United States residency applicants

The Faculty of Medicine prepares the United States Medical School Performance Evaluations (MSPE) and Canadian Medical School Performance Records (MSPR) for students wishing to apply for Residency in North America. The process begins around April and students will be provided further details throughout the year. 

Students wishing to apply for the match in 2024, must contact the Faculty office at med.enquiries@uq.edu.au. 

If you are a current student who is interested in applying for the match in a future cycle, please reach out to the Faculty to advise of your intentions. 

Previous graduates are encouraged to reach out to the Faculty as soon as possible to begin the application process. 

The MyERAS Residency User Guide contains all information on how ERAS works and outlines the steps for using MyERAS to apply to U.S. residency programs. It is highly recommended all students read this booklet before beginning the application process. Below is supplemental information to the Residency User Guide. 

What goes into MyERAS?

• Application
• Personal Statement
• Programs you select to receive your application
• List of writers for letters of recommendation

What does the Faculty of Medicine upload for students?

• Medical School Transcript
• MSPE

What email address should I use for my application in MyERAS?

• You may use your UQ email, or your personal email
• Your UQ email account never expires, you continue to keep it as alumni.

What information is available through OASIS – On-Line Applicant Status and Information System?

• You can use OASIS to check basic information, such as:
  • Name of record
  • Contact information
  • Status of your ECFMG financial account
• You can also access information regarding specific requirements related to ECFMG Certification, such as the status of:
  • Application for ECFMG Certification and the Certification of Identification Form (Form 186)
  • Exam applications
  • Medical education credentials
  • USMLE transcript requests (except for electronic transcripts requested through ERAS)
  • Standard ECFMG Certificate

Can I use OASIS to get my exam results?

• Yes. Score reports are issued in electronic format only and can be accessed using OASIS. Once your score report has been issued, ECFMG will send a notification to the e-mail address in your ECFMG record. Instructions on how to view, download, and print your examination results will be available in the e-mail notification.  Score reports are available for approximately 365 days from the date of the e-mail notification. You will not receive a paper score report by postal mail.

How do I release my USMLE transcript?

• Your USMLE transcript is not automatically transmitted. You must authorize the release of your USMLE transcript.
• In MyERAS, under the Documents tab is a sub-tab USMLE Transcript.             
• If you receive new scores after you have applied to residency programs, you must retransmit the USMLE Transcript in order for residency programs to receive the new scores. In MyERAS select the Resend My Scores option under the Actions column on the Additional Documents page. The USMLE Transcript will then be sent to every program that previously received it, however, this may take up to two business days. If new transcript scores are uploaded, the most recent upload date will display by viewing the USMLE Requests Status Report.

Can I provide the information available through OASIS to others as official documentation of completing an exam?

• No. The information available through OASIS is provided solely for the benefit of ECFMG applicants.
• To send an official report of your exam results to third parties, refer to Requesting Official USMLE® Transcripts.
• To send an official report of your ECFMG certification status to third parties, refer to ECFMG's Certification Verification Service.

What information can I change using OASIS?

• OASIS allows you to update your mailing address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address. You may not make any changes to your name on-line. If the name in your ECFMG record does not match exactly your name as it appears on your current, unexpired passport, you must follow the instructions for submitting a Request to Change Applicant Biographic Information (Form 182), available through OASIS on the Applicant Contact Information screen.
• Make sure the name in your ECFMG record is the same as your name in mySI-Net.

What else can I do through OASIS?

• You can use OASIS to make on-line payments to your ECFMG financial account; follow the instructions on the Financial Account Summary screen. If you plan to participate in ERAS, you will also use OASIS to access and complete the on-line Document Submission Form, to upload your digital photograph, and to track receipt of your supporting documents.
   
• You can also use OASIS to upload certain documents in support of your Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS®) application. Click here for more information.

How do I track my application documents?

• You will track your application documents in the Documents section of MyERAS.

What is the NRMP ID?

• The NRMP ID is a unique identifier that you receive when you register for a Match sponsored by the NRMP. It is different from the AAMC ID, which you received from AAMC services such as ERAS. The AAMC and NRMP are two separate organizations, so applicants must register for both ERAS and NRMP.

Am I required to have an NRMP ID to submit with my ERAS application?

• No. The NRMP ID field is in the Profile of MyERAS and can be added at any time. However, you should return to your MyERAS profile and enter your NRMP ID once you have registered with NRMP and received your NRMP ID.

Am I required to include my AAMC ID when I register for an NRMP Match?

• To register for the Main Residency Match, you must provide the AAMC ID number from your MyERAS application.

When can I register with NRMP?

• Applicants should keep in mind that an NRMP ID is NOT required to submit applications. However, after registering for the 2024 Main Residency Match, applicants should log back in to ERAS and update their profile with their NRMP ID to make it easier for program directors to identify them for placement on the program’s rank order lists.
• Registration for the 2024 Main Residency Match opens on September 15, 2023. You must complete the registration process, electronically sign the Match Participation Agreement, and pay Match fees in order to participate in the Main Residency Match.
• To avoid late fees, register by January 31, 2024.

Refer to the NRMP FAQ section for applicants - http://www.nrmp.org/faq-sections/applicants-faqs/

See an overview of the Application Process.

Tools for Residency Applicants

The Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE) letter is required for all U.S. residency applications. Previously known as the Dean's Letter, it is a sequential evaluation of a medical student's performance and professional attributes. The MSPE is also used if a graduate applies for a second residency, or a post-residency fellowship. An exemplar MSPE is available to guide students in completing their own document. 

The MSPE has a standardized format set by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) which allows the Faculty to describe your character as a person, summarize your academic career, and highlight your best qualities. It presents an honest evaluation of your performance in medical school and your assets for residency application. It includes summative comments as they appear in rotation evaluations. Any serious academic difficulties, disciplinary problems, or gaps in attendance must be explained in the MSPE. Students are allowed to review their own MSPE before it goes out. Students may submit changes only to correct factual errors, punctuation, etc. Students and graduates do not receive copies of their MSPE.

If a copy is needed to apply for fellowships or other postgraduate applications, please contact med.enquiries@uq.edu.au. to request this and an official copy will be sent directly to the organisation.

Summary Statement:  As part of the standardized format, the MSPE has a summary section which includes a summative assessment of students' comparative performance in medical school, relative to peers, in differentiating among levels of student performance. Although The University of Queensland is a non-ranking institution, students are clustered based on percentages assigned to their preclinical end-of-year and core clinical rotation grades. The categories are: Superior, Outstanding, Excellent, and Very Good. Only grades from Years 1 through 3 are used in determining the cluster category included in the MSPE summary statement. Year 4 grades are not included in the cluster statement because of differences in student schedules and the relative weights of the rotations.

Fourth Year Timeline

• April: Expressions of interest (EOI) for North American residency will open. Details will be provided in the MD Community Newsletter. 
• June: you will be provided the MSPE template and guide to complete the Noteworthy Characteristics section.
• June: students will access tokens from OASIS in order to register in MyERAS.
• August: you will receive an email with instructions on how to order an official academic transcript, required for your residency applications. The academic transcript can only be ordered after the release of Semester 1 results.
• September: all MSPEs and academic transcripts will be uploaded to ERAS according to the NRMP timeline.

As part of the residency application process, the Faculty of Medicine will be required to upload your transcripts to ERAS.
Due to the specifics required by ECFMG, you will need to download a cryptographically signed PDF copy of your transcript and email it to med.enquiries@uq.edu.au. 

Please follow the steps below to order your Academic Transcript by 31 August, 9am:

Order your transcript online

• Follow the Order Online process to order an electronic academic transcript
• Under the Academic Record section, select "MyeQuals Transcript"
• Under the Confirmation section, select "Immediately"

UQ will send a notification to your UQ student email account with instructions on how to register your account with My eQuals in order to access and share your official transcript. 

Do NOT send your transcript via the My eQuals system.

NOTE: Any outstanding fees on SiNet must be paid in advance in order to receive your transcript.

You must order your transcripts no later than 31 August, 9am. The Faculty of Medicine will upload your transcripts to ERAS.

The ECFMG Information Booklet contains all information regarding the process of gaining certification in the United States. It is highly recommended all students read this booklet before starting the certification process. A brief fact sheet is also available for a concise summary.

What is ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates)?

• ECFMG processes all IMG documents and submits them to ERAS.

What is ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service)?

• ERAS is a depository of all residency application documents.

What is NRMP (National Resident Matching Program)?

• NRMP collects the preferences of applicants and program directors for available residency positions and does the “lottery” for the Match. 

• Email: ERAS-support@ecfmg.org
• Phone: +1 215 966 3520
• Web: www.ecfmg.org/eras

In order to apply for United States (U.S.) medical residency programs, and eventually become licensed in the U.S. to practice medicine, students must pass the United States Medical Licensing Exams (USMLE). The exams are divided into three distinct parts: Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) and Step 3. Passing the first two parts of the USMLE is compulsory for students entering the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), which is how applicants obtain a medical residency in the U.S.

The Step 1 Exam is a Pass/Fail exam which assesses a student’s knowledge of clinical sciences relevant to the practice of medicine. The Step 2 CK Exam is a clinically focused exam with results reported as a three-digit numerical score. Since Step 2 CK is now the only graded licensing exam that will be completed before applying to residency, its importance cannot be overlooked. The best predictor of a student's performance on Step 2 CK is their performance on the Step 1 Exam. 

The Step 1 examination is the most difficult of these. Preparation for this exam should begin from the first week you begin your studies at UQ. It is impossible to do well on Step 1 if you wait to begin your preparations until a few months before the exam.

Year 2 students can enrol in the Year 2 Selective course: MEDI7282 Preparation for US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1. 

All international medical students must register and apply for the USMLE Step 1 via the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). Applying for Step 1 involves several steps.

July Year 2

ECFMG number 

Before registering for ECFMG certification, you need to register for an ECFMG number.  This is the same number you will use for your USMLE exams. Generating an ECFMG number can take up to 5 business days to complete. Register with ECFMG through IWA (allow a minimum of 5 business days to process your request). This registration process does not include applying for a Step 1 exam date. 

ECFMG certification

The Application for ECFMG Certification requires applicants to confirm their identity, contact information, and graduation from or enrolment in a medical school. Once the application for certification is completed, a Form 186 will generate that you can download and complete using NotaryCam (instructions are listed on the form). This process can take several weeks to complete. 

Once you are ECFMG certified, you will be able to apply for Step 1.

September Year 2

Apply for Step 1

When you apply to sit Step 1, you must select a three-month eligibility period for when you intend to take the exam. The first available Step 1 eligibility period for current Year 2 students is December to February.

You cannot apply for Step 1 until the exam window opens, which is not until mid-September. If a student selects an eligibility period that begins before they have completed Year 2 coursework (i.e. November), the Faculty will not approve the application and there will be significant delays in the application.

Faculty verification

Eligibility to sit USMLE Step 1 is dictated by USMLE and ECFMG. Students are not eligible to sit Step 1 until they have successfully completed the basic science curriculum within their medical program, which at UQ, is Year 2. This requirement is not put in place by the Faculty, however the Faculty is required to approve students based on eligibility. 

Once you have completed ECFMG certification and applied for the appropriate Step 1 exam window, the Faculty of Medicine will receive a notification directly from ECFMG to verify your eligibility to take the exam. Please note that once you submit your application to ECFMG, it takes approximately one week before the Faculty of Medicine is notified. The Ochsner Student Affairs team and Faculty in Brisbane monitor ECFMG every day during this period; there will be no delays in verifying your eligibility once the notification comes through. As soon as the Faculty verifies your eligibility, you are notified via email, within approximately 30 minutes. Once you have been verified you will receive an exam permit from ECFMG. Please note that it takes approximately one week after you have been verified to receive an exam permit. 

Register for an exam via Prometric

Navigate the Prometric site to register for Step 1. You cannot register for an exam date without an exam permit issued by ECFMG. Once you have your exam permit you will be able to register for a test date in your preferred region on your preferred day. 

Some states require additional certification before graduates can begin residency. For example, the International Office has completed certification documentation for the following states:

• California
• Massachusetts
• Louisiana
• Texas 
• Baltimore

Please note, this list is not exhaustive and students/graduates will need to research the certification requirements of the state to which they are applying. You will likely be guided by the licensing authority of the state in which you are starting your residency.