Personal Statement ERAS - LOR, activities, impactful experiences, academic challenges Special Considerations: "red flags" - failures, LOA, Disabilities
Whether you are dual applying or applying to residency with "red-flags" like a failed exam/year/STEP, took a leave of absence, or have disabilities I hope this guide helps you navigate this tedious process and make it less terrifying.
Residency Application Guide Playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUfheMZYKjA-ip9NC0lTu0h-JXVfKkJgI&si=P0XlW7w3zt1txjyLxjyL
I go over my Residency Application Workbook & Building a Personal Statement Video Playlist: Residency Applications
**This what I personally did for my 2024 Residency Application Cycle which resulted in matching into Psychiatry and in my top residency program. I do not recommend you do exactly what I did, and I just provide my experience as examples.
This is neither legal/medical advice
If you are interested in an individualized advising or editing session with Dr. Moss sign up at the Store
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Important Questions to ask yourself:
- Where am I the most happy? - Where does time go by quickly? - What type of patients do I gravitate to? - Where do I enjoy learning outside of studying? - What types of practicing doctors do I relate most to? - Which specialty do my personal values and passions align? - What do people I care about, observe my enthusiasm peak as I delve into the topic? - What do I love?
Don’t let other’s expectations or realities influence your pursuit of your dreams. So keep learning, keep fighting, and don’t limit your imagination in order to accomplish your dreams!
- Is there a specific population, age range, or demographic? “There is not one population I just love. I value people with disabilities through living with my brother-in law and while working at Imagine as a case manager. I value working with older patients and those close to death, who rarely have anyone to advocate for them. I also want to work with kids who have been abused to help show them they can make it”
“I want to help people who are disempowered, disenfranchised, and not usually given the same amount of resources and focus and care as others. This includes Hispanics and blacks, LGBTQ+, trauma patients, females, and homeless populations. I want to address their whole body, mind, and soul. I want to help people who have had trauma. This includes helping them get social work and support for food, living, healthcare and all the basic needs they deserve. “ 4/2021
- What is my purpose in medicine? "I can’t quite say it is one thing but it is an accumulation: To medically take care of others. To take care of people as people that includes their mental state, their life, and physical body. I know it is a bit ambitious but I know it can be done even if it is just for a couple people." 6/2021
"I have found my voice and I have the power to share my ideas, experiences, and lessons I have learned with others.” 5/2021
“That is what I can advocate for, no matter who the person is all they want in life is to be seen and heard.“ 12/2019
“The practice of viewing health from a psychological and trauma informed lens is called integrative medicine. This is why I am pursuing my medical degree, so I can help others look back at the various threats they have and are currently encountering and see how they are creating negative impacts on their health. Through looking for the 'root causes' one can pursue better informed health care decisions and management.”
Constant re-evaluation of Personal Values, Goals, and Passions - Speak with Physician Mentors, Residents, Family, and Partner - Choose electives passionate about - Choose ones from each specialty if applying to multiple specialties
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USMLE Step2 & Step 3
- Take Exam and Get Score before Applications are due in SeptemberMany people take it in May - July - Takes around 4 weeks to get scorePeople study between 2 - 8 weeks - I studied in 6 weeks in June and July after a 2 week vacation and a 2 week Elective - DO NOT APPLY WITHOUT SCOREI know individuals who applied without score and failed which lead them to need to take an LOA and re-apply the following year - Many people take it in May - July - Takes around 4 weeks to get score
Lessons learned from failing STEP1: medpsycmoss.com/blog/step1
Read Blog Post for Step2 where I matched with 229: medpsycmoss.com/blog/step2
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Sub-Internships:
- Choose Sub-internship in specialty want to go into Usual options are Surgery, IM, FM, PedsIf don't have official Sub-i then do second Sub-i in specialtyFor example: I did one in In-patient Psychiatry, my husband did one in Neuro-ICU - Usual options are Surgery, IM, FM, Peds - If don't have official Sub-i then do second Sub-i in specialtyFor example: I did one in In-patient Psychiatry, my husband did one in Neuro-ICU - For example: I did one in In-patient Psychiatry, my husband did one in Neuro-ICU - Work with residents and attending in a team - Practice doing Consults, Putting in Orders, and Calling families - Usually have to pay for travel and lodging Sometimes can increase student loans for this - Sometimes can increase student loans for this - Interviews are NOT A GUARANTEE if you do a sub-i just a bonus
Mine: County Hospital in Family Medicine In-Patient floorHome Institution in Adult In-patient Psychiatry I did not do any away rotations in Psychiatry but wanted to if I had more time and $. County Hospital in Family Medicine In-Patient floor. Home Institution in Adult In-patient Psychiatry. I did not do any away rotations in Psychiatry but wanted to if I had more time and $
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PERSONAL STATEMENT
Important things to know: - Most reviewers just get PS - Use PS to say YES/NO on an interview - Most people who interview you will ONLY get the PS which they will use to talk about YOU - ERAS Should NOT be a rewording of your CV or activities - Tell your Personal Story and Journey
Questions to ask yourself: - WHO are YOU? - What are you passionate about? What could you do a TED Talk About? - What Life experiences have impacted who you are as a person, future doctor, and collegue? - What keeps you motivated in medicine? - What were my key areas of growth during medical school?
Identify Professional traits: - SHOW through an activity, patient interaction, or experience - Self Starter: The ability to wear different hats. All throughout my life I have had a passion for pursuing huge community projects when I see that something is needed. I’d love the quote "if not you then who?" when the Covid pandemic left homeless individuals at risk without medical care
- Empathy: I have learned that sometimes all the patient needs is someone to listen to, and hand them a box of Kleenex. Sometimes they need a mentor to provide knowledge to help them improve their lives.
- Critical thinking: I have the unique ability to take in both the large picture and small picture to be able to understand what is needed, and how I can best contribute to the team.
- Leader and Advocate: Sometimes I become an advocate for those who aren’t being heard well other times I’ve learned how to take a step back and let other people lead the charge. I have learned that a good leader is able to understand and appreciate the rules of each person on the team. Sometimes I have done this through actually placing myself in that position such as being a medical assistant in a clinic.
- Advocate: I knew I love to help others, but I couldn’t understand how to describe. It was an intern my third year in medical school, that I started to identify myself as an advocate for others.Qualified Bilingual Speaker: Given my personal experience as a Latina, I learned how to work with individuals from my Hispanic community, who also suffered silently.Through speaking to my patience in Spanish, and making sure that their needs and pains, or listen to by the medical team. Caregiving: Shared the stories of older adult patients who were not being seen by their caregiver
- Qualified Bilingual Speaker: Given my personal experience as a Latina, I learned how to work with individuals from my Hispanic community, who also suffered silently.Through speaking to my patience in Spanish, and making sure that their needs and pains, or listen to by the medical team.
- Caregiving: Shared the stories of older adult patients who were not being seen by their caregiver
- Leadership and Teamwork: My leadership style changed from college and high school to medical school where I learned I cannot do everything and learn how to collaborate and delegate for example of charge
- Resilience: Sx pillars, growth mindset- learn from failures, take emotions of anger fuel into compassion and motivation , persevere in the face of challengesResilience formed advocacyResilience is the ability to persevere through stress and trauma and learn from experiences to be strongerPersonal Growth over m3 yr with managing my own emotions
Demonstrate Key moments of growth in medical school: - Failure: This journey to becoming a doctor has taught me so much more than how to properly read an X-Ray… it has taught me the value of failure & being imperfect. I am learning from my socially prescribed “failures” to NOT be a perfectionist but a “healthy achiever” - Leave of absence: not knowing what to do during their time off and forming a leave of absence community group. - Lived Experience:I feel my patients pain since I also live with pain & past traumasPersonally affected by issues of racism, trauma, and health care
Sx pillars, growth mindset- learn from failures, take emotions of anger fuel into compassion and motivation , persevere in the face of challenges
Resilience formed advocacy Resilience is the ability to persevere through stress and trauma and learn from experiences to be stronger
Personal Growth over m3 yr with managing my own emotions
Give 1 Key Patient Encounter:
1. Sickle cell child - Cried for mother but was more myself and realizing that he was so lucky to have a mother caring for him
2. Patient with Delirium - Calming down a delirious screaming patient through holding their hands and talking in a low, calm voice and asking about their work/pets/hobbies & suggesting to our team we get music & dog therapy
3. Medicare - Helping a family get on medicare after learning that their medications & hospital stay will be too expensive (they qualified for support) - after learning that the hospital case management is not allowed to help them get on insurance per “hospital policy”
4. Social Determinates - Asking about living environment & knowing what it meant when they said they couldn’t afford to pay the electrical bill so it was off & at discharge this they would be in 100F weather. I worked with them to apply for electrical financial support through the city
5. Family - Called a patient’s family member to update them & let them know the time for them to be in the patient’s room so they can ask all the questions to the doctor when we visit the patient on morning physician rounds
For More Patient Examples at these Narrative Medicine blog posts: - Patient Examples Demonstrating the Mind-Body Connection in Medicine - The Impact of Caregiving on my Journey to be a Physician - Understanding Substance Use Concerns: A Comprehensive Guide - Exploring Implicit Bias in Transgender Perception: A Personal Journey - Watching the Heart Flatline
Why a Specific Speciality?
- What are you going to bring as a resident to their program? - Teacher of medical students? - Support person to your co-residents - Recognize you will go through MANY Drafts and Iterations!
Resources on medpsycmoss.com/store - Check out Dr. Jonah Moss' 2023 Neurology Personal Statement & - My2024 Residency Personal Statement Drafts and Final Submission: - If you would like me to review, edit, and provide feedback on your PS, Sign up at Store
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Dual Applying to Residency:
Top Tips Video: youtu.be/78LWwJjDA0g?si=sLWVWJj3fXz91HGw
Deciding Whether or not to Dual Apply:
Pros: - Increase chance of getting an interview - Increased number of programs ranked - Increased chance of matchingN - NRMP data shows average number of matched MD applicants ranked 12 programs - Increase Chance of Ending up in Certain Location
Cons: - More time and work to write both PS - Interviewers might look down upon dual applying - Might have to be more secretive on what program and specialty applying Especially publicly on social media or any published writings - Especially publicly on social media or any published writings - One PS for Each Specialty - ERAS app will be the SAME for both so DO NOT LIST ANY SPECIALITY on ERAS - Have mentors from that specialty review it
Compare your chances at both specialties with MatchPilot 15% off code: DrMoss15 at: matchpilot.co
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10 Activities:
- State key roles and responsibilities - Group similar activities into categories of advocacy, research or volunteering - State a 1 liner describing the organization or activity - Write key lessons or take aways from activity
Most meaningful: - Talk about personal or professional growth - How you will bring this experience to residency or as your future career - Don't just restate what was in your PS, try to choose a different activity to speak on
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Letter of Recommendations (LOR):
- Have letter writers from each specialty (if dual applying)2 Psychiatrists write for Psychiatry Residency2 Family Medicine Doctors write for Family Medicine Residency - 2 Psychiatrists write for Psychiatry Residency - 2 Family Medicine Doctors write for Family Medicine Residency - Have a couple mentors (IM) not in either Psychiatry or Family Medicine write two letters - one for each residency - Provide letter writers CV and Personal Statement
Submit 3-4 LOR per program (check if they are specific)Psychiatry: 2 Psyc + 1 IMFamily Med: 1 FM + 1 FM Chair + 1 IM
Psychiatry: 2 Psyc + 1 IM Family Med: 1 FM + 1 FM Chair + 1 IM
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Academic or Personal Challenges:
- This is the appropriate place to talk about any failures or leaves of absences - Focus more on what you learned and took away from the experience - Since you write about the challenges here - DO NOT talk about them in your PS - Only the PD or APD usually receive this section - They will have your STEP attempts, Transcripts, and MSPE so don't just state what it says there
Video on Red Flags: youtu.be/elsGzpI5mCk?si=Y_sfvILLGXqhK1_8
Video on How to talk about LOA: youtu.be/u4rQd7YWRyc?si=QU60oOS57N-mDFpx
Impactful Experiences box:
- Read blog post "Exploring the Impactful Experiences Box" - Make sure you talk about something you have not mentioned anywhere else in your application because space is limited - Usually only the PD or APD read it - Talk about challenges like finances, first generation, language barriers, race, SES, etc.
#Should You Disclose?
Video: youtu.be/NcU1BnsNoOQ?si=rBOk9MsX1-veqK6f
Keep as general as possible: "I live with health conditions" "I took time for my health" "I took time for my family"
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Where to Apply?
Consider: LOCATION! LOCATION LOCATION! Where is your support system and what you will do on your time off (yes it is a thing!).
Watch Video on Match Pilot: youtu.be/tLVqWHRso0I?si=DLfRRopbez6YHoBC
Try MatchPilot for 7 days free & Use code DrMoss15 for 15% off
Network at Conferences
Video: youtu.be/BVP6l9ZLj-k?si=qJE9-oqonaTTP_wX
Go to Residency fairs (Go to ones in both specialties):
- focus on programs planning on applying toSend thank you emails Get the resident's contact information focus on programs planning on applying to - Get the resident's contact information - Regional Ones: All the Midwest Programs and especially ones in Chicago - Share Virtual Business card - Volunteer or apply for funding for free or discounted entrance and lodging - Present research posters, talks, and submit abstracts - Network and form connections - easier in person - Do a mix of virtual & In-person - Join Smaller Planning Groups
Conferences I attended during M4 Year: - IAFP: Family Medicine - FMM - Family Medicine - IPS - Psychiatry - APA - Psychiatry - AMWA & WIM - all specialties
Make sure you go to conferences to meet programs at the residency fairs. Then email them after when you applied reminding them that you remember meeting them!
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Tips for International Medical Graduates (IMGS)
Video: youtu.be/5dgoXxVeIyM?si=g0ri5wgqd8kAhTH5
Next: Blog Post on Interviewing, Ranking, & Matching
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Resources
- Check out My 2023-2024 ERAS application & More Recently my 2026 ERAS Fellowship Application Medpsycmoss.com/Store
- If you would like me to Edit your ERAS Application Sign Medpsycmoss.com/Store
- Read Blog Post & Video: "Disability Disclosure in Medicine: Residency Applications" Video: youtu.be/NcU1BnsNoOQ?si=zmz1zfGEpYuvS6U1
- Read my MedPageToday Article: "Why I Disclosed My Disability in Residency Applications" *** Telling others that you struggle with illness doesn’t make you more resilient. It just makes you human! ***
If you would like to do a Mock Interview with me sign up Medpsycmoss.com/Store
Book: "The Residency Interview: How to Make the Best Possible Impression" by Dr. Jessica Freedman, MDOn Bookshop and Amazon
KevinMD Article: "Proposing Solutions to end bias in the medical residency selection process" By Dr. Chumley, MD