Updates From the ERAS Team
With the residency recruitment cycle well underway, our entire team remains focused on improving our selection tools, offering more access to ERAS data, and providing AAMC research and thought leadership to address the greatest challenges affecting the transition to residency. A few of our recent program highlights include:
- Updated ERAS Statistics Are Now Available – The ERAS Statistics webpage now includes preliminary data from the 2024 ERAS season, historical data, and more.
- 2024 ERAS Data Snapshot – Preliminary data collected following the ERAS September residency program opening show a 3.4% decrease in the overall average number of applications per residency applicant. Some specialties saw a decrease of more than 20% in the number of applications per applicant. Read more in a recent message to the community from Patrick Fritz, AAMC senior director of admissions and selection application services.
- Holistic Review – This year the MyERAS® application included new components – program signaling, geographic preferences, and an updated experience section – that support holistic review. We plan to continue to identify and further streamline areas of the application for next season in partnership with the transition to residency community.
- Expansion of AAMC Fee Assistance Program – The AAMC will expand its Fee Assistance Program for the 2025 cycle to include ERAS applicants who are most in need.
- Supporting Diverse Medical School Applicants and Matriculants – The AAMC has invested significant resources to help build a diverse physician workforce using ERAS data and working with specialty societies, medical schools, and undergraduate institutions.
Do you have feedback that will help us serve you better? Send your thoughts to the ERAS Team.
If you are attending Learn Serve Lead 2023: The AAMC Annual Meeting, please come and listen to the ERAS Services Update (details below) and stop by the AAMC Pavilion to see live demos of the just-launched DWS Analytics for Schools and ERAS Program Management tools!
Research and Analysis Focused on Improving ERAS Systems
Thank you to the more than 60 individuals ( program directors, residents, and student affairs professionals) who participated in our recent focus groups.
Their insights will help the AAMC further enhance the residency application for holistic review and support programs in identifying well-suited applicants. Next season, this data will be used to standardize and streamline questions related to awards and honors, certifications, languages, publications, and eligibility for licensure.
We’ll be sharing specific changes at Learn Serve Lead (see below) and in the coming months. Additionally, we’ll continue to explore the innovations related to geographic preferences, program signals and experiences over the next few cycles.
Meet Us in Seattle!
We hope to see you at Learn Serve Lead 2023: The AAMC Annual Meeting, Nov. 3-7 in Seattle. While you’re at the conference, please take time to visit the ERAS team at the AAMC Pavilion (#324) in the Exhibit Hall and follow the footprints to the Thalamus booth (#529). Our collaborators at Thalamus will be showcasing their recruitment software and their non-profit organization Thalamus.org.
Please take part in one or more concurrent sessions focused on our work to update the ERAS system and address challenges in the transition to residency.
Learn Serve Lead 2023 Concurrent Sessions
ERAS Presentation: Our Continuing Focus on the Future
Sunday, Nov. 5 at 4:30 p.m. PT, SCC Summitt 423-425
The AAMC ERAS team continued to make progress this year on our commitment to innovation in the transition to residency environment by focusing on selection tools, data analysis, and research. During this session, you will hear updates from the ERAS and Thalamus teams on preliminary results for ERAS 2024 and what’s coming for next season.
Additional Events and Sessions of interest:
- Diversifying the Next Generation of Doctors: Career Fair – Saturday, Nov. 4, 1:30-4:30 p.m. PT. Visit the AAMC and Thalamus.org (#1028) booths.
- Reflections on the New ERAS Content: Data, Discussions and Holistic Review – Saturday, Nov. 4, 10:30-11:45 a.m. PT.
- Transitioning to Pass/Fail Scoring for Step 1 Exams: A Collaborative Research Agenda – Saturday, Nov. 4, 10:30-11:45 a.m. PT.
- Exploring Innovations to Support Warm Handoffs and ILPs for Learners as They Transition to Residency – Sunday, Nov. 5, 3-4:15 p.m. PT.
- National Efforts to Enhance Transitions to Residency: Reflecting on Past Lessons for Future Progress – Monday, Nov. 6, 10:30-11:45 a.m. PT.
ERAS Program Resources
Harnessing ERAS Data in DWS Analytics for Schools Webinar
Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. ET
PDWS Q&A Webinar
Dec. 5 at 1 p.m. ET