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Collaborative Transformation of the Transition to Residency

A medical resident speaks to two of her colleagues while holding a medical chart.

The AAMC is engaged in community-wide collaborations with other committed partners across medical education to improve the entire undergraduate medical education to graduate medical education (UME-GME) transition.

The AAMC is deeply committed to improving the transition to residency — from the beginning of a student’s specialty research and selection process through the completion of residency and on to clinical practice. Supporting the well-being, training, professional development, and equitable treatment of all medical students and residents is critical to the health of the United States.

The AAMC’s new initiatives and long-standing work with our colleagues across academic medicine address and support many of the concepts and themes outlined in the 2021 Undergraduate Medical Education-Graduate Medical Education Review Committee (UGRC) of the Coalition for Physician Accountability Recommendations for Comprehensive Improvement of the UME-GME Transition report.

This site provides regularly updated resources, tools, effective practices, and other materials to support students, medical school advisors, and program directors in the transition to residency.

Resources for Students

Resources to find out what you can expect throughout the interview process, including tips for preparing for interviews, a guide to virtual interviews, and advice from current residents.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes 

A tool that allows students to research individual residency programs and compare themselves to applicants who previously matched at those programs.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Trustworthy Advising and Definitive Resources 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes 

A webinar highlighting several AAMC tools to assist students during their transition to residency, such as Careers in Medicine, the Residency Explorer research tool, interview tips, and an overview of the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Trustworthy Advising and Definitive Resources

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes

Data and reports providing a summary of the current analysis of the supplemental ERAS application for the operational pilot year.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes

A webinar that provides tips and guidance to help you prepare for virtual interviews.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes 

A recording of a webinar during which AAMC and program representatives provide insight into what to expect during virtual interviews as well as resources to help you prepare. (Register for webinar to access recording.)

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes

A comprehensive career-planning program that provides students with the skills, information, and resources to choose a specialty and residency program that meets their career goals.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Trustworthy Advising and Definitive Resources 

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes 

A series of resources that explain the residency application process and ensure that an applicant and program are the right fit.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Trustworthy Advising and Definitive Resources 

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes 

Three toolkits (two new ones and one revised from its 2021 version) to help guide programs and learners as they progress through the medical education continuum.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Educational Continuity and Resident Readiness
  • Health and Wellness

An online collection of data tables that provide information on certain characteristics of residency applicants and residents, as well as information on post-residency professional activities.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

  • Outcome Framework and Assessment Processes 

  • Educational Continuity and Resident Readiness 

A national questionnaire administered by the AAMC that seeks to identify and address issues critical to the future of medical education and the well-being of medical students.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

A national survey of residency program directors to understand their applicant evaluation and selection process, and the pain points experienced in that process.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes 

  • Educational Continuity and Resident Readiness 

Resources for Medical Schools

Recommendations to help specialty and training programs consider their interviewing and recruiting options and to make evidenced-based decisions.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes

A comprehensive career-planning program that provides students with the skills, information, and resources to choose a specialty and residency program that meets their career goals.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Trustworthy Advising and Definitive Resources 

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes 

A series of resources that explain the residency application process and ensure that an applicant and program are the right fit.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Trustworthy Advising and Definitive Resources 

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes 

Data and reports providing a summary of the current analysis of the supplemental ERAS application for the operational pilot year.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes 

A national questionnaire administered by the AAMC that seeks to identify and address issues critical to the future of medical education and the well-being of medical students.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

An online collection of data tables that provide information on certain characteristics of residency applicants and residents, as well as information on post-residency professional activities.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes 

  • Educational Continuity and Resident Readiness 

A national survey of residency program directors to understand their applicant evaluation and selection process, and the pain points experienced in that process.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes 

  • Educational Continuity and Resident Readiness 

Recommendations for the Medical Student Performance Evaluation that allows for a holistic approach to evaluating an applicant.

Supports UGRC Themes:

  • Outcome Framework and Assessment Processes 

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes

Resources for Residency Programs

A webinar, hosted by AAMC and OPDA, that explains what holistic principles are, how they can help program directors, and how they can be incorporated into screening and selection processes.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes

Tools and resources that provide an overview of holistic review in residency selection to help you review the criteria you are prioritizing and define and assess if your materials and processes reflect your priorities.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes

A webinar, hosted by AAMC and OPDA, that explores developing and implementing an interview process from an institutional perspective down to the program level.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes

Data and reports providing a summary of the current analysis of the supplemental ERAS application for the operational pilot year.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes 

Recommendations to help specialty and training programs consider their interviewing and recruiting options and to make evidenced-based decisions.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes

Medical Education

Guidance related to residency interviews for program directors and faculty, including assistance with implementing valid and fair interview processes.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes

ERAS for Institutions

Find resources for program directors and faculty conducting interviews, including best practices and tips for virtual interviews.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes

Tips for those preparing to conduct virtual interviews, including identifying a suitable environment, setting up and practicing with technology, becoming familiar with interview materials, and creating a comfortable, fair interview experience.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes

Tips for those preparing to conduct or organize virtual interviews, including how to address possible complications from transitioning to virtual interviews, without losing the effectiveness of the interview.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes

A streamlined, standard approach to collecting program director assessments of “resident readiness” for entry to GME.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes 

  • Educational Continuity and Resident Readiness 

  • Health and Wellness 

Recommendations for the Medical Student Performance Evaluation that allows for a holistic approach to evaluating an applicant.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review 

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes

A set of activities that all medical students should be able to perform upon entering residency, regardless of their future career specialty.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Optimization of Application, Interview, and Selection Processes 

  • Educational Continuity and Resident Readiness 

A webinar that provides an overview of unconscious bias, reflects upon how biases manifest, and offers guidance on how to recognize and mitigate biases when conducting, reviewing, and scoring virtual or in-person interviews.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Equitable, Mission-Driven Application Review

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

A test of the feasibility of medical education and training that is based on the demonstration of defined outcomes rather than on time.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Away Rotations 

  • Educational Continuity and Resident Readiness 

Three toolkits (two new ones and one revised from its 2021 version) to help guide programs and learners as they progress through the medical education continuum.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Educational Continuity and Resident Readiness
  • Health and Wellness

A national questionnaire administered by the AAMC that seeks to identify and address issues critical to the future of medical education and the well-being of medical students.

Supports these UGRC Themes:

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion