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,
create a list of recommendation writers, and authorize transmission
or retransmission of your USMLE and/or NBOME 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:
- Enter your USMLE ID in your Profile.
- Authorize the release of your transcript in the Documents section
- Decide if you want automatic retransmission of your transcript
when additional USMLE results become available in the Documents
section.
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 you 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 th eright to see any newly
included examination results beffore 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 II, Federation Licensing Examination (FLEX),
or ECFMG Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA);
- Annotation(s) if you were provided with test accomodations;
- Annotation(s) of any irregular behavior. If applicable, documentation
regardign the irregular behavior will be sent by mail to programs;
and
- Notation(s) of any action taken against you by medical licensing
authorities or other credentialing entities that have been reported
to the Federation of State Medical Board (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 indication 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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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
fellowship programs will not be able to see the title of your personal
statement, use the title to help identify the personal statement
when you are assigning it to programs later in the process. Upon
completing the personal statement, you should print copies for your
records.
To create a new personal statement, click on New Personal Statement.
To edit a personal statement in progress, click on the personal
statement's title. You will be able to edit any personal statement
that has not been transmitted to a program. Once you have transmitted
a personal statement to a program, it will become locked. If it
contains errors, you will need to create another personal statement
and assign the newly created personal statement in its place.
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 to 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/erasfellow
by clicking on Resources to Download. All letters should
be sent from the letter writer directly to the EFDO for processing.
The mailing address is provided on the cover sheet.
You may target each LoR to specific programs; and you may have
as many LoRs as you feel necessary. However, no more than four (4)
letters may be sent to any individual program (see Step 8: Assign
Documents to Programs). Be sure to contact each fellowship program
for their LoR requirements. It is your responsibility to follow
up with letter writers, and confirm that LoRs reach the EFDO in
time to meet program deadlines.
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 fellowship program;
and you may also re-assign 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.
Print one cover sheet per writer. Be sure to contact the EFDO for
additional instructions regarding LoRs. LoR Cover Sheet/Instructions
are available in the Resources to Download section of the
ERAS Fellowship Applicants Web site.
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Photograph
The photograph is an optional document and applicants should find
out whether programs require a photograph to complete the application.
You can assign it to just one, some, or to all programs. Photographs
are scanned and transmitted by the EFDO. Fellowship 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
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 but not more than
3 x 4 inches
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Medical School Transcript and MSPE
You will assign both the medical school transcript and the MSPE
to the programs you wish to receive them. Once the EFDO attaches
the document(s), they will be sent to all the programs to which
they were assigned.
American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE)
The ABSITE is a unique transcript that only surgery fellowship
applicants submit. You will assign the ABSITE to the surgery programs
you wish to receive it.
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