Several residency applicants have told me that since they submitted their ERASes, some programs have asked them to answer additional, written questions like "Why our program?" and "How will you bring diversity to our institution?" The additional workload seems burdensome, especially this year, but I suspect residency directors are concerned about interview hoarding - since sessions will be virtual and thus easier to accept and attend - and are trying to weed out applicants accordingly.
Although originally written for medical school candidates, see my blog entry here to help with the "Why our program?" question and here to help with the diversity prompt.
Remember: This is a marathon, not a sprint.
