Blog

Residency Application Update for the Class of 2027

June 4,  2026

Residency application season is officially underway, and we want to share several important updates and reminders to help you stay on track. To help guide you through the process, Jennifer Wilson and Dr. Nguyen recently recorded the June Residency Application Update video, which provides an overview of key application milestones, resources, and recommendations for the months ahead. You can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/sdmMWVMfMmo?si=ybTGJlA1A-CqD6zu 

Below is a summary of the key information discussed in the video.

ERAS Tokens Have Been Released

You should have received your ERAS token this morning. If you have not received your token, please contact our office as soon as possible so we can assist you.

Residency CAS and SF Match

Residency CAS (Emergency Medicine and Obstetrics & Gynecology)

If you are applying through Residency CAS:

For Residency CAS (Emergency Medicine and Obstetrics & Gynecology), access links were released on Saturday, June 6, 2026. To create an account, you will need to use your individual access link.

If you are participating in SF Match:

• No token is required.

• Simply create your account directly through the SF Match platform.

Building Your ERAS Experiences Section

The ERAS Experiences section allows you to highlight the activities and experiences that have shaped your journey.

Key points to remember:

• You may include up to 10 experiences.

• Experiences do not need to be exclusively medical. Hobbies, athletics, music, volunteer work, leadership roles, and other meaningful activities are all valuable additions.

• You may designate up to three experiences as your most meaningful.

When selecting your most meaningful experiences, take time to reflect on what you want residency programs to understand about you as a person, student, and future physician.

Scholarly Activity Updates

• The Scholarly Activity section has been streamlined to focus on quality rather than quantity.

• Remember that a single project can generate multiple scholarly outcomes, including:

  • Posters

  • Presentations

  • Abstracts

  • Publications

Letters of Recommendation

The LOR/SLOE/SLOR portal has been simplified to make the submission process easier for letter writers. This should help streamline the collection of your recommendation letters and specialty-specific evaluations.

Crafting Your Personal Statement

• A strong personal statement starts with reflection.

• As you begin drafting, consider the three primary reasons you are pursuing your chosen specialty. A helpful structure is:

1. First reason for choosing the specialty

2. Second reason for choosing the specialty

3. Third reason for choosing the specialty

Each reason can serve as the foundation for its own paragraph.

For your concluding paragraph:

• Summarize your motivations and qualifications.

• Describe what you are looking for in a residency program.

• Highlight what you will contribute to the program and its community.

We encourage you to share your drafts with me and Jennifer Wilson for review and feedback.

MSPE (Dean’s Letter) and Noteworthy Characteristics

If you would like guidance on developing your noteworthy characteristics for the MSPE, please schedule a meeting with us by June 30.

As you prepare, review your CV and reflect on the three key qualities, accomplishments, or experiences you would most like residency programs to remember about you.

MSPE Timeline

June 30: Deadline to meet with us regarding noteworthy characteristics

July: OCRA prepares your MSPE

August 1: MSPE released to students for review and accuracy check

September 1: Student review and corrections due back to OCRA

Week of Labor Day: OCRA uploads finalized MSPEs

Program Signaling Guidance Released for ERAS 2027

May 1, 2026

The AAMC has released updated information regarding program signaling for the upcoming residency application cycle. Students applying this year should review specialty-specific signaling recommendations before assigning signals.

Source: AAMC