Residency Timeline

*
(For applicants beginning studies 1921 months prior to NRMP Match)
A plan that begins in the third or fourth quarter two years prior to the residency allows signicantly more exibility, both to prepare for competitive USMLE scores, as well as to nd and complete some type of US clinical experience in time to get
a letter of recommendation and clerkship evaluation. Candidates who require more study time will not have a complete application until later in the application cycle, which will likely decrease the number of interviews they can expect. Students
who are not academically strong or who have special study time limitations will be better advised to focus on the Scramble or a later Match cycle to maximize prep time toward a higher exam score. Students applying to competitive specialties
may want to devote more time to studies and participate in a later Match cycle, rather than in the Scramble. Early research into programs will help you determine if you meet their requirements and whether there are additional study goals or
other steps you need to accomplish in order to improve your candidacy. All scores should be available by the end of September for maximum interview consideration. In the event that required exam preparation takes less time than anticipated,
the extra time can be devoted to preparing for and taking Step 3, which would be necessary for those who intend to seek H-1B visas or simply to get the nal licensure step done before beginning residency while recall of clinical subjects is
reasonably fresh. Only certain states allow Step 3 to be taken prior to residency. See http://www.fsmb.org/usmle_eliinitial.html.
*Applicants should always check with ECFMG, NRMP, ERAS, and individual programs for latest deadlines, as information and tasks are liable to change. STEP 1 & 2 PREPARATION: This process can take 912
months for most IMGs. They should plan to allocate two-thirds of this time for Step 1 preparation, as IMGs typically need more time to review the basic sciences compared to the clinical sciences, which typically are
more recent in candidates training. The important point here is to have a goal of fnishing both exams by end of July to allow for additional time for Step 2 CS, applications, and re-taking of exams if necessary. Allow up
to 6 weeks for scores to be reported. It is academically preferable to take Step 2 CS after Step 2 CK; due to the scarcity of test slots, schedule your Step 2 CS date as soon as possible in order to secure a test date
prior to September 1. Allow 23 months for Step 2 CS results to be reported. **Occasionally, a few programs or specialties will conduct interviews as early as September or October, and on rare occasion as late as
February. If you plan to apply to a program that is interviewing early, you will want to plan to have your application completed earlier. May be submitted after this date, but completing by August 1 will ensure you have
all documents ready for submitting application on or about September 1. The later Step 1+ 2CK scores are reported, the fewer invitations to interview one can expect.
Recommended Activities JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR
Prepare for and take Step 1 and Step 2 CK (register with ECFMG for USMLE Identication
Number prior to registering for the exam).

Prepare for and take Step 2 CS by end of August before Match.

Participate in clerkships, externships, or obserships, allowing up to 2 months to

receive LoR and Clerkship Evaluation.
Contact Medical School for ofcial copy of transcript and MSPE. Must be translated
into English.
Research programs via FREIDA and program websites. If enrolled with Kaplan,
review list of reportedly IMG-friendly programs using Match Class.
Contact program coordinators for information, requirements, and deadlines not
listed online.
Identify potential LoR writers and request for August 1 deadline.
Begin drafting personal statement and solicit feedback.
Download ERAS user guide.
Request ERAS Token (your AAMC Number) via OASIS. MyERAS opens to applicants
July 1 to begin work on application.
Finalize LoR writers and designate in My ERAS.
ECFMG recommends all supporting documents arrive at ECFMG for uploading
by August 1 to be available in ERAS by mid-September (applies to Medical School
Transcript, Letters of Recommendation, Photograph, California Letter, if applicable, Fifth
Pathway Certicate, if applicable).

Prepare Common Application Form via MyEras.

Register with NRMP (opens August 15; late registration through February for fee).
Applicants may begin applying to ACGME accredited programs via ERAS Post Ofce.
Submit MSPE to ECFMG by October 1.
Interview at programs.
**
Submit Rank Order List to NRMP.
MATCH DAY (mid-March) and SCRAMBLE. x
LEGEND
Best Timing
(Kaplan recommended)
Adequate Timing
(but not most competitive)
1921 months before the NRMP Match