The ERAS Integrity Promotion Education Program

ERAS has initiated a campaign to educate ERAS users about the Integrity Promotion Program which was designed to discourage fraudulent activity; and to encourage reporting of fraudulent activity where warranted. Types of irregularities and activities targeted for investigation include, but are not limited to:

• Omission of education extension
• Omission of previous residency training
• Submission of fraudulent publication citations
• Submission of fraudulent LoRs
• Plagiarism of personal statements

As part of our education plan, we have included audience specific information about the Integrity Promotion Program.

ERAS Applicants
The ERAS Integrity Promotion program is highlighted in the ERAS Applicant Manual and in the ERAS brochure distributed by the designated dean's offices. We've also provided the ERAS Investigations Program information which outlines the steps in the process and delineates specific infractions that can trigger an investigation and the consequences of a positive finding.

Medical Schools
Each year ERAS sends U.S. medical schools the ERAS applicant brochure which includes information about the ERAS investigations policy for distribution to applicants. Schools should review the ERAS Investigations Program information we provide for ERAS applicants to learn more about the process.

ERAS provides resources to schools to help schools educate their students on ethical application practices as well as assist them in identifying fraudulent activity. An increasingly common issue with applications is personal statement plagiarism. Here are a few of the Web sites that applicants have used to obtain text for personal statements:

• www.usmleweb.com
• www.medfools.com
• www.medstudentcafe.com
• www.123helpme.com
• http://webcampus.drexelmed.edu/osa/careeradvising/pssample.htm
• www.aippg.info/sample-personal-statements-ERAS.html#statement1

ERAS is currently developing for future distribution Microsoft PowerPoint slides for medical schools about the Integrity Promotion program that can be included in presentations given to rising seniors about the upcoming residency application process.

ERAS Programs
ERAS disseminates information about the Integrity Promotion Program at specialty meetings and in distributed literature to programs participating in ERAS. ERAS also sends periodic correspondence directly through the PDWS software to inform programs of Web sites that applicants frequent for plagiarism material and other relevant information.

If you are aware of any activity by an applicant that is considered irregular behavior please contact ERAS Investigations at erasinvestigations@aamc.org.

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