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Early Match Survival Guide
Introduction
Some specialties are involved in the National Early Matching Program (NEMP). For the most part, you are applying for an ADVANCED LEVEL position in the early matching program, i.e. a Post Graduate Year 2 position (PGY-2). Placement into these programs require that you will be also successfully schedule and complete a PGY-1 position (often termed a preliminary year, or a transitional year). You will need to use the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) to secure that position.
Participating Specialities
The following specialties are participants in the NEMP:What is the major difference between ERAS and SF Match?
While there are many differences between these two application processing services, the most important one to note is that the SF Match REQUIRES THE APPLICANT to collect all the supporting documents (including transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc…) and then SEND THEM VIA OVERNIGHT MAIL to the SF Match office in California. This is NOT DONE ELECTRONICALLY!!!
I want to participate in the Early Match, what do I do?
If you decide that one of the participating specialties listed above is right for you, you should follow these steps IN THIS ORDER:
1. MAKE UP YOUR MIND EARLY (BLOCK 1 – BLOCK 2 at the VERY LATEST) and build your schedule accordingly. Many of these specialties have very coveted positions and you may want to consider doing an audition elective to help your chances. Discuss these options with your pathway director or any faculty member
2. GO
TO THE SAN FRANCISCO MATCHING PROGRAM SITE: http://www.sfmatch.org
-
- NOTE:
You should think of the SF Matching Program as the counterpart to ERAS
for those participating in the Early Match. The SF Matching Program
is an organization that will help facilitate getting your application
to the programs that you want to send to. They serve as a central place
where you need to send your application data and they will mail it to
the programs for you.
3. REGISTER FOR THE NATIONAL EARLY
MATCHING PROGRAM on the SF Match website. They will also give
you a special login to a secure area on the SF Match Website that will
give you an OFFICIAL LISTING of the programs that will be participating
in the NEMP. This will cost you some money (~$50.00)
4. DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION
from the SF Match website for the specialty that you are applying for.
Each Application is different.
-
- NOTE:
This is where people get confused each year. This application is the
OFFICIAL APPLICATION for the programs participating in the NEMP. Most
programs REQUIRE that you use THIS APPLICATION. The application requires
that you have certain items that ERAS does not, e.g. a college transcript.
5. FILL
OUT THE APPLICATION in its entirety, and FOLLOW the directions
carefully.
What do I do about letters of recommendation?
The NEMP Application that you download from the SF Match website will require that you SUBMIT THREE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION with your application. This is NOT an ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION like ERAS, this is a paper submission. If you plan to use these letters for ERAS ALSO, you need to do the following:
1. Instruct your letter writer to COMPOSE TWO COPIES of the letter of recommendation. You may want to make sure that the letter writer DOES NOT make the letter for a specific speciality, and is more general in nature. In other words, it may be in your best interest for the letter writer to NOT say “Johnny will be a great neurosurgeon” if you are planning on applying to other specialities using this letter of recommendation.
2. Give your letter writer the instructions for sending an official copy of the letter of recommendation to Marie Hartman for ERAS.
3. IMPORTANT: With the second copy, have the letter writer place the letter in an envelope with your name on the front and then SEAL THE ENVELOPE. The letter writer MUST SIGN THE SEAL OF THE ENVELOPE.
Failure to do so will prevent processing of your application.
What happens if I do not match in the early matching program?
The time tables for the early matching program allow for applicants that do not secure a spot in the early matching program to have plenty of time to participate in the regular match. The results of the early match are available in mid-January. You will likely ALSO be applying for placement in PGY-1 programs simultaneously.
If you do decide to NOT participate in the early match after the interview season, you can choose to NOT to submit a rank order list. Most early match rank order lists are due in EARLY JANUARY.
What’s the timetable for all of this, in other words, how Early, is Early?
The Early Match timetable is set each academic year. The SF Matching Program creates a table of dates that they release in the June/July of the year. They will list what they term: TARGET DATES for each speciality. The TARGET DATE is NOT a deadline, but it is a very safe GOAL to try to get the application mailed to SF Matching Program by that date.
| PLEASE NOTE: THE SF MATCHING PROGRAM will NOT process any INCOMPLETE applications. So there is no advantage to mailing items to them as you get them. You should have your complete application together and then OVERNIGHT the materials to them IMMEDIATELY. |
Typical
Target Dates (2001-2002 Data):