hematology as examples. She also points out that fine motor skills are particularly important to surgical programs.
When crafting your medical residency application, be sure to reflect on your abilities, experiences, and repertoire of relevant knowledge, and call attention to those where you can. โIf thereโs something that makes you stand out among other applicants, make it known,โ Dr. Husain adds. โDonโt think of it as braggingโitโs about putting your best foot forward.โ
7. A good personality and culture fit
Speaking of residency interviews, itโs important to toe the line between professionalism and authenticity. Dr. Husain points out that this will be the first time residency programs get a glimpse of what it would actually be like to work with you. As such, theyโre likely to evaluate everything from your punctuality and the way you dress to the way you conduct yourself.
While focusing on making a good impression at interviews can be nerve-wracking, try to maintain perspective and be yourself. Residency programs only extend interview invitations to students theyโre actually interested in trainingโnow theyโre looking to determine whether youโll mesh well with the rest of the team. After all, youโll be a part of their team for three or more years.
โIf you have made it to the interview, the program thinks you are academically strong enough to succeed,โ Dr. Husain explains. โHowever, if your personality doesnโt match the other residents or your goals donโt align, then you wonโt be successful.โ
Every program will be a little different, and certain characteristics or personality traits will inevitably be better suited for some locations or teams. โWeโre looking for people who are self-motivated, who are self-directed learners, who want to come to work every day, and who give 100 percent,โ Dr. Billet says of WellSpan York Hospitalโs emergency medicine residency. These traits are harder to showcase in a virtual interview compared to an in-person one.
Finally, itโs helpful to remember that inherent differences among programs mean there are places where you simply wonโt be a good fit. But donโt be discouraged if you notice this to be the case, even if itโs at the program you initially considered to be your top choice. You may be pleasantly surprised by what you discover during the next interview.
Become a competitive residency applicant
You should now have a better understanding of what residency programs are looking forโcandidates who are smart, hardworking, and will complement the existing culture. Your best plan of action is to do your best in medical school and be authentic in your application materials.
While you may be focused right now on how to be a competitive residency applicant, donโt overlook the importance of preparing for interview season. Receive advice from physicians who have walked this path before you in our article โResidency Interview Preparation Tips for Medical Students.โ
*This article was originally published in 2019. It has since been updated.
