Before 4th Year TIWIHKS (Things I Wished I Had Known Sooner)

Notated by Phil Khong, last updated 1/7/2024.

Quick Definitions

Before diving into the different resources to help figure out your 4th year, let's start with a quick inspection... of the various terms, acronyms, and shorthand you'll encounter:

Sub-internships, AKA Sub-I's, AKA audition rotations, AKA acting internship, AKA away rotation - Why are there so many names for basically the same thing? This is a special type of rotation, usually 2 to 4 weeks in length, where you will take on a role similar to an intern, literally a sub-intern. This is for residency programs to assess your abilities as well as your fit with the program's values and culture. You will essentially be "auditioning" for a spot in that program. However, that isn't to say you aren't entitled to judging how that program fits YOUR own values and priorities.

Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO), FKA Visiting Student Application Service (VSAS) - Again, why the different names for the same thing?? VSLO is a program developed from the AAMC where students can find and apply for Sub-I's. You will see during your search that the offerings will include different renditions of "Sub-I" (see above) after the program name, sometimes including just "elective." It is safe to assume that most the rotations you find there will be a sub-internship/audition, but if you are unsure, reach out to the program directly. Some programs will not have elective offerings through VSLO, you will have to apply to them directly.

Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), AKA your worst nightmare - ERAS is comparable to the AMCAS/AACOMAS application you completed to get to where you are now, except it's for applying for residency! (Have any regrets so far? I'm semi-joking.) Here is a sample worksheet that you can peruse briefly and subsequently panic over. (It'll be okay, I promise!)

National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) - The NRMP is an organization that facilitates the matching process for students and is what a majority of programs participate in. It uses an algorithm to match a program with a prospective student. There are of course exceptions, such as the military match and the San Francisco Matching Program. Their website holds a plethora of match data info, however, I especially like the "Charting Outcomes in the Match" Reports.

Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), FKA Dean's Letter - The MSPE is a standardized letter provided by a medical school to summarize and evaluate the academic performance, clinical experiences, and personal qualities of a medical student. Included in the letter are a student's Noteworthy Characteristics, more details found below.

Factors to Consider When Looking at Programs

Some things to look for when starting your search for programs that fit you:

% MD/DO/IMG residents

Location/Region

Community-based or University-based

Family Ties

Fellowship Match Rates

Finding your school's alumni and see what programs they matched to!

Resources for Comparing Programs

Residency Explorer

Residency Explorer is a free tool that a student can use to compare residency programs for a particular specialty. Once selecting certain programs, you can download a excel sheet comparing programs based on a variety of metrics, including "Resident Characteristics" and "Applicant Information."

FREIDA

FREIDA is a tool, free for AMA members, that can also be used to compare programs. It does not have the ability to compare programs directly like Residency Explorer with an excel sheet; however, it may include more information on the Features and Benefits of a program, such as salary and medical benefits, potentially helping you organize your rank list.

Doximity Residency Navigator

Doximity is like a social media platform, but for medical professionals, where you can communicate, collaborate, and network. Their Residency Navigator can give you personal insights and reviews from alumni about a program, as well as their top feeder schools, if applicable.

Resources for Living Accommodations

Rotating Room

Rotating Room is a service made by medical students for medical students to provide short term housing during your away rotations.

Resources for Writing

Final Tips

Visiting Student Scholarships

Some programs offer scholarships to cover traveling and housing fees for students who are considered underrepresented in medicine. To aid in that search process, try Googling the program name + "visiting student scholarship".

Letters of Intent/Interest

When formulating letters of intent, try looking for resident bio's on the program website. Sometimes they include why they decided on that program and perhaps you can glean some useful info there.

Finding Dates to Apply for Sub-I's

Programs vary on the dates they finally open up apps on VSLO to apply for their electives. Try Googling the program name + "visiting student" to go to their website and see if the dates are found there. The month and day usually stay the same regardless of the application year. Otherwise reach out to the program coordinator directly.