2026-2027 ERAS Residency Application Guide

The ERAS residency application is completed in your final year of medical school, but you should begin preparing for this crucial step throughout your entire time in med school.

Although residencies are educational, they’re quite a bit different from medical school. A residency provides on-the-job training for people seeking to obtain their medical license and become practicing physicians.

This means the application components are quite different from your original medical school application. They must reflect a sense of maturity, growth, and deepened dedication to medicine.

* Key Changes for the 2026-2027 ERAS Application Cycle

The 2027 ERAS application cycle introduces several significant changes:

• The Publications section has been replaced with a new Scholarly Work section
• All letters of recommendation now go through the centralized AAMC Letter Writer Portal
• Urology, Dermatology, and Plastic Surgery now use specialty-specific standardized letters
• Program signals and specialty-specific essays continue as part of the application process

Read on to learn how these changes affect your application strategy.

An Introduction to the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS)

The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) is the centralized online application service applicants use to deliver their applications and supporting documents to residency programs. ERAS streamlines the application process for applicants as well as their Designated Dean’s Office, letter of recommendation authors, and program directors.

ERAS comprises four individual yet connected applications, each designed to meet the needs of the user groups involved in the application process. ERAS provides an impartial, confidential channel for the transmission of all applications to programs.

The 4 ERAS Applications:

• MyERAS is where applicants complete their applications, assign supporting documents, select programs, and submit the materials for their selected programs.
• Dean’s Office Workstation (DWS) is where Designated Dean’s Offices upload medical school transcripts and medical school performance evaluations (MSPEs) in support of the applications submitted through ERAS.
• AAMC Letter Writer Portal is the centralized system where letter of recommendation authors submit their letters in support of the applicant applying through ERAS. This unified portal streamlines letter submission and improves consistency across applications.
• Program Director’s Workstation (PDWS) is where training programs receive and review applications and supporting documents.

How ERAS Works:

1. Applicants receive a token (one-time access code) from their Designated Dean’s Office.
2. Applicants use the token to register with MyERAS.
3. Applicants complete their MyERAS application, assign supporting documents, select programs, and apply to programs.
4. The applicant’s Designated Dean’s Office and letter of recommendation authors upload supporting documents.
5. Examining boards receive and process requests for transcripts.
6. Programs receive the application materials through the Program Director’s Workstation (PDWS).

ERAS Residency Application Timeline

Technically speaking, the ERAS season begins in June, but you should be thinking about your residency application long before then. Use the earlier part of the year to prepare for application season. In the spring, you should be considering which schools you want to apply to, acquiring letters of recommendation, and thinking about the direction you want to take your personal statement.

Early June

The ERAS season begins in early June. Obtain your token (one-time access code) at this time by contacting your Designated Dean’s Office. This will grant you access to MyERAS.

June

Start filling in your application with your work, volunteering, and research experience. Take full advantage of the ERAS Tools and Worksheets for Residency Applicants; this will help you to determine precisely what kind of information you need to gather to complete your application.

As you work on your application, search for programs you’re interested in and save them for later so that you can organize the correct documents for each program.

Be sure to check for updates to the ERAS residency application cycle, as the ERAS process evolves each year.

June – August

You can only register for ERAS once. Do your utmost to ensure your application is flawless. DO NOT certify your application before you are absolutely sure it is complete, accurate, and exactly what you want to submit. You can certify your application only once. Doing so locks it in and makes it unchangeable for the rest of the application season.

Get all of your details in order and continue fine-tuning your application. Check in to ensure your letters of recommendation are confirmed, get feedback on your personal statement, and make final decisions about which residency programs you want to apply to.

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Request your relevant transcripts (USMLE, COMLEX-USA, MSPE, etc.) during this time. You should also begin interview prep during these months so you are prepared to present your best self on the residency interview trail.

September

ERAS will start accepting applications at the beginning of September. We highly recommend submitting your application well before the deadline. The site also tends to crash around the time they are due due to the high volume of applicants, so don’t leave it to the last possible day.

Applications are released to programs at the end of September, and interview invitations can be sent out as early as the next day, so if you submit your application close to the day ERAS releases your application, you could miss out on the first round of interviews.

You also have to apply for the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), also known as The Match, around this time, which requires a separate application.

What Happens Next?

1 | Residency Interviews

Interview season for residency programs begins in October and lasts until February. Don’t stray too far from your computer or phone during this time, as ideal interview slots fill up fast. Keep your calendar up to date so you can pick the optimal dates as soon as they become available.

2 | Matched Through NRMP (National Residency Match Program)

The NRMP, also known as The Match, is a system based on a Nobel Prize-winning algorithm designed to allow medical students who are applying for residency to be placed or “matched” into a residency spot at a US program in their chosen specialty.

To participate in a Match, you need to use the NRMP’s secure Registration, Ranking, and Results (R3) system to register and create a username and password. You must have an AAMC ID to register for the Main Residency Match. After registering with NRMP, log back into ERAS and update your profile with your NRMP ID so that program directors can more easily identify you for placement on the program’s rank order lists.

ERAS Residency Application Checklist

1 | ERAS Scholarly Work Section

Beginning with the 2027 ERAS application cycle, the traditional ‘Publications’ section has been replaced by a redesigned ‘Scholarly Work’ section. This section provides clearer categories for different types of scholarly activity and allows you to designate select items as ‘most meaningful.’

The Scholarly Work section shifts emphasis from volume to substance. Rather than listing the same project multiple times across abstracts, posters, oral presentations, and manuscripts, you’re encouraged to consolidate related outputs and highlight your most meaningful contributions.

This is your curated academic portfolio, not just an inventory. Programs are looking for depth of engagement and meaningful skills development, not just a long list of outputs.

Best practices for this section:

• Select meaningful entries that reflect distinct competencies.
• Clearly articulate your role, level of responsibility, and contribution to each project.
• Demonstrate continuity and progression rather than isolated involvement.
• Use the ‘most meaningful’ designation intentionally for work where you had a deeper role in shaping the product.
• Don’t equate ‘most meaningful’ with journal prestige alone. Programs value authenticity and depth of engagement.

A smaller number of well-described scholarly experiences with clear explanations of your contributions is often more persuasive than a long list with limited context.

2 | ERAS Experiences Section

The experience section on the residency application provides an opportunity for you to share your work, volunteering, and research experience. Include all relevant experience, not only the experiences relevant to your specialty. You can tailor your personal statement to your specialty, but when it comes to experiences, highlight everything you’ve been up to and what you’ve learned.

When describing each activity, try to answer these three questions in three sentences: What is it? What did you do? What did you learn? This will help the reader to quickly understand your background and what each activity meant to you. A lot of your interview questions will come from this section, so be sure to review it before any interviews.

3 | ERAS Personal Statement

The residency personal statement is your chance to tell your story, explain why you want to join a certain specialty, and demonstrate why you’re qualified to do so. It’s your single opportunity outside of interviews to personally highlight anything that you feel was underrepresented in other parts of your application and provide necessary context for your accomplishments.

Much of your residency application material focuses on your scores and grades, which don’t tell much about who you are as a person or what you’re passionate about. Your letters of recommendation will shed light on your dedication and professionalism, but the personal statement is your chance to tell your story as you see it.

While this may sound like the medical school personal statement, don’t assume you’ll be able to rehash it when writing your residency personal statement. The two are quite different. Residency programs aren’t looking for medical students; they’re looking for young professionals who have substantially deepened their medical knowledge, earned their doctorate, and strengthened their focus and dedication to medicine.

Your residency personal statement must reflect these differences. You are no longer a wide-eyed premed. Keep your personal statement focused on your professional development and on why your experiences have led you to want to join a specific specialty. Be confident yet humble about your accomplishments so far, and speak passionately about what you hope to accomplish in the specialty.

Technically, the residency personal statement allows for 28,000 characters. We do not recommend using all of this space. Keep your personal statement to one typed page, which is about 700-800 words.

A standout essay can be enough to get you an interview offer, while a poor statement can shut the door on an otherwise top-tier applicant. View our database of Residency Personal Statement Samples, take careful care editing, ask mentors for feedback, and consider professional personal statement editing.

4 | ERAS Letters of Recommendation

Just like the letters of recommendation for your medical school application, ERAS letters of recommendation give residency programs crucial insight into how professional physicians see you, such as your work ethic, character, specific strengths and attributes, and how well you’ll fit in and contribute to your chosen specialty.

You may upload an unlimited number of references, but only up to 4 letters of recommendation per program. Your MSPE or Dean’s Letter does not count as one of your letters. Your letters do not need to be addressed to the specific residency program but should instead be standardized, so that letter writers do not need to draft multiple letters.

It’s ideal to find writers from a range of different specialties and experiences who you have worked closely with, know you extremely well, and who will speak highly of your skills, work ethic, and personal characteristics. You must have at least one letter from an attending you worked with closely, a department chair, or a mentor in your chosen specialty so that they can speak to your aptitude and suitability for that specific specialty.

Your program may also require a letter from someone outside the medical field. Carefully review the specific program requirements on each program’s website to determine exactly what you’ll need.

The AAMC Letter Writer Portal

For the 2027 cycle, all letters of recommendation are submitted through the centralized AAMC Letter Writer Portal. This unified system increases transparency and efficiency but also places greater responsibility on you to manage the process professionally.

Treat letters as a longitudinal project rather than a last-minute task:

• Request letters early with clear timelines and expectations.
• Provide letter writers with concise supporting materials, including your CV, personal statement draft, and a brief summary of clinical or research experiences you shared with that writer.
• Communicate professionally and respectfully throughout the process, including timely reminders as deadlines approach.
• Identify more potential letter writers than the minimum required. Redundancy protects against unforeseen delays.

5 | Specialty-Specific Standardized Letters

The 2027 ERAS cycle introduces specialty-specific standardized letters for select fields, including Urology, Dermatology, and Plastic Surgery (Integrated). These structured letter formats have been developed in collaboration with specialty organizations to improve consistency and comparability across applicants.

Standardized letters prompt evaluators to comment on specific competencies and provide relative assessments. This reduces the ambiguity that can come with traditional narrative letters and helps programs make fairer comparisons.

If you’re applying to a specialty using standardized letters:

• Select evaluators who have directly observed your clinical performance and can confidently assess you across multiple domains.
• Seek feedback early during rotations to understand how you’re perceived and where improvement is needed.
• Ensure your letter writers are familiar with the standardized format and expectations for your specialty.

6 | Program Signals and Specialty-Specific Essays

Several pilot initiatives that began in earlier cycles continue in 2027 as tools to help programs assess genuine applicant interest.

Program Signals

Program signaling allows you to express genuine interest in specific programs. In certain specialties, you may also be asked to provide brief explanations accompanying your signals. These tools are increasingly integrated into program screening processes, particularly in high-volume specialties.

Use signals deliberately and honestly:

• Signal programs you would realistically consider ranking.
• Ensure alignment between your signals, personal statement narrative, and overall application profile.
• Avoid using signals based solely on perceived prestige rather than actual program fit.

Specialty-Specific Essays

Specialty-specific essays, piloted in select fields, continue to be evaluated for broader adoption. These essays allow programs to assess your motivation, understanding of the specialty, and alignment with program values beyond your general personal statement.

View these essays as opportunities to demonstrate thoughtful commitment rather than as additional hurdles.

7 | ERAS Photo

Adding an ERAS application photo is optional but highly recommended, as a friendly, professional photo will help those assessing your application remember you. Faculty will see your photo as they make decisions and deliberate on your potential residency candidacy, and it will help them identify you when you report for interviews.

Upload your own photo in MyERAS by selecting Upload New Photo in the Actions column.

The photo file cannot exceed these requirements:

• Dimensions: 2.5 in. x 3.5 in.
• Resolution: 150dpi
• File Size: 100kb

Ensure it’s a professional-looking, high-quality photo. Wear professional clothing; ideally, something appropriate for a medical school interview. Smile, and ensure you appear friendly and approachable. The background should be plain and subtle, with nothing that will distract from you.

If you know any photographer friends, this is a good time to ask for a favor. If you aren’t experienced with professional photography yourself and don’t know anyone who is, you should pay for a professional photo. You’ve come all this way and have already spent an unbelievable amount of money on medical school. Pay this small fee to ensure you get a high-quality headshot.

8 | Transcripts

You need to request your USMLE transcript (or COMLEX-USA transcript for DO schools) for your application. Authorize the release of this document during the summer. As you create a timeline for your final years of medical school, ensure you schedule Step 2CK well before the September of your residency application, as it can take weeks for test results to come back.

If you’ve made the request, your school will assemble your MSPE (Medical School Performance Evaluation) letter and transcripts and upload them for you.

Residency Application Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common mistakes when preparing for and submitting your residency application.

• Certifying (locking in) your ERAS application before it’s perfect.
• Submitting a bland personal statement that doesn’t directly address why you will be a good fit to join a certain specialty.
• Allowing small mistakes to slip through due to carelessness and sloppy editing.
• Not getting strong letters of recommendation from people who will speak highly of you.
• Rehashing your original medical school personal statement.
• Not bothering to submit a photo of yourself.
• Submitting a low-quality or distracting photo.
• Waiting until the deadline to submit your application.
• Waiting too long to begin researching and considering your preferred specialty.
• Not taking notes during your work, volunteer, and research experiences. (Notes will help you describe your experiences in detail.)
• Not considering your residency application throughout your time in medical school.

ERAS Residency Application FAQs

How Do I Access MyERAS?

Contact your Designated Dean’s Office to access MyERAS. They will issue you a token, which is a one-time access code to register for MyERAS.

You must acquire an ERAS token from your own Designated Dean’s Office, as your documents will not be accurately uploaded with a token from a different school or organization. You must also ensure your ERAS token is from the current MyERAS season, as tokens from previous seasons will not work. ERAS tokens can only be used once to register.

An AAMC account is required to register for MyERAS. If you don’t already have one, you will need to register.

How Much Do Residency Applications Cost?

ERAS application fees are based on the number of programs to which an applicant applies per specialty. Applying to 1-30 programs costs $11 each. Applying to any additional programs costs $30 each.

This is the example provided by the AAMC:

32 Internal Medicine programs [(30 x $11) + (2 x $30)] + 32 Emergency Medicine programs [(30 x $11) + (2 x $30)] = $780.

Additional fees include your USMLE transcript ($80) or your COMLEX-USA transcript ($80), both of which are assessed once per season.

MyERAS automatically calculates your fees. You can pay online using Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover. ERAS does not offer refunds for any reason.

Are There Programs That Don’t Participate in ERAS?

Some specialties or programs do not participate in ERAS. If that’s the case for a program you are interested in, you need to contact that program directly to determine how to apply.

Which Specialties Require a Supplemental ERAS Application?

There are a few specialties that require a supplemental ERAS application in addition to the main MyERAS application. Internal medicine, dermatology, and general surgery use a short (and free) supplemental ERAS application with new questions that provide programs with more information about applicants.

Will You Match into Your Desired Specialty?

Find out if you have what it takes to match into your desired residency program at SpecialtyPredictor.com. It will show you how you stack up based on the latest match data from the NRMP.