Update from Leadership
Dear Colleagues,
Momentum continues to build across the 2027 AAMC Electronic Residency Application Service® (ERAS®) season. Since opening on June 4, programs, institutions, advisors, and applicants have been actively preparing for the recruitment cycle ahead. The next milestone is July 1, when applicants in the July fellowship cycle can begin submitting applications, followed by July 15, when fellowship programs may begin reviewing applications.
More than 4,000 fellowship programs across 61 specialties and subspecialties are preparing for the upcoming cycle. As activity across the ERAS community continues to build, now is a great time to take advantage of the resources available to help your teams and applicants prepare for the months ahead.
The AAMC’s Specialty Spotlight webinar series continues to draw strong engagement by connecting program directors and medical school advisors for conversations about specialty-specific expectations, guidance, and trends. More than 3,000 participants have joined 13 sessions to date, with eight additional webinars still to come. Each session includes practical insights and a live Q&A, with recordings available on demand. Whether you are looking to revisit a previous session or register for an upcoming one, you can find recordings and registration information for the entire series on our website.
For programs preparing to review applications, our upcoming Program Director’s WorkStation (PDWS) webinars offer timely guidance on getting the most out of the system. Visit the ERAS and Transition to Residency Webinars page for complete details and registration information on upcoming sessions, including:
- A webinar designed for new PDWS users focused on reviewing and filtering applications.
- A session for experienced users seeking a deeper understanding of available tools and functionality.
- A webinar that provides an opportunity for a Q&A with the AAMC ERAS team.
To stay informed throughout the season, we also encourage you to visit the What You Need to Know About the 2027 ERAS Season webpage, which is your central source for season updates, enhancements, and key information.
Thank you for your ongoing engagement and collaboration. We hope you will continue sharing your questions and feedback with us, and we wish you the best for a successful recruitment season.
Patrick Fritz
AAMC Senior Director for Residency and Fellowship Services
Reminder: Register Now for the 2027 ERAS Season
As you are preparing to review applications for the 2027 ERAS recruitment season, please take time to complete your registration in the PDWS. Log in to the PDWS, open the Program Management tab, and select your program. Refer to this job aid or contact the AAMC Support Center for additional guidance.
Growing the ERAS Community
We’re excited to welcome the pediatric acute and urgent care and interventional pulmonology specialties to the ERAS program for the upcoming fellowship recruitment cycle. Their participation expands the ERAS community and provides programs and applicants with access to a centralized, streamlined application experience supported by ERAS tools, resources, and guidance.
Learn more about these specialties and explore the full list of participating programs and specialties on the 2027 Participating Specialties & Programs webpage.
Specialty Spotlight Webinar Series for Residency Applicants and Advisors
The AAMC is hosting a series of webinars featuring specialty-specific guidance for medical school advisors and 2027 residency season applicants. Each webinar includes a program director and an advisor who will share best practices in preparation for the 2027 ERAS application season. The webinars also include a Q&A and will be recorded for later viewing. The next session in the series will take place on July 7 with an inside look at adult neurology. See all webinars on the ERAS and Transition to Residency Webinars page.
What We’re Hearing About the ERAS Program
"User friendly, intuitive, and constant upgrades. Thank you for making my job easier!"
Missy Morrison, Program Administrator, Marshall University
Thalamus Training Resources for the 2027 ERAS Season
Visit the Training Resources page to sign up for the following sessions led by a member of the Thalamus Enablement team:
- Foundational Product Training: Seasonal, instructor-led sessions aligned to the recruitment cycle.
- Office Hours: Ask, Learn, Succeed: Live Q&A sessions where you can submit questions and learn from experts.
- Deep Dive Product Workflows: Feature-focused, step-by-step training designed for immediate application.
- Focus Sessions: Short, interactive discussions covering specific topics, workflow challenges, and real-world scenarios.
Additional resources for programs and applicants:
- Search the step-by-step guide for specific how-to articles.
- Reach out to the Thalamus Product Experience Team with specific questions.
- For Applicants: save the Applicant Getting Started with Thalamus reference guide throughout the season.
Residency Explorer™ Data Now Available; GME Track® Program Survey Reminder
The latest Residency Explorer™ data refresh is now available. The AAMC encourages residency programs, advisors, and institutions to review updated information and become familiar with how programs are represented to applicants who are actively using the tool to inform their application decisions.
This update includes refreshed interview invitation data, updated USMLE and COMLEX-USA score ranges, enhanced positions offered and filled, and improved applicant comparison features. In addition, specialty profiles—previously part of the Careers in Medicine® (CiM) program—are now available exclusively within the Residency Explorer tool, creating a more integrated experience for exploring specialties alongside program data.
Reminder for Residency Programs: The GME Track® Program Survey deadline is July 10. Completing the survey helps ensure program data is accurately represented in both the Residency Explorer tool and FREIDA™.
Introducing New VSLO® Leadership
As you may know, Robin Carle left the AAMC at the end of May after five years leading the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities™ (VSLO®) program. Dana Dunleavy, PhD, senior director, career exploration services and R&D, is stepping into this VSLO leadership role. Dana has worked at the AAMC for more than a decade with a focus on the transition to residency, leading innovation in the ERAS program, CiM, and the Residency Explorer tool. We recently brought the CiM, VSLO, and Residency Explorer teams together under one AAMC team that will collaborate to support students as they explore specialties, gain clinical experience, and make informed decisions about residency training.
Dana will meet with the VSLO Advisory Committee later this summer and engage with the new Learner Access, Support, Opportunities, and Retention affinity group. She looks forward to listening to and learning from the VSLO community to understand their perspectives and feedback.
New AAMC Data on Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships in Medical School Curricula
New data from the AAMC American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Curriculum SCOPE Survey reveals that more than 20% of medical schools incorporate Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships (LICs) into their clinical education models. LICs mainly occur in the third year and range from one to 50 weeks in length. This AAMC data snapshot explores specialty coverage by LICs, comparisons to traditional training, and potential future implications of a shift toward longitudinal, relationship-focused clinical education. Read More.
Join AAMC Staff on July 14: Advancing a Shared Language Webinar
All health professions programs must document how they teach and assess curricular content, using clear and consistent educational methods. Standardized terms and definitions help capture instructional and assessment approaches in ways that improve data quality, enabling meaningful comparison, national dialogue, and the dissemination of scholarship across health professions education (HPE).
Join the AAMC for the Advancing a Shared Language: The 2026 Revision of the Educational Methodology Vocabulary webinar on Tuesday, July 14 at 1 p.m. ET to explore a revised educational methods list featuring clearer definitions and a flexible matrix model that supports diverse reporting needs. Register Here.
Virtual Events
2027 ERAS Season Webinars
PDWS Overview Part 1 for New Users
Tuesday, July 14, 1 p.m. ET
Register
PDWS Overview Part 2 for Experienced Users
Thursday, July 16, 1 p.m. ET
Register
ERAS PDWS Q&A Session
Tuesday, July 21, 1 p.m. ET
Register
Specialty Spotlight Series
Adult Neurology Specialty Spotlight! Optimal Strategies for Your Residency Application
Tuesday, July 7, 1 p.m. ET
Register
Pediatrics Specialty Spotlight! Optimal Strategies for Your Residency Application
Thursday, July 9, 1 p.m. ET
Register
Recent Webinar Recordings
View all Specialty Spotlight Recordings
Navigating Your Residency Application: MyERAS Portal & Residency Explorer Tool
Access the Recording
Kicking Off the 2027 ERAS Season: Setting Up the PDWS and an Intro to the Residency Explorer Tool
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Utilizing Reports to Support Students in the 2027 ERAS Season: DWS Analytics
Access the Recording