IMG Residency 2023 Application Timeline and Checklist

The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) describes an International Medical Graduate (IMG) as a physician who received a basic medical degree or qualification from a medical school located. Outside the United States and Canada.

If you are an IMG who wants to pursue residency training in the United States, here’s the IMG residential application timeline to follow. We’ve also curated a checklist at the end of the guide to ensure you don’t miss anything.

IMG Residency Application Timeline

June 2022: Start Researching Residency Programs

Search for US residency programs. You can use the Residency Explorer Tool to create a list of residency programs. The tool lets you research US residency programs in 23 specialties.

Alternatively, you can use AAMC’s list of residency programs and specialties to find programs. You can also attend a virtual residency fair to learn about specific residency programs. Likewise, you can check out IMGPrep’s Residency Program list to find the perfect residency program for you. The IMGPrep Residency Programs List allows you to enter your specific medical school to see where Alumni from your school has matched and what program would be a perfect fit for you, given you have a unique SUVY, Score, US clinical experience, Visa status, and year of graduation. 

It helps to compare your characteristics to applicants who have matched the programs previously to get an idea of your competitiveness.

Residency tokens become available on June 28. Before you register for ERAS, check if you’re eligible.

If you are, apply for your ERAS token via ECFMG. You can find the token application and payment options in the ERAS Support Services section. The  Electronic Residency Application Service® (ERAS®) Residency Tokens are available through OASIS ECFMG’s Online Applicant Status and Information System. The ERAS®Token will allow applicants to register on the MyERAS website of AAMC starting June 28th, 2022. Once you have your token, you may begin working on your application.

Once you’ve paid, you’ll get a token that you can use to register for MYERAS. If you need more information about how to submit your ERAS documents, check the Submission-at-a-Glance page.

July – August 2022: Start Preparing Your Residency Applications

Around this time, you should get in touch with your letter writers to get the letters of recommendation. Make sure they’re familiar with the guidelines for the letters of recommendation for residency.

Also, check the ERAS LOR user guide for more information on how to upload letters of recommendation. You should also be able to procure a Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE) as residency program directors use it to assess your academic progress and potential.

You should also start writing the Residency Personal Statement. Make sure you mention solid reasons for selecting a particular specialty and program. Check out this guide for more tips.

Personal Statements are Specialty Specific; while you can write one Personal statement, for example, to all Internal Medicine Residency Programs, some applicants choose to write versions of their statement and personalize them to their top programs. If you’re struggling, there’s no need to worry. The IMGPreps Editing Team can help you edit and polish your residency personal statement. Plus, you can have professional insight into making your application stand out.

Important

• The supplement ERAS applications open on Aug 1, 2022, at 9 a.m. ET.
• The deadline for the application is Sept 16, 2022, at 5 p.m. ET.

Keep in mind that you cannot edit the ERAS application body. So proofread your application before you submit it.

September 7: Apply to Programs

On September 7, at 9 p.m. ET, you can start applying to IMG residency programs. Do note that program directors cannot see the applications until September 28.

Even if you submit your application on September 7, it will appear as ‘submitted’ on September 28. So, take your time to fill out the application carefully.

However, you should ensure you’ve submitted all your supporting documents by September 21 to ensure they’re available on September 28 when programs get access to applications. ERAS makes MSPEs accessible to programs on September 28.

September 15: Register for NRMP Match

The NRMP Match registrations open on September 15 at 12 p.m. ET. Register for the NRMP Match and submit your Application for Pathways for ECFMG Certification by January 31.

Remember! NRMP and ERAS are two separate organizations and you must register for both services.

Start Residency Interview Prep

The interview process takes place in three waves:

• Wave 1: September and October
• Wave 2: November and December
• Wave 3: January and February

According to a recent NRMP Program Director Survey Report, the top factors of mean importance in ranking an applicant for a residency position were solely related to the applicant’s performance during the interview. Professionally prepare for each interview. Personalized 1:1 Interview Preparation.

January 31, 2023: NRMP Match Registration Deadline

The last date to register for the NRMP Match and  Application for Pathways for ECFMG Certification is January 31, 2023. Although you can register after the deadline, there’s a late registration fee of $50.

February 1, 2023: Build Your Rank Order List

• Rankings open on February 1 at 12:00 p.m ET. Start building your Rank Order List.
• Rank Order List Certification deadline is March 1 at 9:00 p.m ET.

You can edit your Rank Order List before this time even if you have certified.

March 1, 2023: Deadline for Rank Order List Certification

You can submit your Rank Order List before 9:00 p.m ET. Make sure you also register for NRMP since it’s mandatory for Post-Match SOAP eligibility and Main Residency Match.

You should also have your USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2CK exam scores verified by this date to qualify for Main Residency Match qualification.

March 13, 2023: Match Week Starts

The Match Week kicks off on March 13 at 10:00 a.m. ET. You can access the program fill and match status through the R3 system or email. You’ll see one of the following statuses:

• Matched
• Partially Matched
• Unmatched

If it’s the latter two and you’re SOAP (Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program) eligible, you can proceed to post-match SOAP.

Start preparing your application for SOAP in the AAMC ERAS system. Do note that you and your representatives will not be able to get in touch with a program unless they contact you.

Participating in the Post-Match SOAP: What to Know?

• First, log in to the R3 system to get the list of Unfilled Programs from NRMP.
• You will not see the compatibility for programs here. Instead, you can get this information from IMGPrep Customized Lists.
• Once you’re sure, you have chosen a program according to your capabilities, go to ERAS and select your programs. Upload your documents and complete the application.

March 16, 2023: SOAP Round 1

At 9:00 a.m. ET, applications will get Round 1 offers. You can check if you’ve received an offer in the R3 system. You have till 11:00 a.m. ET to accept or reject the offer.

You’ll also see the Unfilled Programs list in the R3 system for the next round.

• At 12:00 p.m. ET, applicants get the Round 2 offers. You have till 2:00 p.m. ET to accept or reject the offer.
• At 3:00 p.m. ET, applicants get the Round 3 offers. You have till 5:00 p.m. ET to accept or reject the offer.
• At 6:00 p.m. ET, applicants get the Round 4 offers. You have till 8:00 p.m. ET to accept or reject the offer.

At 9:00 p.m. ET, SOAP ends. The R3 system will show the final Unfilled Programs list.

March 17, 2023: Match Day Results

At 12:00 p.m. ET, you will be able to see the Match Day results in the R3 system.

Important Fees to Know About

Here are some fees you should know about when applying for IMG residency.

• ECFMG Token Fee: $165
• USMLE Transcript Fee: $80
• AAMC ERAS Residency Application Fees
• NRMP Match Fees

IMG Residency Checklist

Here’s a checklist of the important points to remember when applying for IMG residency:

• Selected a residency program after extensive research
• Applied for the ERAS token 
• Registered for MYERAS
• Three letters of recommendation from clinical faculty
• Residency personal statement
• Supplemental Application (Optional)
• Common Application Form (CAF)
• MSPE Dean’s letter of recommendation
• USMLE transcript
• Photo
• Submitted the supplemental ERAS application 
• Applied to IMG residency programs 
• Starting residency interview prep  

IMGPrep is a leading educational consulting firm dedicated to assisting IMGs in reaching their goals, dreams, and potential. Check out our other Articles and learn more about IMGPrep services at: www.IMGPrep.com.

IMGprep is not associated with the NRMP® or the MATCH® ECFMG®

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