When considering programs, a good place to start is the American Medical Association (AMA)'s Freida. Here you can compare programs by a number of attributes as you start to build your list. In addition, the section for medical students on this website has good basic information on selection of programs and the application and interview processes.
In addition, the section for medical students on this website has good basic information on selection of programs and the application and interview processes.
Winter and Spring of Your Third Year in Medical School
Conduct informal or formal conversations or interviews with surgery residents, faculty, and/or community surgeons. Firm up your personal career resolve. Make a list of programs you are interested in after reviewing the information in this site and those that may be interested in you. It is important to select a surgery faculty member to act as your advisor, preferably someone who knows you, can write a letter for you, and understands the application and match process well. Review your list with your advisor or another knowledgeable faculty member.
Your clerkship director or the residency program director at your institution are invaluable resources as you move through this process. Be sure to meet with them for guidance early in the process.
Late Spring, Early Summer of Your Third Year
Plan your fourth year elective schedule. Apply for away rotations through the Visiting Student Application Service of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Familiarize yourself with the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) sites. Develop your personal statement.
Summer of Your Fourth Year
Register for ERAS
Approach the faculty you have selected for strong letters of recommendation (LOR). Provide the faculty members who are writing your letters a copy of your curriculum vitae, LOR cover sheet (available in your Student Affairs office) and personal statement. Refine your list and complete your ERAS applications by early September. Applications are made to all accredited programs using the ERAS forms. Please consult the ERAS for detailed instructions.
Acquire your ERAS tokens from your designated dean’s office. For U.S. applicants, tokens can be obtained from your medical school of graduation. International applicants receive their tokens from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), and Canadian applicants receive their tokens from the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS).
Take required examinations, such as Step II of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and/or Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX), and authorize sponsoring institutions to release your results to ERAS.
September Through October of Your Fourth Year
Register for the NRMP
Schedule and complete interviews. Take “audition” electives, if planned. Make sure your letters of support have been sent.
November Through March of Your Final Year
Complete interviews. Meet with your advisor to finalize your Rank Order List. Some programs may offer optional "second looks." These can be a good opportunity to learn more about a program you're seriously considering. Not all programs offer them and attending is almost never part of the selection process. Pay close attention to the NRMP calendar to assure your list is submitted by the deadline.
February of Your Final Year
The applicants and programs must submit their final rankings by mid-February.
Match Day
On Match Day, a Friday in mid-March, you and your classmates will open your envelopes and learn the good news! Most students get one of their top choices, but if by some chance you did not match, you will be notified by your dean's office on the Monday of Match week.
A supplemental match process, the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP), has been developed to assist unmatched students. Your dean’s office will work with you to submit applications to unfilled programs through ERAS. Pay close attention to the schedule and rules for SOAP posted on the NRMP website. The SOAP process is binding in the same way as the main Match.
