Step 6: Work with Your Documents
Click on the Documents tab to begin working with your supporting
documents. In the Documents section, you may create personal statements,
a list of recommendation writers, and authorize transmission or
retransmission of your USMLE and/or COMLEX transcripts.
USMLE Transcripts
The first time you release your USMLE or COMLEX transcripts, you
will be charged the NBME/NBOME/ECFMG ($50) fee. This fee is collected
by ERAS.
Sending your USMLE transcript to programs is a 4-step process:
1. Enter your USMLE ID in your Profile.
2. Authorize the release of your transcript in the Documents section.
3. Decide if you want automatic retransmission of your transcript
when additional USMLE results become available in the Documents
section.
4. Assign transcript to a program in the Documents section.
To access the USMLE release agreement, click on USMLE Scores
in the Documents section. Carefully read the entire page before
making your decision. You must authorize the release of your USMLE
transcript before you can assign it to any program.
Note from National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME): Be
very careful when selecting the automatic retransmission option
- it cannot be changed. Once you select this option, it is permanent.
By selecting this option, you forego the right to see any newly
included examination results before the transcript is sent to programs.
If you are unsure, do not select automatic retransmission. You may
resend your updated transcript later by going to the Documents section
and choosing the Retransmit USMLE Transcript option, at no
extra cost.
USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK, Step 2 CS and Step 3 scores are reported
as part of a complete USMLE transcript.
Your USMLE transcript includes the following:
- Your name and other personal identification information including
your date of birth;
- Your complete results history of all Steps and Step Components
that you took;
- Your history of any examinations for which no results were
reported;
- Indication of whether you have previously taken the former
NBME Parts I, II, or III, Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX),
or ECFMG Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA);
- Annotation(s) if you were provided with test accommodations;
- Annotation(s) and information documenting classification of
any scores as indeterminate;
- Annotation(s) of any irregular behavior. If applicable, documentation
regarding the irregular behavior will be sent by mail to programs;
and
- Notation(s) of any actions taken against you by medical licensing
authorities or other credentialing entities that have been reported
to the Federation of State Medical Board (FSMB) Action Databank.
If applicable, the FSMB Board Action Report will be sent by mail.
USMLE transcripts issued by ECFMG will include Step 3 scores if
you have taken Step 3 and your scores have been reported.
Note: Graphical performance profiles, which are included
on your original Step 1, Step 2 CK, Step 2 CS (failing examinees
only), and Step 3 score reports, are not included in your USMLE
transcript.
Notice of prior NBME Part history:
- If you have passed a combination of NBME Parts and USMLE Steps,
your USMLE transcript will be sent electronically, and a message
will appear stating that NBME Part scores will be sent by mail.
- If you have passed NBME Parts only, an electronic message will
be sent to all programs you selected indicating that your NBME
Part scores will be sent by mail.
In the absence of an unusual event, NBME generally will process
transcript requests within five business days of receipt.
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COMLEX Transcripts
The first time you release your COMLEX transcript, you will be
charged a ($50) NBOME transcript fee, which is collected by ERAS.
Sending your COMLEX transcript is a 3-step process:
1. Enter your NBOME ID in your Profile.
2. Authorize the release of your transcript in the Documents section.
3. Assign your transcript to a program in the Programs section.
To access the NBOME release agreement, go to the COMLEX scores
tab in the Documents section. Carefully read the entire page before
making your decision. You must authorize the release of your COMLEX
transcript before you can assign it to any program.
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Personal Statements
You may create one or more personal statements; however, only
one personal statement may be assigned and sent to an individual
program. You may create and send different personal statements to
different programs. Each personal statement is limited to 28,000
characters (approximately 8 pages). If a program requires information
that is not included in your transcript or CAF, you may create a
personal statement including these details and assign it to that
specific program.
Note: Although the electronic version of the personal statement
is replaced by the latest version transmitted to the program, programs
may have printed an earlier version of the personal statement.
We recommend that you create your personal statement(s) in a word
processor, perform a spell check and then cut and paste the text
into Documents | Personal Statement. Do not use bold, italic
or special characters. Also, be descriptive in the title of your
personal statement. Since programs will not be able to see the title
of your personal statement, use the title to help identify the document
when you are assigning it to programs later in the process. Upon
completing the personal statement, you should print copies for your
records.
Tip: There are a number of Web sites that provide examples
of personal statements. Do not take any information from
these sites and use them in your personal statement(s) without giving
credit to the author. This is considered plagiarism and any substantiated
findings of plagiarism may result in reporting of such findings
to the programs to which you apply now and in the future.
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Request Letters of Recommendation (LoRs)
The LoR section lets you create a list of people who will write
letters on your behalf. You may also print a formatted cover sheet
for your letter writers at www.aamc.org/students/eras/start.htm
by clicking on Resources to Download. Contact your designated
dean's office for any special processing instructions. It is your
responsibility to follow up with letter writers, and confirm that
LoRs reach your designated dean's office in time to meet program
deadlines (See Step 8: Assign Documents to Programs). To designate
a new letter of recommendation writer click on designate new
LoR writer.
Note: You cannot edit or delete LoR requests that have already
been sent to at least one program. You may, however, de-assign and
delete a LoR request if it was never sent to a program; and you
may reassign a new one in its place at any time.
LoR Cover Sheet/Instructions
Cover sheets/Instructions for LoR writers are printable instructions
that applicants may print and give to recommendation writers. You
must indicate whether you waive your right to see the letter. Your
school, especially, needs to know. LoR Cover Sheet/Instructions
are available in the Resources to Download section of the ERAS Applicants
Web site. Be sure to contact your designated dean's office for additional
instructions regarding LoRs.
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Photograph
You can assign photographs to the programs to which you apply.
Photographs are attached and transmitted by your designated dean's
office. Programs use the photographs to identify you when you come
to interview, and as a memory aid when creating a rank list.
The photograph must:
- Be in color
- Show a full front view of your head and shoulders showing full
face centered in the middle of the photograph
- Have a plain white or light colored background since dark colored
backgrounds do not display very well in the program's software
- Measure approximately 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches and not more than
3 x 4 inches
Note: All of the above requirements apply to digital photographs,
as well. In addition, ensure that all digital photographs have a
JPEG format.
Medical School Transcript and MSPE
Your designated dean's office will attach both the medical school
transcript and the MSPE to your electronic file; and they are automatically
sent to all the programs to which you apply.
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