Residency Application Process: Researching Residency Programs

The first step to partaking in a residency program, before you even do research about any programs, is to choose a specialty. You should begin thinking about a specialty in your first year of medical school. By your second year, you should have already been gathering information and asking questions about the specialty or specialties that you're interested in. You should also aim to pick up as many rotations as you can, and preferably in the institution where you wish to apply for the residency program.

List of the Residency Selection Criteria

It is important that when you're preparing to apply to a residency program, you gather all of the information you can about each one. Before you choose a residency program, you should do a few things: set goals and gather information, build your program list, apply to programs, and prepare to interview and rank the programs on your list. Below are some things to consider when you're compiling a list of residency programs to apply to:

• Program requirements
• Location (keep in mind cost of living)
• Health package
• Program reputation
• Quality of other residents
• Interview day experience
• Goodness of fit

List of Documents

Each program has different requirements for applying, but there is a universal list of documents that your application should include. Many programs will not view your application until it is complete, and you should include the following list of documents:

• 3-4 letters of reference
• USMLE exam transcript
• Curriculum Vitae including scholarly activity
• Medical school performance evaluation (Dean's Letter)
• Medical school transcript
• Professional photo
• Personal statement (should be 1-2 pages long; think of it as your personal trailer for your candidacy)
• PTAL (only for medical students applying to California programs)