901 N. Washington Avenue Lansing, Michigan 48906-5137 Telephone: (517) 485-5484 FAX: (517) 485-0801 E-Mail: saem@saem.org

Revised by Donald Kosiak, MD, Mayo Clinic and Adrienne Birnbaum, MD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Jacobi and Montefiore Medical Centers.

The Electronic Residency Application Service, (ERAS), is the method by which application to emergency medicine residency is accomplished. ERAS was developed by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) to make the process of application to residency more efficient. The service uses the Internet for rapid delivery of residency applications, medical school transcripts, Dean's Letters and faculty recommendations from you and your school to program directors. It also allows your USMLE transcript to be transmitted at your request. ERAS was implemented for Emergency Medicine residency programs during the 1997-98 application cycle and has revolutionized the way in which information is transmitted and received. ERAS is easy to use but it is important for you to be well informed about the process. The ERAS web page includes a manual with detailed instructions outlining the entire process. You will want to read the manual and refer to it throughout the process.

The ERAS system includes three major components:

1. MyERAS: This is the web-based residency applicant work area. Applicants complete an ERAS application, select programs, and assign supporting documents on-line.
2. Dean's Workstation (DWS): The Dean’s office scans each student’s transcript, Dean's Letter, letters of recommendation, and photo and transmits the documents via the Internet to the ERAS PostOffice. These documents are then electronically distributed via the PostOffice to the programs that you have designated as recipients.
3. Program Director's Workstation (PDWS): Residency programs download documents from the ERAS PostOffice into the ERAS Program Director's Workstation. PDWS software automatically sorts and directs each document to the correct applicant's file folder. Program Directors use the PDWS software to review and print applicant files. E-mail messages can be sent to applicants for reminders of incomplete file status, interview information, etc.

Procedures and timelines:

1. Research programs and contact them for information. Make careful note of individual program requirements and deadlines. It is the applicant’s responsibility to be ensure compliance.
2. Contact your Dean’s office. The Dean’s office will provide you with processing instructions and a token (special code necessary for ERAS access). Schools will begin to generate and distribute ERAS tokens to applicants in early July. You will need this number to register with MyERAS. You can use any computer with access to the Internet to complete your application and to work within the ERAS system. One of the following browsers is required: Netscape 4.74, Internet Explorer version 5, AOL 5.0 or Opera 5.0, or higher. The system is PC and Mac-compatible. Your application, personal statement, and program selections are transmitted directly from MyERAS to the ERAS PostOffice. Your designated Dean's office transmits your other application materials, (ie. supporting documents). It is highly recommended that you obtain an e-mail address, as programs are likely to send you important information via e-mail.
3. Register with MyERAS. Point your web browser to www.myeras.aamc.org. You will need the token number that your dean’s office provides to register and begin the application process. Steps in the process include: creating a profile, completing a common application form, working with supporting documents, selecting and applying to programs, assigning documents to specific programs, and finally, sending your application to programs. The system also allows for transmission of your USMLE transcript. A tracking system allows you to check the status of your ERAS application materials.

Fees:
ERAS is free to the programs and the medical school Dean's offices. The fee for applicants to use ERAS is based on the number of programs selected for application. ERAS 2002 fees were $60 for up to 10 programs; for 11-20 programs they were $6 each, 21-30 programs $12 each, above 30 programs $25 each. National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) charges a flat $50 fee to U.S. and Canadian applicants who request transmission of scores to programs, regardless of the number of transcripts requested. The NBME fee is included on your invoice and collected by AAMC.

Prior to receiving an ERAS Token, International Medical Graduates (IMGs) are charged a fee of $75, payable to ECFMG. This ECFMG Application Fee includes preparation and transmission of the ECFMG Status Report to all programs. ECFMG will provide a USMLE transcript for $50, regardless of the number of transcripts transmitted.

Important Reminders About ERAS:

1. Contact your Dean’s office to check their schedule for ERAS processing.
2. Don’t expect your Dean’s office to attach or transmit your files at the last minute. Processing may take a week or longer. Problems with transmissions could cause you to miss important deadlines so leave extra time around important deadlines. It is your responsibility to be sure that application materials are transmitted to programs before their deadline.
3. An active e-mail address is essential so programs can contact you for information and invitations to interview
4. It is your responsibility to follow up with letter writers and to confirm that letters of recommendation reach your dean’s office in time to meet program deadlines.
5. Confirm that all programs that you are applying to participate in ERAS and that you understand and meet their requirements.
6. Be sure to keep information provided in the "My Profile" section of the ERAS program current. In particular, contact numbers and addresses should be updated if they change to allow programs to contact you.
7. Use the applicant document tracking system to check that documents are uploaded by your dean’s office and downloaded by each program.

Special cases:
If you have already graduated from a U.S. medical school, your application will be through the medical school from which you graduated. You will need to instruct the people writing letters of recommendation to send them to your old school's Dean's office. Contact your old school for further information. Graduates from foreign medical schools need to contact the ECFMG for their application materials and eligibility requirements. More information is available at http://www.ecfmg.org/erasinfo.htm. Canadian medical students who wish to apply to U.S. residency programs must contact the Canadian Resident Matching Service for ERAS processing information (phone: 613-237-0075).

Good luck! A wealth of information on all aspects of ERAS is available at http://www.aamc.org/eras, complete with the user’s manual, frequently asked questions and an email help service. Your Dean’s office can add additional support.

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