Residency and Fellowship Applicant Responsibilities

Residency Applicant Responsibilities

• ERAS does not set residency program application deadlines or requirements. The ERAS system is not always alerted to changes made by residency programs. Contact programs of interest to find out more about their requirements and deadlines. Also, confirm the program is participating in the 2026 ERAS season before sending your application materials to them via the ERAS system.
• This information can be found on the Participating Specialties and Programs* website.* This page is updated each season. Additionally, the American Medical Association (AMA) publishes a descriptive online directory of all ACGME- accredited training programs, found at www.ama-assn.org/go/freida.
• Some state requirements prevent programs from selecting International Medical Graduates (IMG) for residency positions. Contact the programs directly to review requirements prior to applying.
• Contact your Designated Dean’s Office (DDO) for processing instructions and to receive your ERAS token to access the MyERAS program.

Note: Each Designated Dean’s Office establishes their own procedures for residency applicants using the ERAS program. These procedures include the schedule for distributing tokens, providing resources, and uploading and processing documents.

Note for IMGS: Visit the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) website or contact the ECFMG for information on how to obtain an ERAS token via ECFMG’s On-line Applicant Status and Information Systems (OASIS) to access the MyERAS system, check their schedule and procedures.

• Register for the MyERAS program using your ERAS token obtained through your Designated Dean’s Office (DDO).
  • Please note: Canadian medical graduates who graduate after July 1, 2025, will need to refer to the ECFMG as their Designated Dean’s Office (DDO).
• Complete and submit your MyERAS application and assign personal statement(s) using the MyERAS system.
• Authorize USMLE and/or COMLEX-USA transcripts then assign along with your LoRs, photo, and any additional documents.
• Send Letter Request Forms to LoR Author(s).
• Pay fees and apply to programs.
• Track the status of documents by program under the Programs Applied To page in the MyERAS system and monitor the Message Center for information from residency programs, the ECFMG (IMGs only), and the ERAS program.
• Return to the MyERAS system to update your Personal Information as needed, resend your updated USMLE and/or COMLEX-USA scores, and make changes to program selections and assignments as needed.
• If you have not already done so, Certify and Submit your application by the end of the season if you intend to import or access your application information in future seasons.

Fellowship Applicant Responsibilities

• The ERAS program does not set fellowship program application deadlines or requirements. The ERAS program is not always alerted to changes fellowship programs make. Contact programs of interest to find out more about their requirements and deadlines. Also, confirm the program is participating in the ERAS program before sending your application materials to them via the ERAS system. 
• This information can be found on the Participating Specialties and Programs website.This page is updated each season. Additionally, the American Medical Association (AMA) publishes a descriptive online directory of all ACGME-accredited training programs.
• Some programs have state requirements to which they must adhere that prevent selection of International Medical Graduates (IMG). Contact the programs directly to find out their requirements prior to applying. 
• Visit the EFDO website for processing instructions and to receive your ERAS token to access the MyERAS system.
  • Note: The EFDO establishes their own processing procedures for fellowship applicants using the ERAS system. These procedures include the schedule for distributing materials, uploading and processing documents. Visit the EFDO website or contact the EFDO to check their schedule and procedures. 
  • Note: The Participation status is set by the programs directly and determines whether their programs are open for applicants to apply. Make sure to research your programs thoroughly before applying, particularly their participation status. 
• Register for the MyERAS system using your ERAS token obtained through the EFDO.
• Complete and submit your MyERAS application and personal statement(s) using the MyERAS system. 
• Authorize USMLE and/or COMLEX-USA transcripts then assign along with your LoRs, photo, and any additional documents. 
• Send ERAS Letter Request Forms to LoR Author(s). 
• Pay fees and apply to programs. 
• Track the status of documents by program under the Programs tab in the MyERAS system and monitor the Message Center for information from fellowship programs, the EFDO and the ERAS program.
• Return to the MyERAS system to update your Personal Information as needed, resend your updated USMLE and/or COMLEX-USA scores and make changes to program selections and assignments as needed.
• If you have not already done so, Certify and Submit your application by the end of the season if you intend to import or access application information in future seasons.