ERAS Insights

The 2027 ERAS® Residency Season: Early Data Shows a Strong Start

Sept. 30, 2026

Update from Leadership

Dear Colleagues,

The 2027 AAMC Electronic Residency Application Service® (ERAS®) residency season is underway, and programs are now reviewing applications. Last week’s opening marks an important milestone that reflects months of preparation and collaboration across the ERAS community. As programs begin reviewing applications, our focus remains on system performance, timely support, and providing the information programs and specialties need throughout the season.

Early activity points to a strong start. As of Sept. 24, 46,367 applicants have submitted 3.1 million applications to over 4,900 residency programs. Early trends continue to show an overall decrease in the average number of applications submitted per applicant, aligning with our broader efforts to help applicants use available data and resources to make more informed, targeted decisions about where to apply.

We are also making it easier for the community to follow those trends. One way is by introducing a new enhancement to the ERAS Statistics dashboard. This update will allow users to compare current-season data with data from the same point in the previous season, along with full-season data from the prior year. We are excited to add this capability and continue evolving the dashboards to provide useful, timely, and transparent data that helps the community understand recruitment activities.

Data tells one part of the story; what we hear directly from the community is equally important. Our commitment to continuous innovation is shaped by the conversations we have with you. Our team is hitting the road to participate in a number of meetings this fall. We value these opportunities to connect with you, hear your perspectives, and learn from your experiences. And we rely on you to understand what is working, where there are opportunities to improve, and how we can evolve the ERAS program to meet your needs. Check out the Meetings section below to see where we will be and come find us to say hello. We would love to connect with you.

Looking ahead, we also invite you to register for Learn Serve Lead 2026: The AAMC Annual Meeting, taking place Nov. 6-10 in Anaheim, Calif. We look forward to connecting with you there and will share more about ERAS program sessions we have planned in our October update.

Thank you for your continued collaboration and feedback. We look forward to supporting you in the months ahead and wish you and your teams continued success as the recruitment season unfolds.

Patrick Fritz
AAMC Senior Director for Residency and Fellowship Services

On-Demand PDWS Webinars: A Helpful Resource for Application Review

As you review applications in the Program Director’s WorkStation (PDWS), take a moment to explore our recent webinars featuring system overviews and Q&A sessions. The recordings offer helpful information and answers to common questions that can support your program team throughout the application review process.

New Video Explores the ERAS Program's Support of the Academic Medicine Community

When specialty societies choose the ERAS program, they join a connected, mission-driven ecosystem designed to support applicants, medical schools, programs, and specialties throughout the transition to residency. The AAMC has developed a new video to highlight the value of the ERAS program and how it supports the academic medicine community. Watch the video.

Explore the Updated ERAS Data Dashboards

As part of our broader commitment to transparency and timely insights, we continue to add new data to the dashboards on the ERAS Statistics page. The dashboards feature dynamic, interactive visualizations of residency and fellowship data; easy-to-navigate details including cross-application data, applicant and program metrics, signals, and interview data; and specialty-specific views.

Stay tuned for a new feature launching in October that will allow users to compare current-season data with data from the same point in the previous season, as well as full-season data from the prior year

Visit the ERAS Team at Learn Serve Lead 2026

Heading to Learn Serve Lead 2026: The AAMC Annual Meeting Nov. 6-10 in Anaheim, Calif.? We hope to see you there! Visit the ERAS team in the AAMC Downtown and connect with the Thalamus team at their booth in the Exhibit Hall.

We hope you will join us!

What We’re Hearing About the ERAS Program

"The ERAS dashboards are incredibly helpful, especially at the institution level."

Michelle Loaiza, Senior Manager, Kaiser Permanente Northern California

"Love it! Easy to navigate and the filters are tremendously helpful."

Connie Chase, Education Program Coordinator II, Medical College of Wisconsin

The Next Pathway: What’s New at Thalamus

Residency season is upon us, and Thalamus has shared a first look at what’s coming this season:

Refreshed Thalamus Core experience
New Applicant Acknowledgement packages
Updated scoring experience
Redesigned applicant views on web and mobile
Novel specialty-specific dashboards in Cerebellum

Watch the recording of the latest Thalamus webinar to learn more about their approach to responsible artificial intelligence (AI) in graduate medical education (GME) recruitment, including what they built, why they built it, and how the GME community can help shape what comes next.

Supporting Students from Career Exploration to Residency Planning

The AAMC's Career Exploration Services team offers resources that support students throughout medical school, from early specialty exploration to away rotations, residency applications, and interview preparation.

Careers in Medicine® for Incoming Students

First-year MD students now have access to the Careers in Medicine® (CiM) program, the AAMC's career planning resource designed to support self-discovery and career development throughout medical school. Access for first year DO students is expected to begin in October.

Through the CiM program, students can complete self-assessments and access resources that help them better understand their interests, values, strengths, and career options as they begin exploring potential career paths.

2027 VSLO® Modernization Launch: Important Dates and What to Expect

We're excited to share that the modernized Visiting Student Learning Opportunities™ (VSLO®) system will launch in early 2027 with a phased rollout:

Training resources, including webinars, job aids, and institution-focused sessions, will be available beginning in October.
The existing VSLO system will close for two weeks in late December (when we have the lowest usage every year) to enable final data transfer.
Host institutions will gain access in January 2027 to build and publish catalogs and electives.
A few weeks later, Home institutions and students will gain access, enabling students to explore available opportunities.
Applications will open in early February.

We invite you to learn more about the modernized experience through upcoming webinars for Home institutions (Oct. 21 at 4 p.m. ET) and Host institutions (Oct. 22 at 4 p.m. ET), where we'll highlight key enhancements and share tips.

The Residency Explorer™ Tool Supports Students Beyond Application Submission

While many residency applicants have already submitted their applications, the Residency Explorer™ tool remains a valuable resource throughout interview season. Students can use the tool to research programs, compare program characteristics and offerings, and prepare for interviews using data and information from trusted sources.

The Residency Explorer tool continues to be available at no cost to applicants, advisors, and residency programs. Encourage students to revisit the tool as they learn more about the programs where they are interviewing and continue to evaluate their options throughout the residency selection process.

Updated AAMC Graduate Medical Education Toolkit

The AAMC has updated its GME toolkit, which includes user-friendly materials and resources to advocate for and help others understand the value of federal investment in GME. With the U.S. facing a persistent physician shortage, it’s critical that Congress invests in GME to expand the physician workforce and ensure patients nationwide have access to timely, high-quality health care. Read More.

David J. Skorton, MD, to Retire as AAMC President and CEO in June 2027

The AAMC has announced that David J. Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO, will retire from his role on June 30, 2027. This timing marks the end of his contract that was extended by a unanimous vote of the AAMC Board of Directors in June 2023. The AAMC Board of Directors is leading the search for the association’s next president and CEO, in collaboration with Spencer Stuart, a global executive search and leadership consulting firm. Read More.

Connect with Peers Across Academic Medicine

Looking for fresh ideas, practical solutions, or an opportunity to share your expertise? The AAMC Virtual Communities Network connects more than 12,000 members to exchange best practices, ask questions, troubleshoot challenges, and learn from one another. Peers are discussing a wide range of topics, from connecting medical students with research opportunities to exploring AI in health professions education. Users can create a free account, and approval typically takes 1-2 business days. Join the Virtual Communities.