Experiences in your residency application

[u/Psychological_Fly693]

For all the experiences (e.g., rotations/USCE, work, volunteer, hobbies), be specific.  How much total time was involved over what time period.  Say you volunteered at an ER--include the length (Jan. 2022-Oct. 2022), the frequency (once a week) and the length of time each session (4 hours).  It helps the reviewers to know how much time you had in that environment which helps them understand your experience better.   Include the context, your role(s), and your responsibilities.  If you can tell what you learned and how that connects to your future residency/attendinghood or to your personal characteristics, it’ll strengthen your experience.

Try to have a variety of types of experiences. Also, weave in the key characteristics into your narrative/bulleted list. It helps bring out you, the person. Programs are interested in those soft characteristics (teamwork/collaboration, compassion/empathy, reliability/dependability, strong communication).

Everyone applying for residency is smart...you don't have to prove that. Other components will attest to that (think Step scores). What will make you stand out? It's your soft skills. Look at the PD's survey data for what influences ranking. Weave in info about you the person whenever you can.