It may seem surreal, but you’ve made it to one of the final hurdles on your journey to becoming a doctor. Acceptance and rejection no longer define the application process. Instead, the residency application process is about matching and not matching. While you still have a lengthy, time-consuming process ahead of you, you should take solace in the fact that, no matter what, you’ll almost certainly end up somewhere that will take you one step closer to that M.D. suffix.

It's important to have an overarching concept and consider how each application component contributes to this concept. To grasp the application in all its complexity, we encourage you to think about the application as a whole. While this guide will focus on each component of the application, it will also push you to think about how the parts of your CV complement the personal statement. No part of the application acts independently. As you build a personal narrative, each component builds upon the previous.

The Personal Statement is the main opportunity to tie activities and experiences together as a means of truly connecting with the people who read your application. Ultimately, you want to write an essay that makes the reader want to become your future colleague. The only narrative writing required for the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) application is one personal statement.