The ECFMG has announced on June 10, 2010 new changes to Electronic Residency Application Service AKA ERAS.
In summery the new changes are about three things:
First:
Applicants who have used Letters of Recommendation (LORs) in 2010 season can now reuse the same LORs in their 2011 application. This will significantly save time and make it easier for them if they want to reuse the same previous LORs. However, I don’t think it’s a good idea to use the same LOR in the match while in fact you have failed the match last year! Get a new updated LOR and perhaps this time you need to get a “higher profile” LOR.
Second:
The ECFMG Medical School Web Portal (EMSWP) can now access certain parts of your ERAS services. For example your medical school can directly upload your MSPE, Dean letter, LORs, Medical school transcripts, ..etc Again, this will make the 2011 match application significantly faster than previous year. If your medical school is not a participant in the EMSWP I suggest you yourself go and encourage them to do so. Your medical school official should start by emailing this address emswpadmin@ecfmg.org
Third:
You all remember that LORs used to have an ERAS recommendation that it should not be signed in “black” ink because when they scan it and send it to the PDs they didn’t want them to look “as copies”. Now, this is no longer a requirement, your LOR writer can sign it in black ink or any other color
New Changes to ERAS
The ECFMG has announced on June 10, 2010 new changes to Electronic Residency Application Service AKA ERAS.
In summery the new changes are about three things:
First:
Applicants who have used Letters of Recommendation (LORs) in 2010 season can now reuse the same LORs in their 2011 application. This will significantly save time and make it easier for them if they want to reuse the same previous LORs. However, I don’t think it’s a good idea to use the same LOR in the match while in fact you have failed the match last year! Get a new updated LOR and perhaps this time you need to get a “higher profile” LOR.
Second:
The ECFMG Medical School Web Portal (EMSWP) can now access certain parts of your ERAS services. For example your medical school can directly upload your MSPE, Dean letter, LORs, Medical school transcripts, ..etc Again, this will make the 2011 match application significantly faster than previous year. If your medical school is not a participant in the EMSWP I suggest you yourself go and encourage them to do so. Your medical school official should start by emailing this address emswpadmin@ecfmg.org
Third:
You all remember that LORs used to have an ERAS recommendation that it should not be signed in “black” ink because when they scan it and send it to the PDs they didn’t want them to look “as copies”. Now, this is no longer a requirement, your LOR writer can sign it in black ink or any other color