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Thank you for your interest in applying to our Residency Program!

Background

The UNC Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Program is an ACGME-accredited categorical, 4-year program (PGY-1 through PGY-4) that accepts 4 new PGY-1 residents per year. Applications are submitted through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) using the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) system.

Application Instructions

All application documents must be submitted through ERAS by our deadline of October 5th. Applications not submitted or incomplete as of this deadline may not be reviewed.

The following materials are required in order for an application to be considered completed and thus reviewed. Due to the volume of applications that we receive, we will not be able to review your application if you are missing any of the following:

  • 3 Letters of Recommendation
  • USMLE and/or COMLEX Step 1 Transcript. Step 2 strongly recommended.
  • Personal Statement
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Medical School Transcript

Our program uses a holistic review process to identify applicants who will make a strong positive contribution to the program and our specialty. We do not rely exclusively on academic records and test scores, but instead seek to match residents who show a commitment to service work, inclusive patient care, and academic inquiry, as well as those having diverse backgrounds and experiences. Successful applicants to our program also demonstrate evidence of strong communication skills, teamwork and leadership.

Applicants indicating a strong interest in our program (through the use of Program Signals) will receive preference in deciding who is invited to interview. All candidates with a high interest level should send us a preference signal, regardless of whether they are a UNC Medical Student or have rotated with our department. Our program will invite a small number of highly competitive candidates who do not send us a preference signal. Thereafter, any program or geographic preference information will not be weighted or considered in our selection process. We also encourage applicants to highlight their most meaningful experiences in order to help us understand their strengths as an applicant.

ERAS Information with ACGME ID and NRMP Program Code

  • COMPLETED (see above for requirements) applications through ERAS will be reviewed beginning September 28th, and applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their entire application by that time. Applications received after October 5th will not be reviewed.
  • ACGME ID: 3403621104
  • NRMP Program Code: 1900340C0

Interviews

Selected applicants will be invited to interview via email beginning in the middle of October; please check your Spam folder. If notified for an interview, please contact us immediately, as interview offers are limited to current availability and invitations are sent on a rolling basis. Our interview days will occur on selected Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in October, November and December (usually between 1-4PM EST).

Our interview slots are highly desirable, and we often have a waitlist built up of applicants hoping to interview with our program. If for any reason you cannot attend your scheduled interview date, we ask that you contact our program AT LEAST one week in advance of your interview date to cancel. Thank you for respecting our program and your fellow applying candidates.

We plan to offer one optional in-person 2nd-look date for applicants who have already interviewed with our program. The intent will be to allow interviewees to tour our facilities, and participation will NOT impact our rank/selection process. More specific information will be announced in the fall to applicants who interview with our program, and we expect this to occur in January or February of 2024.

Rankings

In accordance with the ACGME and NRMP, we will not release any information regarding ranking. Applicants are ranked based on the merit of their application as well as impressions from the interview day. No preference is given to applicants with a strong stated interest in our program.

We do not offer “pre-match” employment for positions offered through the match. No offers will be made outside of the match.

Additionally, we do not sponsor VISAs. The ECFMG will sponsor J-1 VISAs.

FAQ’s

1) What type and how many positions do you offer? We offer four PGY-1 categorical positions each year.

2) Do you accept osteopathic (DO) applications? Yes, we welcome osteopathic applicants. However, we recommend, but do not require, USMLE scores.

3) Do you have a minimum score for USMLE or COMLEX? There is no official minimum score, but the vast majority of applicants invited to interview have passed on the first attempt.

4) Is my USMLE/COMLEX Step 2 score required? No, but this is strongly encouraged at the time of application. If invited for interview, we will ask for your Step 2 transcript prior to interviewing.

5) Do you have a graduation cutoff year? No, and we do not require applicants to have graduated within the past year.

6) Do you accept applications from Foreign Medical Graduates? Yes, we do accept applications from Foreign Medical Graduates, but an outstanding application is required to receive an invitation for interview. Also, all graduates of foreign medical schools must be certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). All foreign graduates must meet all requirements of the Visa Qualifying Examination (VQE) or Foreign Medical Graduate Exam in the Medical Sciences (FMGEMS) prior to application. Per the University of North Carolina Graduate Medical Education Policy on Visas, UNC Hospitals will accept resident physicians who have been issued a J-1 visa and who hold a current ECFMG Certificate. H1-B visas are not sponsored at University of North Carolina Hospitals. For more information, please refer to the UNC Hospitals Office of Graduate Medical Education Policies, which can be found here.

UNC’s Graduate Medical Education Website

For general information regarding our GME Office’s policies, salaries, benefits, annual agreement, application, and more, please visit the Graduate Medical Education pages at UNC Health Care.

We look forward to reviewing your application!