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MD Program

Applying to Residency

Applying to residency is a months‑long, structured process that typically begins in the fall of your third year. Most applicants use the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) to submit their materials and the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) to participate in the Match, which pairs applicants with residency programs.

The process has two parts:

  1. Preparing & submitting your application, and
  2. Interviewing at programs that extend invitations

It is recommended to prepare your materials even before you finalize your specialty choice. Begin major application work by early summer heading into your final year. Applications are due in early fall, and many programs review them on a first‑come, first‑served basis—so submitting early helps.

Key application components include:

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV): Summarizes your educational background, experiences, and accomplishments. Visit Careers in Medicine Writing a curriculum vitae for tips and samples.
  • Personal statement: A one‑page essay that explains your interest in a specialty and why you’re a strong fit for that field. Start drafting 3–4 months before you apply, aiming to finish by late August. This is not a CV in paragraph form—it’s your chance to highlight your motivation, key experiences, and what makes you someone programs will want to meet. Some programs may request specific topics or questions to address. At times, applicants’ remarkable stories can help secure an interview at places they may not have been traditionally competitive for matching. For guidance, see the Careers in Medicine resource Writing a Winning Personal Statement.
    • Brainstorm: Why did you choose your specialty? What is your passion and motivation? Be specific.
    • Tell your story: Why should they interview you over others? What did you overcome, what are your accomplishments, and what makes you unique?
    • Edit and Revise: Draft, review, and seek feedback from your family, advisors, and mentors.
  • Letters of Recommendation (LOR): Most programs require at least three letters. ERAS lets you upload unlimited letters, but you can send no more than four to any one program. Plan to request letters April–July of your third year, and no later than August of your fourth year. Give faculty 3–4 weeks to write. 

    Good letter writers include attending physicians, department chairs, program directors, research mentors, deans, and faculty. Writers upload letters through the ERAS LoR Portal. Always check individual program websites and ERAS listings for specific letter requirements and deadlines. Refer to CiM’s Letters of Recommendation article for more tips and guidance.

  • Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE): A “Dean’s Letter” that provides a summary of your academic and clinical performance. (MSPE) is a summary of the student’s performance in medical school, primarily used by residency programs. It is standardized and contains the following information: Identifying information, Noteworthy Characteristics, Academic History (LOA, remediation, professionalism), Course Performance Evaluations, summary statement/overall performance (final adjective), and comparative performance. Remember, you will get a chance to take a final review of the MSPE before it is uploaded. Time will be limited for review as we try to get everyone’s manually uploaded before the deadlines so, please dedicate time to review it when it comes out. For more information, see CiM’s The Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE).
  • Transcripts: Official medical school and USMLE/COMLEX exam score transcripts, uploaded along with the MSPE by the Office of the Registrar.
  • Examinations: You’ll need passing scores for USMLE Step I and II. Step 2 score reporting:  What is the absolute deadline to take Step 2 and have it reported in time for your application? Unfortunately, there is no exact day as that varies a bit based on your application platform and how quickly the score is reported. However, please take note that not having a score when your application is released to program directors puts you at a significantly increased risk of not obtaining enough interviews and going unmatched. USMLE states most scores return within 4 weeks but allow up to 8 weeks if that helps.

Interview season takes place during the fall and winter of your final year. While your application offers programs their first impression of you, the interview plays a pivotal role in their final decisions.

Interviews are also your best chance to evaluate how well each program aligns with your educational goals, career aspirations, and personal preferences. Your aim is to finish the interview trail with a clear sense of where you would thrive—information that will help you create a thoughtful and well‑informed rank order list for the residency match.

The interview process can be stressful, expensive, and time‑intensive. Thoughtful preparation and early planning can significantly strengthen your chances of securing a position at one of the programs you most prefer.

CiM’s Interviewing Prep is a great place to review the process and  learn more of what you can expect along the way. Also, it is highly recommended to participate in the Fall Mock Interviews with UNC faculty.

Creating Your Rank Order List (ROL)

After registering for the Match and completing your interviews, you’ll submit a list of programs ranked in order of your true preferences. Program directors submit their own lists, and a computer algorithm matches you to the highest program that also ranks you and still has available positions.

Tips for building your ROL:

  • Research programs thoroughly using guidance from student affairs, specialty advisors, Careers in Medicine tools, and the Residency Preference Exercise.
  • Rank programs in the exact order you prefer them.
  • Only rank programs you are genuinely willing to attend.
  • Include a few “reach” programs if your strengths align with their mission.
  • Avoid last‑minute changes—once your list is set, trust it.

The Match is a binding agreement. You must attend the program where you match, so be sure every program on your list is a place where you could be both successful and satisfied.

Residency Application Timeline

The application process generally follows this timeline during your fourth year of medical school, though specific dates can vary by year and specialty. Extended study and FIRST students may be off cycle compared to traditional timeline. Also, Urology, Military, Ophthalmology, Emergency Medicine, and Obstetrics/Gynecology may have different timelines.

  • Complete the USMLE Step 2 CK or Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) exam. Students must have a passing score posted for Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) and Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) on or before November 1 of Individualization Phase in order to ensure a level of mastery of clinical science to support successful performance in internship and to participate in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) or any other residency matching program. A student is subject to withdrawal from NRMP if a passing Step 2 score is not posted by November of 1 of Individualization Phase.
    • Step 2 CK: Students are encouraged to take Step 2-CK following the completion of the third year/Application Phase, usually in April or possibly May.
    • Step 2 CS: Students should take Step 2 CS after completing and receiving results on CPX, a school-operated preparation exam that students complete December through February of Application Phase.
  • Polish up your CV.
  • Identify faculty to write your letters of recommendation. Have (or already had) an appointment to discuss the Chair’s letter if your specialty needs one. Start sending requests from ERAS to your letter writers.
  • Have a preliminary list of programs or at least some ideas about program size, geography, type of program, etc.
  • Write draft of your personal statement.
  • Activate your Texas STAR account – Invitations will be sent via email and must be activated within 29 days. Texas STAR stands for Seeking Transparency in Application to Residency. Texas STAR, the first of its kind, is a nationwide survey and online tool administered by the UT Southwestern Medical School to help medical school deans, advisers, and fourth-year medical students navigate the match process more effectively. The powerful interactive database includes 4 years’ worth of data that future students can then use this data to better target their applications to programs they are more likely to receive interviews and ultimately match with, reducing unnecessary applications, fees, time, and interviews.
  • Review finalized grade comments for MSPE.
  • ERAS and Residency CAS Opens – Reviewing the appropriate applicant worksheet (ResidencyCAS vs ERAS) to start entering your application.
  • Application Tokens start being delivered to students that have submitted requested Qualtrics
  • Noteworthy Characteristics due
  • Know which specialties(s) you are considering applying to and have checked to see if your plan is reasonable based on your grades and scores (reviewed Texas STAR and Charting Outcomes of the Match by Step 2 score.)
  • Have touched base with a career goal advisor on the main campus AND your advisors (campus and college) about your Match plans.
  • Start uploading to ERAS, ResidencyCAS, or other appropriate application systems.
  • Finalize your Personal statement (ideally reviewed with your college advisor).
  • Submit personal photograph/headshot.
  • Assign letter writers and continue to remind them of the due dates.
  • Request your USMLE transcript.
  • Register your application token so MSPE/transcript can be uploaded by Registrar.
  • Submit ERAS application: You can begin submitting your application and assigned documents to programs via ERAS. Submitting early in the application window is advisable.
  • Register with NRMP: Register for the National Resident Matching Program, which is separate from ERAS.
  • Register for Mock Interviews which are conducted Sep-Oct.
  • Interview season: Programs review applications and extend interview invitations. Be prepared to travel for interviews, though many programs still conduct virtual interviews.
  • Track Interviews weekly and submit Qualtrics provided by Student Affairs.
  • Registration deadline for the Match and SOAP – typically in late January.
  • Create Rank Order List (ROL): After completing your interviews, you submit a list ranking your preferred residency programs. Programs also submit a rank list of applicants.
  • Rank Order List Certification Deadline – typically early March.
  • MATCH Week – typically the third week of March for the NRMP Main Residency Match with applicant match status available on Monday. Match Week culminates on Friday with Match Day, when you receive your final match results.
  • SOAP: The Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) is available for applicants who do not initially match with a program.

Application Systems

ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service)

  • Used by: All specialties except obstetrics & gynecology, emergency medicine, and ophthalmology; civilian programs only.
  • System Opens: June before the start of fourth year; access requires a token.
  • Application Deadline: While you can submit applications beginning in September, programs don’t begin to review them until a specific date, which is typically the fourth Wednesday in September. Submitting your application before this date is recommended, as all applications submitted up to that time will appear to have been submitted on the same day.
  • Notes: Application platform only (no matching function). No advantage to submitting on day one: All applications submitted before review date will be timestamped for that date when programs first get access. Avoid last-minute submission: While you can submit on the review date, it is best to submit a few days earlier to avoid any technical glitches that could delay your application.

Review ERAS 2026 Participating Specialties & Programs

Review ERAS® Tools and Worksheets for Residency Applicants – includes user guides, checklist, FAQs, Residency Explorer, Timeline, and more!

ResidencyCAS (Centralized Application Service)

  • Used by: Obstetrics & Gynecology; Emergency Medicine. Civilian programs only.
  • System Opens: June before the start of fourth year; access requires a token.
  • Application Deadline: The deadline for 2026 matching cycle was September 24, 2025 with programs reviewing applications starting on October 1, 2025.
  • Notes: Application platform only (no matching function). Stay up to date with this useful applicant guide, including timelines and important dates.

Review ResidencyCAS User Resources – including guides and support materials

SF Match (San Francisco Match)

  • Used by: Ophthalmology and Plastic Surgery. Civilian programs only.
  • System Opens: Typically June-July before the start of fourth year.
  • Application Deadline: It is the applicant’s responsibility to contact training programs for individual deadline dates as they are earlier and different than ERAS deadlines.
  • Notes: Combined Application & Match system.

Military / MODS (Medical Operational Data System)

  • Used by: All military branches and for HPSP students
  • System Opens: July, prior the start of fourth year.
  • Application Deadline: Some specialties and programs may have different timelines, so it is crucial to verify specific dates for your chosen specialty.
  • Notes: Combined Application & Match system. Each year, the Chiefs of all branches review and update the Military Match Guide. For most up-to-date information HPSP students should refer to the www.health.mil/GME and connect with advisors.

UNC HPSP (Health Professions Scholarship Program) Student Guide – created by former UNC SOM students and highlights 3rd and 4th year advice, application process, ROL, LOR, interviews and more!