Update from Leadership
Dear Colleagues,
The September residency cycle is nearly here, marking another important milestone in the 2027 AAMC Electronic Residency Application Service® (ERAS®) season. This is an important time for programs, institutions, and applicants as they prepare for the next phase of recruitment. We know there is a lot to keep track of, and we are focused on providing resources to help you and your teams feel prepared for the season ahead.
One way to prepare is to take advantage of our upcoming webinars. Sessions including the MyERAS® Q&A Session for Applicants, Navigating the Program Director’s WorkStation (PDWS) to Drive Holistic Review, and the ERAS PDWS Q&A Session will provide practical guidance on tools and resources for the upcoming season. Click the links above (and below) for session dates, times, and registration information, or visit the ERAS Transition to Residency Webinars webpage to explore additional sessions and resources.
We are also pleased to share a new resource that can help applicants make more informed decisions as they build their residency application strategies. The AAMC recently launched the Interview Likelihood feature within the Residency Explorer™ tool. We encourage you to explore the webpage to learn more about the feature and how applicants can use it alongside other information when developing their application strategies.
Finally, as you prepare for the September cycle, be sure to read through What You Need to Know About the 2027 ERAS Application Season. This is your central resource for important season updates, enhancements, and information to help your teams prepare. We will continue sharing timely tips, helpful resources, and important reminders by email throughout the cycle, so keep an eye out for these updates in your inbox.
Thank you for your continued collaboration and for the work you do to support future physicians. We wish you and your teams a successful start to the September residency cycle and look forward to supporting you throughout the 2027 ERAS season.
Patrick Fritz
AAMC Senior Director for Residency and Fellowship Services
Preparing Students for the 2027 ERAS Residency Application Season
As students prepare for the residency application season, the Applying to Residencies webpage is a helpful place to start. Share the page with your students to help them find the information and resources they need as they navigate the ERAS application process. With these resources all in one place, the page can serve as a helpful starting point for students as they prepare for the next step in their residency journey.
Students will find resources including:
- The MyERAS Applicant User Guide, with detailed information about the application and process
- Participating specialties and programs information to help them explore their options
- Program signaling resources and guidance
- Recorded webinars covering key topics for residency applicants
- Tools and worksheets to help them prepare their applications
- The Residency Explorer tool to help them research programs
- Additional ERAS resources and guidance to support them throughout the application process
Review Your Program Filters Before Application Review Begins
As programs prepare for the upcoming application review period, we encourage you to take a few minutes to review the filters you plan to use in the PDWS.
Updates to content in the MyERAS application may result in changes to the criteria or values available within related PDWS filters. This may include filters associated with Scholarly Work, Professional and Postgraduate Training Experience, and other application content that has changed for the 2027 season.
Before relying on filters to identify or sort applicants, review filter criteria and available values to ensure they align with the current MyERAS application and your program’s intended review process. Refer to the updated PDWS Filter Categories Job Aid for a complete list of available filter categories and criteria.
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 features 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 are recorded for later viewing. See all webinars on the ERAS and Transition to Residency Webinars page.
What We’re Hearing About the ERAS Program
"We completed our match with ERAS. The tools were clear and concise! Very helpful!”
Naomi Wall, Program Manager, Westchester Medical Center
Get Ready for the 2027 Recruitment Season with Thalamus
As the new recruitment season gets underway, Thalamus is offering a variety of training opportunities to help programs and applicants prepare, including live webinars and resources covering Cortex, Thalamus Core, Cerebellum, and other recruitment workflows. View training resources.
They also expanded their Pathway to Residency webinar series, with new sessions and dates designed to help applicants navigate the residency recruitment journey, from applications through the start of intern year. Learn More.
New Residency Explorer Feature: Interview Likelihood
Choosing where to apply for residency can be challenging, particularly when students are trying to balance competitiveness, program alignment, and personal preferences. To support this process, the AAMC has launched Interview Likelihood, a new feature within the Residency Explorer tool.
Interview Likelihood provides applicants with data-informed insights into how applicants with similar application characteristics received interview invitations from specific residency programs during the previous application cycle. By combining these insights with information about program alignment, students can more confidently evaluate programs, build balanced application strategies, and have more informed conversations with their advisors.
To support your advising efforts, the AAMC has developed an overview webpage, FAQs, and recorded webinars that explain the feature and how students can use it as part of a broader application strategy. Learn More.
VSLO Infographic Highlights Student Data From the 2025-26 Season
A new Visiting Student Learning Opportunities™ (VSLO®) infographic provides data to assist students and advisors in the process of developing away rotation strategies. The infographic illustrates a range of data points, including specialty data, average time between application submission and elective start dates, cadence of student and Host institution activity in the VSLO application service, and more. Read More.
New AAMC Resources Support Consistent Medical Student Advising
Effective advising helps medical students explore careers, choose specialties, and prepare for residency. The AAMC’s new Advisor Compass Resource Bundle offers a centralized collection of tools for career advisors, specialty advisors, and others involved in student advising. Organized around the M1 to M4 journey, it includes advising checklists, guidance, case-based resources, professional development opportunities, and a peer network. The bundle is the first component of Advisor Compass, an AAMC initiative designed to strengthen medical student advising through additional resources, insights, training, and community support. Read More.
Virtual Events
2027 ERAS Season Webinars
MyERAS Q&A Session for Applicants
Thursday, Sept. 3, 1 p.m. ET
Register
Navigating the PDWS to Drive Holistic Review
Thursday, Sept. 10, 1 p.m. ET
Register
ERAS PDWS Q&A Session
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 1 p.m. ET
Register
Specialty Spotlight Series
Specialty Spotlight! Preparing International Medical Graduates for the 2027 ERAS Cycle
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 9:30 a.m. ET
Register
Transitional Year Specialty Spotlight! Optimal Strategies for Your Residency Application
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1 p.m. ET
Register
Pain Medicine Specialty Spotlight! Optimal Strategies for Your Fellowship Application
Tuesday, Sept. 8, 12 p.m. ET
Register
Recent Webinar Recordings
View all Specialty Spotlight Recordings
PDWS Overview Part 1 for New Users
Access the Recording
PDWS Overview Part 2 for Experienced Users
Access the Recording
ERAS PDWS Q&A Session
Access the Recording
Upcoming Meetings
Association of Pediatric Program Directors (APPD) Annual Fall Meeting
Sept. 23-24, Arlington, VA
American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 2026
Sept. 26-30, Boston, MA