{"id":834,"date":"2013-05-15T19:23:43","date_gmt":"2013-05-15T23:23:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogstemp2.wpengine.com\/?p=834"},"modified":"2013-05-15T19:23:43","modified_gmt":"2013-05-15T23:23:43","slug":"the-next-step-fellowship-applications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/index.php\/2013\/05\/the-next-step-fellowship-applications\/","title":{"rendered":"The Next Step: Fellowship Applications"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"toxicology<\/a>The end of the academic year is fast-approaching, which means many changes and exciting transitions lie ahead \u2013 for all levels of trainees: medical students and new interns, brand-new attending physicians<\/span><\/span>, and seasoned diagnosticians alike.\u00a0 One of the more stressful tasks facing many of the senior residents in the coming months is the fellowship application process.\u00a0 We recently held a program-wide gathering here at the University of Colorado to discuss tips that potentially can ease the process \u2013 and possibly even calm the nerves of anxious soon-to-be fellowship applicants.\u00a0 I completed the fellowship match process this past year, and identified a few pointers that would have been helpful to know prior to applying. Here’s my list of 8 tips to get the perfect fellowship:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Create or update your curriculum vitae.<\/strong>\u00a0 The ERAS fellowship application mirrors the ERAS residency application, so, if you happen to have saved yours from a few years ago, you can use it to speed the data entry.\u00a0 Additionally, investing a substantial amount of time and effort in producing a high-quality personal statement<\/strong> will likely reap great benefits in the form of interview invitations.\u00a0 These two tasks will get your foot in the door\u2026 the interview is your time to shine, and stand out from the pack.<\/li>\n
  2. Request\u00a0letters of recommendation — early!\u00a0<\/strong> Clearly, you\u2019ll want a letter from your residency program director, as well as your research mentor (if you have completed research).\u00a0 Additionally, I would recommend at least two other letters, ideally from faculty members with whom you have worked closely and who agree to write a strong letter on your behalf.\u00a0\u00a0Having letters from faculty in the field to which you are applying is probably best, but\u00a0not an absolute must \u2013 particularly if you have worked a significant amount of time with another mentor that can write a very strong letter.\u00a0 A letter that details your clinical skills as well as personal attributes (and potentially research aptitude) will take you far in the application process, regardless of whether or not the author is in your selected field. It is a fantastic idea to have your letter writers begin working on the letters very soon.\u00a0 When the application officially opens (EFDO tokens will be available on June 12th, 2013<\/a>),\u00a0 you have approximately 2-4 weeks to complete it before having the option to send it to programs (and I strongly recommend submitting your application to programs as early as possible).\u00a0 Most residency programs have a process that will keep the letters confidential until the application opens; investigate this now, so you will be ready.\u00a0 You also might want to contact your program director to discuss the details of the letter they will be writing on your behalf.<\/li>\n
  3. Focus on creating a list of programs that pique your interest.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Many factors must be considered during this process \u2013 and these are highly individual. Ideally, you\u2019ll find a handful of programs that:\u00a0 a) are strong in the subspecialty to which you\u2019re applying, b) have mentors and\/or research that aligns with your interests, and c) are feasible\u00a0matches for you.<\/li>\n
  4. Closely review websites for specific programs before submitting your application.<\/strong>\u00a0 Some programs have special requests with regard to your application \u2013\u00a0topics you need to address in your personal statement, specific requests with regard to letters of recommendation, or other tasks.\u00a0 These guidelines are often used by programs as a first-pass filter (anyone who does not follow the instructions might be quickly rejected; the \u201cshotgun\u201d approach to applications \u2013 applying broadly without any knowledge about the program in particular, is not ideal nor recommended).\u00a0 Also, each website provides a wonderful way to learn more about the program.\u00a0 If you have a specific research interest, try to identify a few faculty members whose research potentially align with your interests, and who conceivably could serve as a mentor should you match into their program.\u00a0 Most programs will ask if\u00a0you would like to meet a particular\u00a0faculty member\u00a0during your interview.\u00a0 Having someone in\u00a0mind demonstrates strong interest.<\/li>\n
  5. Meet with the program director of the subspecialty to which you are applying at your home institution.\u00a0<\/strong> He or she can help you create your list of programs, and also also might know faculty at programs across the nation to which you are applying.\u00a0 Program directors are potentially a fantastic resource that many applicants do not take advantage of, but definitely should!<\/li>\n
  6. Submit a\u00a0professional photo\u00a0with your application if possible<\/strong>, but I do not think this is a requirement.\u00a0 That said, many programs receive countless applications each year (many in excess of 100 times the number of positions available), and if the program is able to put a face with an application, it can help<\/span> to distinguish you from the rest of the field.\u00a0 A good first impression is a lasting impression \u2013 this is not the time for humor!<\/li>\n
  7. Talk to the current fellows in your selected subspecialty at your institution<\/strong>.\u00a0 Not only can they provide specific tips about the application process for your chosen field (each one seems to have a few quirks), but also they are the best resource for overall tips \u2013 considering that they just completed the process last year.<\/li>\n
  8. Finally, start saving money<\/strong> (a small fortune might be necessary in some cases!) for the whole process…\u00a0expenses mount rapidly ,\u00a0especially if you apply to\u00a0many programs and accept\u00a0many interviews.\u00a0\u00a0Application to 10 programs\u00a0is included in your the initial\u00a0fee; beyond this, extra fees will apply (the amount varies depending upon how many programs you ultimately choose).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I hope you have found this list helpful, rather than stress-inducing!\u00a0 I am happy to answer questions \u2013 leave a comment below and I will try to reply.\u00a0 Deep breaths, and good luck!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The end of the academic year is fast-approaching, which means many changes and exciting transitions lie ahead \u2013 for all levels of trainees: medical students and new interns, brand-new attending physicians, and seasoned diagnosticians alike.\u00a0 One of the more stressful tasks facing many of the senior residents in the coming months is the fellowship application […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[36,37],"class_list":["post-834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-about-residency","tag-resident-blog","tag-resident-experience"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Next Step: Fellowship Applications - Insights on Residency Training<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/index.php\/2013\/05\/the-next-step-fellowship-applications\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Next Step: Fellowship Applications\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The end of the academic year is fast-approaching, which means many changes and exciting transitions lie ahead \u2013 for all levels of trainees: medical students and new interns, brand-new attending physicians, and seasoned diagnosticians alike.\u00a0 One of the more stressful tasks facing many of the senior residents in the coming months is the fellowship application […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/index.php\/2013\/05\/the-next-step-fellowship-applications\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Insights on Residency Training\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-05-15T23:23:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2013\/05\/toxicology-fellows-at-UMass.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jonathan Schwartz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jonathan Schwartz\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/index.php\/2013\/05\/the-next-step-fellowship-applications\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/index.php\/2013\/05\/the-next-step-fellowship-applications\/\",\"name\":\"The Next Step: Fellowship Applications - Insights on Residency Training\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2013-05-15T23:23:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2013-05-15T23:23:43+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/#\/schema\/person\/1c25b04cdc71941bde083fbe88ebb86b\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/index.php\/2013\/05\/the-next-step-fellowship-applications\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/index.php\/2013\/05\/the-next-step-fellowship-applications\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/index.php\/2013\/05\/the-next-step-fellowship-applications\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Next Step: Fellowship Applications\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/\",\"name\":\"Insights on Residency Training\",\"description\":\"Observation of residents across diverse medical specialties\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blogs.nejm.org\/general-medicine\/#\/schema\/person\/1c25b04cdc71941bde083fbe88ebb86b\",\"name\":\"Jonathan Schwartz\",\"description\":\"Jonathan is a native Minnesotan, raised in Rochester, who grew up surrounded by the medical community. 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