How to get a successful residency match

As Match Day draws closer, every medical student is filled with excitement and anticipation. On the third Friday of March each year, students learn where they will go for their residency training. 

Match Day is an important milestone in a doctor’s career as residency training is the final step to becoming a licensed physician. Residency programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and they last from three to seven years.

Useful pointers to get a successful residency match

The residency match is a lengthy process that revolves around a centralized online application service called the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). The program admissions team examines the applications and picks medical students for residency interviews based on their grades and performance in USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK). A Ranked Order List (ROL) is created after the interview screening process where residency programs and medical graduates rank each other.  

Attaining a successful residency match is crucial for a medical student. Here are some factors that will help you improve your rank and likelihood of gaining a successful match.

•   Good grades

The residency is a period of on-the-job training where students will learn and practice in-depth medical tactics. Good grades are proof that you have put in the effort and are enthusiastic about your success.

•   Excellent letters of recommendation

Letters of recommendation written by those who know your capabilities allow your potential match to see the confidence others place in you. For certain specialties like Emergency Medicine, a letter of recommendation is extremely crucial.

•   A good personal statement

A personal statement speaks about you as a person and your experiences. It illustrates how you will fit into a particular culture and fulfill a potential match’s needs. It’s necessary that you demonstrate sincerity and highlight your ability and aspirations so that your statement has a strong impact.

•   Medical Student Performance Evaluation

Along with good grades, you will be evaluated on your Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), which shows how well you performed at medical school. This written transcript of a student's performance allows program reviewers to objectively compare applicants. Hence, it’s important to put in your best efforts at medical school to get good scores for residency.

•   Professionalism

During residency, you make the shift from being a student to being a doctor, so professionalism is required and expected from the start. This includes everything from the way you dress to how you interact with the patients, staff, and other doctors. It is important to demonstrate your ability to be professional during your residency interviews.

At Medical University of the Americas, over 1600 graduates have attained residency matches. The university also leads in the USMLE Step 1 exam with an outstanding first-time pass rate of 98%. Check out our 2022 MUA graduates’ residency placements.

To learn more about the MD Program, click here!