Check Out Key Match Dates and Two Safeguarding Policies for Applicants

Recently, the NRMP hosted a webinar called, "Introduction to the 2027 Main Residency Match®." There are two categories of take away points:

1) Key dates relevant for applicants:

September 15 — Applicant and medical school registration opens
September 23 — Applications available via ERAS and ResidencyCAS (OB/GYN and Emergency Medicine use ResidencyCAS)
February 1 — Ranking opens
March 3 — Rank Order List certification deadline
March 15–19 — Match Week and SOAP
March 19 — Match Day

2) Two policies particularly notable for applicants:

First, residency programs can't extend more invitations than available slots and must give applicants at least 48 hours to respond.
Second, programs can't ask applicants about their ranking plans, request preference signals, or solicit commitments to rank.

Here's the webinar link.

Check out these Useful AMCAS Links

I mentioned in the last couple of blog entries the great utility of the AAMC webinar on April 14 called “Navigating the 2027 AMCAS Application Cycle for Applicants,” and I summarized some of the most important points.

One of the additional benefits of the session was a listing of useful online resources. I collected them and have listed them below. Enjoy!

AMCAS Application Resources

• 2027 AMCAS Applicant Guide
• 2027 AMCAS Application Workbook
• Application and Acceptance Protocols for Applicants
• AMCAS Tools and Tutorials
• AMCAS Main Program Page / Resources Hub
• AMCAS Help Resources / @AMCASinfo

MCAT and PREview

• MCAT
• PREview

Why the AMCAS Coursework Section is Even More Important than You Thought it Was

As I mentioned in last week's blog entry, the AAMC held a helpful webinar on April 14 called “Navigating the 2027 AMCAS Application Cycle for Applicants." Here are some more take-home messages from the session:

1. The Coursework area is the number one cause of verification delays.
   
2. Ensure you report every course. This means you should report even if you earned no credit, you ended up with a withdrawal, the class was incomplete or repeated, the class was physical education, the class was later removed from your transcript, the course was advanced placement. 
   
3. Avoid other common mistakes by following these tips: include plus/minus grades; note that the AMCAS academic year begins with the summer term prior; if a course has both a lecture and lab do not combine them into one entry.
   
4. Use the 2027 AMCAS Applicant Guide and the Course Classification Guide if you are unsure how to categorize a class you're taking.
5. The BCPM that AAMC calculates is based on information provided by your individual college.
   

Look for more of my take-homes in near-future blog entries.

AAMC Webinar Take-Aways

The AAMC held a fantastic webinar on April 14 called "Navigating the 2027 AMCAS Application Cycle for Applicants," which you can view here if you registered in advance of the session. I took notes and will be offering a few take home messages below and in future blog entries.

Of note, there are two updates to this year's AMCAS:

1) Social Justice → Community Health Advocacy:

The former Social Justice/Advocacy category has been renamed Community Health Advocacy. The AAMC rep Candice Pantor (who was excellent) explained that this change is intended to emphasize action-based contributions to community and public health, while still maintaining the original intent of recognizing advocacy work. 

2) The Medical Schools section has a more user-friendly design:

The Medical Schools section now has what Pantor described as an easier look and feel. (I have not seen it yet.)

The AAMC held a "coursework" webinar last week. I'll report on that soon. 

Take-aways from the 2026 Match

Doximity recently published a "Clinical Brief" summarizing stats from last month's Match. Here are the take-home messages:

1) The good news: The Match had the most applicants ever and a strong 93.5% overall fill rate.

2) More good news: DOs and U.S. citizen IMGs saw record high Match rates at 93.2% and 70.0%, respectively.

3) Bad news: Despite 134 new positions, the Family Medicine (FM) fill rate dropped to 83.6%, leaving 899 slots unfilled. The NRMP is taking this seriously: It's convening a Blue Ribbon Panel to look at why medical students aren't choosing FM.

4) More bad news: Non-U.S. Citizen IMGs saw a 56.4% Match rate — a five-year low.

Of note, the two pieces of bad news are connected and potentially a big problem: IMGs historically fill a disproportionate number of FM and other primary care positions. If IMG Match rates and FM fill rates are both dropping, that's an escalating problem for primary health care access, particularly in underserved regions. 

Confused? Check out these AAMC Webinars

For those approaching the medical school admissions cycle, I noted (at least) two AAMC webinars that look helpful:

First, on April 14 there is a live webinar at 11 AM PST reviewing general AMCAS information, described as follows: This webinar will help applicants prepare for the 2027 AMCAS® application cycle. Participants will receive a walkthrough of the AMCAS application, an overview of updates and changes for the upcoming cycle, and information about available resources to support a successful submission.

Then, on April 21 at 10:30 AM PST there is another live webinar on submitting AMCAS coursework and transcripts. Here's the description: Submitting transcripts and completing the coursework section are important steps in the AMCAS® application process. This session will help applicants navigate common issues that arise when submitting official transcripts and entering coursework, and provide guidance to prevent processing delays.

Participants will learn about transcript submission requirements and timelines, common problems with electronic transcripts, how to accurately enter and update coursework, and common errors that result in returned applications. There will be time for live Q&A with AMCAS experts.

Both look very helpful.

Positively Influence your Letters of Recommendation by Making the Job of Letter Writing Easy

When pre-meds, residents, nurses, and physician colleagues asked me to write them LORs when I was Assistant Residency Director, the first thing I requested was that they send me background information to make my letter robust…and my job easier. Accordingly, whether you are applying to medical school, post bacc programs, dental school, residency, or fellowship, I strongly recommend you create a “LOR packet,” which can include the following:

1. A brief, well-written cover letter defining all of your important accomplishments
2. Your curriculum vitae (CV)
3. Your personal statement in its final form (if available)
4. Your transcripts.

With regard to the cover letter, keep it streamlined: Thank the writer and highlight your pre-professional achievements on one page. The point of the cover letter is to supplement a writer’s knowledge of your candidacy and offer flattering content for inclusion. A college professor may know that you made the only A in an organic chemistry class, but her LOR for medical school will be more complete, and she will demonstrate a more intimate familiarity with you if she knows enough to write that you volunteer regularly at a homeless shelter.

With regard to the CV and personal statement, these make useful supplements to the LOR packet only if they are in professional and final form. Don’t include rough drafts, as poorly organized background information leaves your writer the impression that you are disorganized. Also, only include the transcript if it bolsters your candidacy, demonstrating academic achievement. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot if you have some bad grades you’d rather not showcase.

Bottom line: An applicant who offered me a list of her accomplishments in a tidy, accessible package was more likely to get a strong, comprehensive letter that was submitted promptly. If you can make a letter writer's job easier, your forethought is likely to pay dividends in the letter you receive. The savvy applicant can take subtle advantage of her ability to "lead the witness."

People > Prestige

For those of you medical school applicants who are fortunate enough to have more than one acceptance by the end of this cycle, I would recommend looking into research by Dan Chambliss, author of How College Works. I also heard him interviewed on the Your College Bound Kid podcast. Chambliss argues that colleges work best when students form robust connections with other students and with faculty because human bonding is a major driver of learning, belonging, and motivation.

Chambliss' assertions are based on a 10-year study of Hamilton College students, who were tracked over time to identify the experiences that matter most in college. In choosing a learning institution, he recommends asking yourself:

1. Will I find my people here?

2. Will I know my professors here?

3. Will this place make connection easy?

While we can't say for sure that these findings apply to medical school, they sure do make intuitive sense. I'm still in daily contact through text with multiple medical school friends! Peers were the best part of medical school for me.

"...We'll Build Our Own Damn Medical School"

A California Assemblywoman, who is also a physician, recently introduced a bill to force the hand of the University of California in hopes of opening a medical school by next year in an underserved area of California. 

Since 1960, the University of California has been the only public education system authorized to confer medical degrees in the state. However, a new bill, introduced by Jasmeet Baines, a family physician and Democrat representing Kern County's city of Delano, allows California State University, Bakersfield, and the Kern Community College District authority to establish a medical school if the University of California doesn't do so within a year. 

In 1978, the Fed formally designated Kern County an area with a physician shortage. The County is located in the California Valley, which has fewer than 45 primary care physicians per 100,000 people compared to 156 per 100,000 across California.

Dr. Bains was quoted as saying, "If the UC won't build it, we'll build our own damn medical school."

Match Week is Here

Match week has arrived, having officially started at 10 AM EST today when applicants received notifications indicating whether they'd matched. Those who didn't obtain a position can participate in the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP), which will proceed from today through Thursday. (If you're interested in the ins and outs of SOAP and its universally disliked predecessor the Scramble, take a look here.)

This Friday, March 20, applicants will learn where they've matched. 

Good luck!