Dear Ambitious IMG:
So you’re sitting there, thinking that it’s time to get your ERAS application started.
Or maybe you have already started but it’s gobbling up so much of your time, because you’ve spent three hours requesting letters of recommendation, ten hours trying to figure out what to say in your personal statement, and ten more hours rummaging through your brain for content to put on your CV.
Completing your ERAS Application doesn’t have to stress you out or take hours of your time, trying to brainstorm, from scratch what you are going to say in your personal statement, then what you’ll say in your CV and LORs. This is an inefficient strategy if you want to get your application completed in a timely manner!
You can save time, without compromising the quality of your application by implementing our proven secret strategy:
Create one robust message capturing your story and what you have to offer—what sets you apart from the others. Then use this message as a guide when creating each component of your application.
This is your Main Message, and it’s the secret sauce I have used to help IMGs match over the last 6 years. If you don’t have a Main Message, you need to stop and make one.
To get all of the information necessary for your Main Message, you must answer three broad questions:
- Why do you want to match into residency training in this specialty?
You must be able to articulate the reasons you’re interested in this specialty, what made you think of applying for it, and what you’d like to achieve once you get into that specific residency program.
- Why are you worthy to join this program?
This is the Million Dollar Question because programs want to have people who can bring something of value to their program. If you don’t know why you’re worthy, Ambitious IMG, neither will those programs you’re hoping will invite you to interview.
- What is your unique value proposition?
This is the most important part of any Main Message. It is something that you are 100% sure that no other applicant can say about themselves.
Save time and energy as you complete your residency application ( there are already so many other things you have to do) by creating a Main Message before you do anything else.
Until next time,
Be Memorable!