http://medschool.ucsf.

edu/professional_development/careers

The Residency Application Process

The Year Ahead
The next twelve months mark a watershed as you move towards residency training. You will be clarifying
your interests and strengths while also defining priorities for career choice. But you will not be going through this
alone. Career advisors are there to guide you, and the faculty and staff from the Offices of Curricular and
Student Affairs will provide you with technical and advisory support. You should also refer to the wealth of
information that has been collected and posted for you on our Web site at http://medschool.ucsf.edu/
professional_development/careers

Let’s go through who does what to support you in this process:

The Office of Curricular Affairs

David Backman coordinates the preparation of the MSPE (Medical Student Performance Evaluation,
formerly known as the “dean’s letter”), the ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service) application
procedure, and the listserv used to disseminate MSPE and residency information. He will work with you to
prepare a draft of your MSPE. Assisted by Sara Campillo and Mario Mercurio, Dave makes sure your letters
of recommendation, photographs, and transcripts are scanned and transmitted to the programs you select
through ERAS.
Dr. Loeser finalizes the MSPE, writes the summary paragraph, and is available for advice or to discuss any
concerns with you.

The Office of Student Affairs

The Office of Student Affairs coordinates the Match process through the NRMP (National Resident Match-
ing Program), certifying students’ status with the NRMP, working with students who will be absent when results
are released, and coordinating Match Day.
Dr. Papadakis is available to review choice of careers, advisors, and programs.

We wish you the best as you complete your clerkships, and encourage you to use the great resources and
depth of experience available to you in Curricular and Student Affairs as you prepare to take the next steps
toward residency.

And we remind you that each of us is available to meet with you regarding any aspect of this process, at any
time.

Helen Loeser, M.D., M.Sc. Maxine Papadakis, M.D.

Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs Associate Dean for Student Affairs

page 1
UCSF - Phase III: Decision-Making & Residency Application Process

Resources for Choosing a Specialty

The application procedures used by various specialties:
ERAS and the NRMP:
Anesthesia Medicine - Psychiatry Pediatric Dermatology
Dermatology * Military Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Diagnostic Radiology Neurology Plastic Surgery
Emergency Medicine Obstetrics & Gynecology Psychiatry
Family Medicine Orthopaedic Surgery Radiation Oncology
Internal Medicine Otolaryngology Surgery
Internal Medicine - Preliminary Year Pathology Surgery - Preliminary Year
Internal Medicine - Primary Care Pediatrics Transitional Year
Medicine - Pediatrics Pediatrics - Primary Care * Urology
SF Match / Early Match: Unique Matches:
Neurosurgery These use ERAS for applications, but are not part of the NRMP
Ophthalmology * Military
Pediatric Neurology * Urology

What do all of these acronyms mean?

ERAS: “Electronic Residency Application Service,” a Web-based service through which you apply to residency programs
NRMP: “National Resident Matching Program,” through which you’ll rank desired residency programs before Match Day
MSPE: “Medical Student Performance Evaluation,” an institutional document that is a required application component
LOR: “Letter of Recommendation,” of which you’ll need three or four for each residency application
FREIDA: “Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database,” an online repository of residency program info

Do you have a career mentor?

A career mentor is an individual you trust to help you make decisions about your medical education and eventual career.
It is the job of this mentor to open your eyes to opportunities you may have otherwise overlooked, steer you clear of pitfalls,
and guide you on your path to a career in medicine. Finding a mentor may seem difficult, but it can only be accomplished by
you. You may already have one in your FPC small group leaders, your LCE preceptors, or your Advisory College mentors.
To find career mentors, start talking with other students doing clinical rotations and identify the best clinical teachers on
staff. Once you identify these individuals, speak with ones you feel would be a good match for you, and narrow this list down
until you find a suitable mentor who is interested in working with you. Avoid individuals who cannot see beyond their own
field. If you find that your mentor wears blinders regarding other specialties, find another individual.
Once you have a mentor, visit often, but be sure to always schedule your time with him or her. Most importantly, you must
be clear about what you want from them – advice.

Career advisors
The School of Medicine maintains a comprehensive list of career advisors in many specialties, and this list can be found
on the student Web portal at http://medschool.ucsf.edu/professional_development/advisors - don’t forget to access the

The Web is the most comprehensive source of information on residency programs. Most programs have Web sites and
visiting them is always a good first step. We maintain a list of useful links to residency program information on our Web
site at http://medschool.ucsf.edu/professional_development/careers under “Phase III,” where you will find complete
information on applying for residency training and drafting your MSPE paragraphs, and http://medschool.ucsf.edu/
professional_development for information about advisors and our archive of post-match surveys. Be sure to also review
these helpful sites:
FREIDA: http://www.ama-assn.org/go/freida
ERAS (for most specialty applications): http://myeras.aamc.org
SF Match (for neurosurgery, ophthalmology, and pediatric neurology applicants): http://www.sfmatch.org
National Resident Matching Program (the “Match”): http://www.nrmp.org
AAMC Careers in Medicine: http://www.aamc.org/students/cim
“Scutwork” residency program assessments: http://www.scutwork.com

page 2
 http://medschool.ucsf.edu/professional_development/careers

“Career Information” link under many of their names. Be sure to take full advantage
of advisors’ knowledge and willingness to assist you. For most specialties there
are two different kinds of advisors:
The Co$t
One type is a confidential career advisor. These advisors do not participate
in the residency selection process at UCSF. You should feel free to speak with them
about your suitability for a specialty without concern that your uncertainty about a
of Applying
career in that specialty might hurt your chances of matching.
Secondly, a career advisor directly involved in residency selection is best There are various fees associated
utilized once you are ready to explore a particular specialty in detail. These with the residency process, including
advisors are well informed about the resident selection process at UCSF and other fees to use ERAS, the SF Match, the
programs. The faculty that conduct the annual specialty mini-meetings are avail- AUA match, and the NRMP.
able to you as advisors. ERAS fees for 2006-2007 were, per
Both kinds of career advisors can give you specifics on residency training specialty (see page 2 for specialties):
requirements and particular programs, information about your competitiveness, $60 for up to 10 programs
and guidance through the process of applying. They should also review your $8 each for 11-20 programs
personal statement, as well as the list of programs to which you’re applying. $15 each for 21-30 programs
Advisors know where and how to apply, who you should get letters from, and how $25 each for over 30 programs
to put together your Rank Order List for the Match. They know the protocols and SF Match fees last year started at
legalities of communicating with programs about how you intend to rank them. $100 per specialty (see page 2 for the
All applicants to transitional and preliminary medicine programs should list of specialties), covering the cost of
also review their PGY-1 program lists with a medicine advisor, and applicants to applying and the matching process,
preliminary surgery programs should do the same with a surgery advisor. plus a rising payment scale based on
Finding strong and candid advising support this year may prevent surprise or the number of programs applied to.
disappointment on Match Day. If finding good advising is proving difficult, you USMLE scores are transmitted to
should meet with Dr. Papadakis in Student Affairs – she is happy to talk to you, all of your programs through ERAS or
and can connect you with an advisor in your field. the SF Match; there is a one-time $50
charge for this service.
Torn between specialties Urology applicants paid $75 last
It’s summer and you have not been able to narrow your choice of a specialty year to participate in the AUA match for
to one. All of your classmates are excited about their choices, which does not help their categorical programs.
your situation. Relax! Our experience is that at least 20% of your classmates are in Regardless of choice of specialty,
the same predicament. There are several things you can do to help make the right all students should register with the
decision: NRMP. Last year’s fee was $40 for
* Talk with campus resources, including your Advisory College Mentors, Dr. graduating medical students. Register
Papadakis, and Dr. Loeser. on time to avoid hefty late fees!
* Use the flexibility of your final year to further explore specialty areas that You will also need to set aside
interest you. You may get a very different perspective on a specialty when experi- money for the interview process.
enced through an elective or subinternship rotation. Between flying (often last-minute), dry-
* A rich resource is FREIDA, the Fellowship and Residency Electronic cleaning interview clothes, renting cars
Interactive Database, described on page 4. at your destination, and lodging, it gets
* A helpful exercise for narrowing your choice is to write a personal statement pricey. The AAMC secures a dis-
for each of the specialties you are considering. You will likely find that one of the counted rate for flying; find details at
personal statements flows easily, while it may be difficult for you to articulate your http://www.aamc.org/members/osr/
interest in other specialties. discounts.htm The American Medical
* Finally, we recommend that you register at and explore AAMC Careers in Women’s Association offers lodging to
Medicine, where you can use a variety of career assessment, exploration, and members in the homes of local volun-
decision-making tools. teers; sign up at http://www.amwa-
doc.org/students.htm
Other resources Consider meeting with the Office of
House officers and chief residents can comment on their recent decision- Student Financial Services (MU-201W).
making processes, as well as the pros and cons of residency training requirements Though need-based aid from UCSF
and employment opportunities. UCSF alumni who teach or practice in the specialty cannot be augmented for travel
you are interested in can often speak freely about their decisions and subsequent expenses, SFS may be able to help you
effects on their career goals. find alternative sources of funding for
Specifically, don’t forget to talk to last year’s graduates. Since they just went the residency application and interview
(continued on next page) process. Attach your loan lists!
page 3
UCSF - Phase III: Decision-Making & Residency Application Process

through the application process, their assistance and advice are invaluable! You can get contact information from Curricular
Affairs. There’s never anything as good as information from your own school. Make sure you access the residency applica-
tion process surveys at http://medschool.ucsf.edu/professional_development, which list specialty-specific numbers,
feedback, and recommendations.
The American Medical Association’s Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database, or FREIDA, is a free
online resource containing information on over 8,000 graduate medical education programs accredited by the Accreditation
Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and over 200 combined specialty programs. It can be found at http://
www.ama-assn.org/go/freida
FREIDA lists detailed information collected from surveys of Graduate Medical Education Programs and teaching institu-
tions on a voluntary basis, and provides statistics about each specialty and subspecialty. On FREIDA, you’ll find direct links
to the web sites of most of the residency programs that you’re investigating. You can also review summary information on
residents, faculty, work hours, professional development support, and work environment. By defining various selection
criteria, you can select a range of programs, choose a state, or key in on a specific program for viewing.
FREIDA also displays the physician workforce information reported by residents and practicing physicians about their
employment-seeking experiences, professional job status, and work environment. Review the training statistics, containing
data on length of training, residents on duty, faculty on staff, compensation, work environment, and work hours. As you learn
about the requirements and demands of particular specialties, you may find yourself more excited by one than another.

Program applications
The majority of the programs’ Web sites list work and call schedules, an overview of residency training, and additional
educational environment information. You will most likely find application requirements and deadlines too, though many will
not be updated until this summer. If the previous year’s information is online, it will serve to give you a rough time line, but
check back often for updates.
A list of residency programs is printed annually in the AMA’s Graduate Medical Education Directory (informally known
as the “Green Book”). It also includes information on residency program and board certification requirements, as well as
medical licensure. You can find a copy in the campus library.

NRMP definitions for program tracks

* Preliminary, or PGY1 (begin in 2008): provides prerequisite training for entry into advanced positions in specialty
programs. Medicine, surgery, and transitional programs offer preliminary positions.
* Categorical (begin in 2008): expects applicants to enter in their first postgraduate year and continue until completion of
training required for certification. Some residency programs may offer more than one categorical track (such as a primary care,
underserved, or advocacy track). Check with each program for details.
* Advanced, or PGY2 (begin in 2009): offered after completion of preliminary training. Applicants apply for these positions
while concurrently applying for preliminary positions.

The Anatomy of a Residency Application

The Application
When putting together your application, be complete and be early. Remember that you are applying for a job. You must
treat your application with utmost professionalism. Ninety-nine percent of UCSF students participating in the Match will use
ERAS, the Electronic Residency Application Service, for at least part of their residency application. If you are applying to an
Early Match specialty, you will likely apply to your internship year through ERAS, and match into it through the NRMP.
Programs that use ERAS do not have a paper application. The ERAS Web site contains a Common Application Form
(CAF), which is a multi-section, one-size-fits-all approach to the application process. You will have to utilize restraint in putting
together your application, as many CAF fields are limited to 500 characters of text, which is just a few sentences.
All of you should give a draft of the application to your advisors to review before transmitting it.

Letters of Recommendation
Most programs ask for three or four letters of recommendation (LORs), and you can decide which letters go to which
programs. In general, we suggest that they be written by senior faculty members with whom you have worked in clinical or
research settings. A letter from a faculty member in the program you are applying to is often the most significant. In addition,
many programs require an LOR from the chair of the corresponding department on our campus. Few chairs know all students;
however, they expect to write such letters and have available the necessary information concerning your performance on their

page 4
 http://medschool.ucsf.edu/professional_development/careers

Specific Instructions for LORs for ERAS Programs LOR general information

On the ERAS Web site, register each writer in the “Letters of Recommendation” * LORs should indicate whether
section under the “Documents” tab. Print the customized instruction sheet/ you have waived your right to see
privacy waiver and distribute it to each of your writers. If you’re requesting two them, which we strongly recom-
LORs from the same person (applying in transitional and anesthesia, for mend.
example), register the writer twice, putting the specialty to which the letter will * Give your writers at least one
be assigned in the appropriate blank so we scan each LOR into the right spot. month advance notice. Know
when your program deadlines are!
* All LORs should commence with “Dear Program Director:” (not to UCSF or * You can request as many LORs
Curricular Affairs). as you like, but you can send no
* Each letter should include your ERAS ID# (assigned when you register). more than four to any program.
* Each letter is mailed to: * Tell writers if you need multiple
Office of Curricular Affairs LORs (preliminary and categorical
c/o ERAS, S-221, Box 0410 versions, or two specialties).
San Francisco, CA 94143-0410 * Give writers any documents that
* Signed LORs must be mailed (or hand-delivered) to our office, not faxed, and will help them to write strong
not e-mailed. letters (your evals, and MSPE, CV,
* Deadline for letters is October 5, 2007 (or earlier to meet a program deadline). and personal statement drafts).

service, and will often conduct an interview with you. Don’t hesitate to request a letter from a department chair if your program
application requires it.
The UCSF departments that write “Chair” letters do it in various ways. In some departments the chair signs all of the
letters, while others have your core clerkship site director write and sign the letter on behalf of the chair. Type the name of the
person writing your chair letter into the ERAS Application under “Letters of Recommendation.” Type the word “Chair” after
the person’s name, such as “Karen Hauer (Chair).” This information is needed by the Office of Curricular Affairs when trying
to match the actual letters with the list of letter writers you provide on your ERAS application.
Remember: Your letter writers will need a minimum of one month advance notice of deadlines. All ERAS materials,
including LORs, should be submitted to the Office of Curricular Affairs no later than October 5. Please check with your career
advisor regarding the specifics about LORs for your specialty.
Waive your Right: Yes, you should waive your right to see a letter of recommendation. The ERAS Web site has an
instruction sheet/privacy waiver that you should print and give to your letter writer. On the waiver you select whether or not
you waive your right to see the LOR and then sign the form. The writer is instructed to include a sentence in their letter
regarding your decision. Most program directors see a student’s decision not to waive the right to see a letter as a red flag.
Letters intended for ERAS should be mailed to the Office of Curricular Affairs; c/o ERAS; Box 0410; UCSF; San Francisco,
CA, 94143-0410. These letters should include the ERAS Letter of Recommendation cover sheet with the “Waive your Right”
section checked and signed.
All letters for ERAS applications are sent to the Office of Curricular Affairs for direct transmission to ERAS. The Office of
Curricular Affairs cannot review letters and pick the best ones for you to send. Nor can we release these letters to you in
any form at any time. They are the property of the letter writer, not our office. The best way to insure that your letter writers
write great letters for you is in the way you ask for it. By asking faculty, “Do you feel you know me well enough to write me a
good letter of recommendation for a residency position in ________,” you have given them a graceful way out if they cannot
write you a strong letter. Please note that LORs cannot be submitted before ERAS opens (since your writer won’t be regis-
tered and you won’t have your ERAS ID#), and LORs cannot be saved past the academic year in which they are received.

UCSF Transcript
You should review your UCSF transcript online at http://saawww.ucsf.edu/signon and report any discrepancies to the
Registrar immediately: don’t wait until the fall! Remember, simply because you have received your evaluation through
e*Value doesn’t necessarily mean that the department has reported a grade to the registrar, or that the posted grade is correct.
The Registrar’s Office (MU-200) will generate one UCSF transcript for each graduating student free of charge, which is
sent to the Office of Curricular Affairs during the last week of October, is automatically scanned into ERAS, and is transmitted
to all of your programs. A transcript will include all grades filed with the Registrar at that time. If all of your program deadlines
fall on November 1 or later, you do not need to order an additional transcript. Since many programs will begin reviewing your

page 5
UCSF - Phase III: Decision-Making & Residency Application Process

application as soon as it is complete (except for the MSPE) and making interview decisions based on this information, you
should strongly consider sending your transcript earlier. Regardless, the most recent version will be scanned in late October.
To send an early transcript, you must order and pay for an official copy from the Registrar’s Office. It should be sent
directly from the Registrar to the Office of Curricular Affairs; c/o ERAS, Box 0410. Don’t pick it up; the Registrar delivers these
to us daily! We require three business days to scan and transmit documents (but tend to be much faster).

Non-UCSF Transcripts
According to the Federal Family Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), it is illegal for UCSF to transmit any transcripts other
than our own. Still, you may be asked by a program to send undergraduate transcripts through ERAS. These programs have
been told by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) that such documents cannot be sent through ERAS and
that programs must accept official paper copies directly from the institution that holds the transcript. This policy is posted on
the ERAS web site at http://www.aamc.org/eras. Therefore, in order to send non-UCSF transcripts, you must contact the
schools you have attended and order official copies to be mailed directly to the programs that require them.
Also, if you are asked to send an undergraduate transcript through ERAS, please tell David Backman in Curricular Affairs;
he will work with the AAMC to resolve this issue confidentially without affecting your application.

USMLE Scores
Your USMLE scores are transmitted through the “My Documents” section of ERAS; you should track down your ID #
(an eight-digit code from your original score sheet), enter it into ERAS, and pay to have your scores released to all programs.
All available records for all exam attempts are released. We strongly recommend that you answer yes to Question 1,
releasing your current scores; but answer no to Question 2, do not authorize automatic transmission of future USMLE scores.
When should you take Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK)? The deadline to take Step 2 CK is December 31. Scores are
typically released three to four weeks after you take the exam, so all of the strategies listed below are based on when your
scores are available:
* If your Step 2 CK score is available on September 1, all of your residency programs will see it quickly, since this is
the first day that they can download information about applicants. Some programs make early interview decisions
based on your score.
* If your Step 2 CK score is available on November 1, we know that all programs can request to see it, because this is
the day when MSPEs are released, and all programs log into ERAS. Some programs wait to make interview decisions
until they see the MSPEs (and any additional information available at that time). Programs are not required to log
into ERAS after November 1 - many do, but as each week passes, fewer programs log in.
* If you take Step 2 CK on the absolute deadline of December 31, and your score is available approximately one month
later, we know that residency programs will not see the scores in time to make interview decisions. However,
programs may request of you to release this information prior to the compilation of their rank lists.

Photograph
By October 5, ERAS users should e-mail David Backman a digital photo, or bring a wallet-sized color photograph to
Curricular Affairs to be scanned. The photograph is an ERAS document that cannot be viewed until after you have been
invited to a program for an interview. Non-ERAS applicants should attach a photo to their paper applications as instructed.

Personal Statement
A personal statement should complement, but not reiterate, your common application form. It gives you an opportunity to
highlight aspects of your candidacy that might not come across as well in another format, and gives insight into your charac-
ter. If you need advice, start with your career advisor. Personal statements should be roughly one page long. Applicants in
certain specialties may need to use specific phrasing in a personal statement, and your advisor will have that information. You
could speak to your faculty mentors, and Dr. Loeser and Dr. Papadakis are also available to help. You could look for ideas in
your AMCAS application, kept in your academic folder in Curricular Affairs. We have several sample personal statements
online at http://medschool.ucsf.edu/professional_development/careers under “Phase III,” as well as a PowerPoint presenta-
tion and corresponding PDF handout from our recent workshop on how to write a good personal statement.

Deadlines - when do I really have to get this done?

Deadlines set by the Office of Curricular Affairs are the last days you can submit materials to the office whereby we
guarantee to have your MSPE completed for transmission on November 1 or to have your ERAS files transmitted to the
programs on time. ERAS applications must be submitted at least one week prior to the program’s deadline, or no later than
October 5. Knowing and meeting deadlines is your responsibility.
page 6
 http://medschool.ucsf.edu/professional_development/careers
The Medical Student Performance Evaluation
In late September, we will mail you a draft of your Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), which you can think
of as a verbal transcript of your education and experience. You must read it carefully, correct any inaccuracies, and return it to
David Backman in Curricular Affairs promptly. If you like, you may meet with Associate Dean Helen Loeser to discuss your
MSPE, or any aspect of your application, as well as your postgraduate training plans.
Format of the standard MSPE
• The first page begins with a description of your under-
graduate years, degrees earned, and pre-UCSF life.
• We describe your academic performance during the pre-
clerkship years, including summary FPC comments.
• This is followed by a paragraph about your activities
during that time, including extracurricular, research,
leadership, and outside interests, as well as any time off.
• We then detail your academic performance during the
clerkship years, including a list of all honors earned.
• The bulk of your MSPE is a summary of the clinical years,
including verbatim comments from the faculty about your
performance in all core clerkships, elective rotations,
advanced clerkships, Areas of Concentration work, away
rotations, and research blocks. Descriptions of any time off
or extensions are included chronologically.
• This section, as well as the preclerkship section, will
include details of any non-passing grades or remediation.
• We include a list of all scheduled courses not yet taken.
• A paragraph about extracurricular activities, publications,
and presentations during the clerkship years follows.
• An individualized summary by Dr. Loeser, including your
“adjective” (see below), concludes the MSPE.
• An appendix page lists comparative statistics and informa-
tion about your graduating class.
Unpack your Adjective
The final paragraph of the MSPE is a summative
overview by Dr. Loeser, commenting on your individual
strengths and qualities as a graduate of the UCSF School of
Medicine. The “adjective” is included in this paragraph. The
five adjectives are: outstanding, superior, excellent, very
good, and good. Clinical honors are used to guide
determinations of overall performance designations of
outstanding and superior: Students eligible for
“outstanding” have earned honors in more than half of the
weeks of required core clerkships, and students eligible for
“superior” have earned honors in more than one third of the
weeks of required core clerkships. All other students are
eligible for the “excellent,” “very good,” and “good”
designations. The core clerkships are weighted according to
the length of the clerkship (i.e. medicine is eight weeks long
and therefore “heavier” than pediatrics at six weeks).
The UCSF “Medical School Information Page,” attached
to the back of every students’ MSPE, specifies the
percentage of graduating students receiving each
“adjective,” and a bar graph displays proportions of honors
awarded in each core clerkship.
“...but what about Fall Block 1?”
Many students take advanced clerkships during the
summer and fall that are directly relevant to the specialty
they are applying to. Although Maureen Mitchell in the
Office of Curricular Affairs works to obtain all of your
evaluations through Summer Block 2 for inclusion in your
MSPE by the October 5 deadline, we cannot undertake
pursuing Fall Block 1 evaluations. If you choose to solicit
those evaluations, and/or they are received by our office by
the deadline, your MSPE will include them.
One way to encourage your Fall Block 1 course director
to complete your evaluation in time for the MSPE is to pick
up a form letter signed by Dr. Loeser in the Office of Curricu-
lar Affairs. This letter explains to the course director why
you need the evaluation and our deadline for receiving it.
Take the letter to the clerkship director or the administrative
person who schedules the clerkship.
If we receive an evaluation in our office by October 5,
we will include it in your MSPE. The Medical Student
Performance Evaluation will include all evaluations
received by the deadline.
Evaluations after Fall Block 1
If you want to convey additional evaluations to a
program, we recommend that you send a copy of the
evaluation directly to a program, or bring it with you to an
interview. If the evaluation is relevant to the specialty you
are applying for, we suggest that you ask the course director
to mail the evaluation on your behalf, enclosing a cover
letter assessing your performance during the rotation.
Evaluations received after the MSPE is transmitted can
be sent to programs as an addendum to your MSPE, either
by your request or at the institution’s discretion. We will
only send one addendum at your request, so be sure all
relevant courses are complete before requesting the adden-
dum. The addendum will include evaluations of all courses
taken since Summer Block 2. When requesting an addendum,
notify your programs that an updated copy of your MSPE
has been transmitted via ERAS, or if you are using paper
applications, you must supply us with addressed envelopes.
If you’d like to request an addendum, please e-mail David
Backman at david.backman@ucsf.edu. An addendum
becomes a permanent part of your MSPE.
At the institution’s discretion, we will update your
MSPE during the academic year or after graduation with all
summary evaluations not previously included, as well as
other pertinent information.
page 7
UCSF - Phase III: Decision-Making & Residency Application Process

Drafting sections of your Medical Student Performance Evaluation

You draft the personal sections of your MSPE. These sections include paragraphs on your premedical education and
extracurricular experiences, as well as your medical school activities. For some of you, these paragraphs will also include your
experiences in the Joint Medical Program, Masters of Public Health coursework, Medical Scientist Training Program, Areas of
Concentration program, medical school research, or other unique experiences during medical school.
It is important to realize that you are only providing a draft of these paragraphs. They will be edited to produce an
appropriate, uniform, cohesive letter that reflects one voice. By drafting these paragraphs yourself, you are providing us with
a clearer picture of your education, activities, and research experience.
Be sure to emphasize elements that are important to you, such as teaching, research, or community service. Program
directors also like to see continuity of experience. Perhaps you were awarded a UCSF Student Research Committee Fellowship
to study international health during the summer after your first year, and then further explored that project during your fourth
year. Although these two experiences will be discussed in different paragraphs, you can bridge them by writing “Ms. Doe
continued to investigate tropical health by returning to Uganda…” Please note that these paragraphs should be written in
the third person.
The outlines below should serve as a premise for what to include in your paragraphs and give you an approximate idea of
how to proceed. First answer the questions in Section I, then continue by writing sections II, IIIA, and IIIB in paragraph form.
Students who participated in a special program, such as the MPH, MSTP, JMP, AoC, or research year, must also complete
Section IV in paragraph form. This information will be used to prepare a draft of your MSPE. In late September you will be
mailed a copy to review. Additional samples of complete MSPEs can be found on our Web site.

Section I. First answer the following questions:

Question 1: How would you like your name to appear on the MSPE? (This should match the name that appears on official
records, such as your transcript, diploma, NMBE records, etc. Please include the accents in your written name, e.g. “André.”)
Question 2: Do you have any advanced degrees that should be listed after your name? (Please note that this must be a
degree already earned; for example, we cannot list a Ph.D. in progress.)
Question 3: Write a brief paragraph describing how you see yourself and describe those personal attributes, characteris-
tics, or accomplishments that you would like to see highlighted in your MSPE. This is not a personal statement, just some
ideas about what you feel is important in your life and what motivates your career in medicine. (For an example of how this
information is used, please see the final paragraph of a sample MSPE.)
Question 4: Describe your post-graduation plans (residency choice, specialty, locale, and special circumstances). This
information will not be included in your MSPE. It is for our own internal use.
Question 5 (Optional): Discuss any other relevant personal information (personal hardships, special achievements, etc.)
that does not fit into the above categories, and any information that you feel will help us properly frame the events described
in your letter. You are also encouraged to meet with Dr. Loeser to discuss special circumstances regarding your education.

For sections II, IIIA, IIIB, and IV, please write your paragraphs in the third person. Example:
“Ms. Smith volunteered (not “I volunteered”) at the student-run UCSF Homeless Clinic in her first year. In
her second year, she became the clinic’s community outreach coordinator.”

Section II. Premedical Education and Experience Paragraph (please answer in paragraph form, ~200 words)
A. Country of origin and circumstances of your move to the United States (if appropriate)
B. Education: college attended, year of graduation, major, with honors/cum laude (must match your transcript),
using this format: “Ms. Jones graduated from Tufts University in 2002, earning a bachelor’s degree magna cum
laude in biology with a minor in psychology.”
C. Major scholarships and awards (not based on financial need); explain why relevant, (for example, “One of six
seniors awarded. . .”)
D. Activities: (Arrange these chronologically, focusing on the most important)
• Research: name of project, with whom (include exact degree, such as John Smith, Ph.D., not Dr. John Smith),
where, when, work published or presented? Name and year of journal/conference/symposium where it appeared.
• Volunteer work, campus activities, committee membership, and leadership roles
• Study abroad (which semester and year?) and foreign language mastery
E. Career / additional education / extended break between undergraduate education and medical school: Describe
your circumstances prior to your application to medical school, including post-graduate career and experiences.

page 8
 http://medschool.ucsf.edu/professional_development/careers

Section IIIA. Medical School - Preclinical Years Paragraph (please answer in paragraph form, ~175 words)
(JMP students will not write this medical school paragraph; they will cover these points in their JMP
paragraphs in Section IV, below.)
A. Scholarships and awards (NOT based on financial need); explain why relevant
•
Include scholarships you received at matriculation to UCSF, including Dean’s (one- vs. four-year) and Regents’
B. Community and extracurricular activities (arrange these chronologically, selecting the most important)
•
Volunteer work, campus activities, committee membership, and leadership roles
•
Summer after first year experiences, including curriculum ambassador, study abroad, research, etc.
•
Research: name of project, with whom (include exact degree, such as John Smith, Ph.D., not Dr. John Smith),
where, when, work published or presented? Name and year of journal/conference/symposium where it appeared.
C. Describe any breaks in medical education (leaves of absence, academic extensions, maternity leave, etc.)

Section IIIB. Medical School - Clinical Years Paragraph (please answer in paragraph form, ~125 words)
(all students will write this medical school paragraph)
A. Scholarships and awards (NOT based on financial need); explain why relevant. Don’t list clerkship honors.
B. Community and extracurricular activities (arrange these chronologically, selecting the most important)
•
Volunteer work, campus activities, committee membership, and leadership roles
•
Research: name of project, with whom (include exact degree, such as John Smith, Ph.D., not Dr. John Smith),
where, when, work published or presented? Name and year of journal/conference/symposium where it appeared.
C. Describe any breaks/extensions in medical education (leaves of absence, fellowships, Areas of Concentration
work, maternity leave, extra time for boards, etc. Note: you may need to write a paragraph from Section IV below)
D. Mention which third-year curricular track(s) you participated in, if any (Model Fresno, ORACLE, VALOR, Model
SFGH, PISCES). Please note that we will describe these tracks; you don’t need to.

Section IV. If you participated in a special program, such as the MPH, MSTP, JMP, Areas of Con-
centration (AoC), or research, please draft a paragraph for each of these experiences. An example of
each type of paragraph follows the outline.
A. Research—less than one year: (approximately 100 words)
1. Timing and source of funding for project
2. Description of research and outcomes
3. Names and degrees of advisors (include exact degree, such as John Smith, Ph.D., not Dr. John Smith)
4. Published? Presented? (do NOT list papers unless accepted)

Sample Paragraph:
During the summer after her first year, Ms. Millard was awarded a UCSF Student Research Committee
Fellowship to work with Susan Lawrence, M.D. on a quantitative analysis of the shear properties of the human
annulus fibrosis. She presented this work at the School of Medicine’s annual student research poster session in
January 2006.

B. Research—yearlong: (approximately 150 words)

1. Timing and source of funding for project (including support by CPBR, HHMI, Doris Duke, PACCTR, etc.)
2. Names and degrees of advisors (include exact degree, such as John Smith, Ph.D., not Dr. John Smith)
3. Description of research and outcomes
4. Published? Presented? (do not list submitted papers; we only list accepted/published papers in the MSPE)
5. M.D. with Thesis candidacy?

Sample Paragraph:
After completing her third year of medical school, Ms. Childs extended her education by one year to accept
one of sixty-six national Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Fellowships. She collaborated with Caleb
Kaplan, M.D., in the department of neurology to characterize hippocampal and ventricular zone neurogenesis in the
rat brain after seizures. To carry out this work, Ms. Childs first had to develop a stable, high-titer, replication-
incompetent retrovirus for the study of newly born cells. She is currently pursuing this work further during an
additional four-month research elective.
page 9
UCSF - Phase III: Decision-Making & Residency Application Process

C. MSTP (approximately 450 words)

1. Laboratory rotations
2. Extracurricular activities (see II above)
3. Graduate department and advisor (include exact degree, such as John Smith, Ph.D., not Dr. John Smith)
4. Description of research and outcomes
5. Published? Presented? (do NOT list papers unless accepted)
6. Month and year Ph.D. awarded, and in which department

Sample Paragraph: (Only draft the text in bold)

Dr. Robinson matriculated at the School of Medicine in September 1999. In addition, because of her
unusually strong background and interest in basic research, she was one of eight students admitted to our
Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), a highly selective combined M.D./Ph.D. program supported by both the
National Institutes of Health and the School of Medicine. During this time, she completed her first laboratory
rotation with Alan Frankel, Ph.D., in the department of biochemistry and biophysics. She employed a bacterial
model system to study the context dependence of RNA-protein binding interactions in splicing machinery. For
her second laboratory rotation with Charles Craik, Ph.D., in the department of pharmaceutical chemistry, she
investigated the role of MT-SP1, a newly discovered protease, in prostate cancer. She also participated in the
Science and Health Education Partnership’s MedTeach Program, which places students in area schools to
teach weekly science classes.
For her doctoral work, in the laboratory of Zachary Stein, M.D, Ph. D., she studied “peptoids,” synthetic
protein-like polymers with possible uses as drugs or gene-delivery vehicles. Her research included computer-
assisted modeling and design of molecular structure, as well as synthesis and biophysical characterization
(including NMR structure determination) of modeled and designed molecules. It also involved intensive
collaboration with BioTech Corporation of Walnut Creek, California and collaboration with Miranda Tiken, Ph.D.,
at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Robinson has authored a publication of her work in the June 2004 issue of
Folding and Design and the May 2005 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In 2003 she
received an Achievement Rewards for College Scientist (ARCS) Scholarship. From 2002 to 2005 she partici-
pated as a workshop leader in the UCSF Medical Scholars Program during our first-year Essential Core
curriculum, tutoring and coaching students in anatomy, histology, cell biology, and pharmacology, and received
the 2004 Teaching Award for Excellence in Small Group Instruction. She was awarded her Ph.D. in biological
sciences in April 2006.

D. JMP (approximately 450 words)

1. Thesis title and advisor (include exact degree, such as John Smith, Ph.D., not Dr. John Smith)
2. Description of research and outcomes
3. Published? Presented? (do NOT list papers unless accepted)
4. Extracurricular activities while at UC Berkeley and UCSF (see IIIA above)
5. Month and year degree awarded
Sample Paragraph: (Only draft the text in bold)
Mr. Chen matriculated at the UCSF-UC Berkeley Joint Medical Program (JMP) in June 2003. In this
three-year program, twelve students undertake a fully problem-based preclerkship curriculum and also earn a
master’s degree in health and medical sciences from the University of California, Berkeley. In addition to
passing all of the preclerkship courses, Mr. Chen researched, wrote, and presented a master’s thesis titled
“Skin and soft tissue infections among injection drug users in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco.”
In this work, completed in cooperation with Chad Hoskins, M.D., at UCSF, injection drug users were recruited,

Submitting your paragraphs

Please submit your paragraphs via e-mail as a Microsoft Word attachment. You should draft answers to the ques-
tions in Section I and draft the biographical paragraphs in Sections II, IIIA, IIIB, and IV into the same e-mail message,
and send them to David Backman at david.backman@ucsf.edu using your first and last name and “MSPE Info” (Ex-
ample: John Smith MSPE Info) as the subject of the message. The deadline for submission is June 22, 2007. If you meet
this deadline, we guarantee to have your MSPE completed for transmission on November 1.

page 10
 http://medschool.ucsf.edu/professional_development/careers

interviewed and examined to estimate the prevalence of and risk factors for abscesses and cellulitis in the
community. His work was recently accepted for publication in Clinical Infectious Diseases. He also continued
the volunteer work he had started as an undergraduate by exchanging syringes, distributing condoms and
educational information, answering questions at HIV Prevention Project, a syringe exchange program in San
Francisco, and attending the First National Harm Reduction Conference in 2004 with a grant from the HIV
Prevention Project. His interest in the health care of injection drug users was also explored in a research
paper he completed using the Community Oriented Primary Care model to design a targeted approach to the
health care needs of the injection-drug-using community. His ongoing interest in the underserved was further
strengthened by working on an independent semesterlong human rights research project, which culminated
in a paper on health care in the California correctional system in the context of international human rights
documents. He also continued to pursue the interest he demonstrated in college regarding health delivery in
poor regions of the world by traveling to rural areas of China during the summer of 2004 to shadow health care
workers and volunteer in public health care clinics. Mr. Chen coordinated a yearlong first-year medical school
elective, the Anita M. Baldwin Colloquy Series, in local speakers discussed community issues and research
relating to medicine and public health. In 2005, he received a University Fellowship for Graduate Study in Health
and Medical Sciences for a distinguished academic record and promise for continued noteworthy achieve-
ment. His hobbies include sea kayaking and cooking. He was awarded a master’s degree in health and medical
sciences in April 2006, then transferred to the San Francisco campus to begin his clinical rotations.

E. MPH (approximately 150 words)

1. Month and year degree earned, as well as name of school
2. Thesis or project title and advisor (include exact degree, such as John Smith, Ph.D., not Dr. John Smith)
3. Description of research and outcomes
4. Published? Presented? (do NOT list papers unless accepted)

Sample Paragraph:
After completing her third year of medical school, Ms. Edwards extended her medical education by one
year in order to pursue a master’s degree with a concentration in epidemiology at the University of California,
Berkeley School of Public Health. For her master’s project, she revised the volunteer handbook for St. Vincent de
Paul’s, a soup kitchen for the homeless. Approximately 60% of the revised handbook contains new material, which
she compiled through an extensive literature review, interviews with volunteers and residents, and surveys of St.
Vincent’s staff. After earning her master’s of public health degree in May 2007, Ms. Edwardsreturned to the
School of Medicine.

E. Area of Concentration (approximately 100 words (plus the standardized text))

1. Which AoC theme? (Medical Education, Community Health, Medical Humanities, Social Sciences in
Medicine, Physician-Investigator, Global Health, or Health Care Systems and Physician-Leader)
2. AoC advisor (include exact degree, such as John Smith, Ph.D., not Dr. John Smith)
3. Description of history, experiential component, outcomes, proposed legacy, and presentations/publications

Sample Paragraph: (Only draft the text in bold)

This elective longitudinal program, comparable to a “minor” concentration in college, provides institu-
tional support for substantial interdisciplinary projects in one of seven major areas. Students identify a project in
collaboration with faculty advisors, participate in a thorough program of preparation, complete an experiential
phase of the project, and produce a tangible legacy.
Currently, Ms. Fiske is pursuing an Area of Concentration (AoC) in Medical Humanities. Advised by
Ramu Nagappan, Ph.D., she has begun co-designing a writing experience for medical students on the wards
to investigate and reflect on the complex interactions that comprise much of the third year of medical
school. The curriculum will involve blocks of time with students from each of two different core clerkships,
and students will spend time writing about experiences on the wards and discussing their writings with
each other. For her legacy project, she will complete the design and submit course registration forms to
UCSF’s Committee on Curriculum and Educational Policy in order to register this offering as a Tier 2 elective.

page 11
UCSF - Phase III: Decision-Making & Residency Application Process

Appendix for Early Match applicants

Below, we have compiled information specific to Early Match applicants (those of you applying and
matching in neurosurgery, ophthalmology, and pediatric neurology; those of you matching in urology apply
through ERAS, though the AUA conducts its own early match). Most of our SF Match users will use ERAS
and the NRMP to apply for and match into their internship year programs, so the earlier sections of this
packet are applicable to virtually everyone. Please work closely with your career advisor to review your
program list and all application materials. Other questions relating to the Early Match process should be
directed to the Office of Student Affairs at 476-1216.

Applications: SF Match applicants should register in June at http://www.sfmatch.org and begin using the
Central Application Service (CAS), which is a common paper application that the SF Match will distribute to all of
your selected programs. The CAS gives you limited room to type in activities, honors, and awards. Do not try to
squeeze in everything; stick to the most important information. You should also review each program’s Web site in
case any have any additional requirements, or to find out the procedure if you learn that a program does not use
the CAS. You should mail your complete application packet (including the CAS, LORs, transcripts, and program
list) to the SF Match by late August, though you are responsible for learning if a program has an earlier deadline.
Letters of Recommendation: SF Match applicants should provide LOR writers with a draft of the CAS and
personal statement, as well as copies of evaluations (recommended). Requests for LORs and accompanying
information should be distributed at least one month prior to your application deadline. Applicants should ask letter
writers for one signed copy of their LOR in a sealed envelope. You will mail it as part of your complete application
packet to the SF Match.
Transcripts: You will need to order and pay $15 for an official UCSF transcript from the Registrar’s Office,
as well as ordering a transcript from your undergraduate institution. Transcripts should be mailed to you in a sealed
envelope, which you will mail as part of your completed packet to the SF Match. Additionally, Curricular Affairs
will send an updated copy of your UCSF transcript to the SF Match on November 1; please give us your
SF Match ID# by October 5.
Program list: You will designate the specific programs you wish to apply to on a form found on the SF Match
site, and include this list as part of your complete application packet. Note that the fee structure varies depending
on the number of programs you select. Please work closely with your career advisor to review this program list.
Medical Student Performance Evaluation: Yes, all your programs know that MSPEs are not released until
November 1, regardless of the program deadlines, and many interviews are arranged before the MSPE is distrib-
uted. Curricular Affairs will need your SF Match ID# by October 5.
Matching: Early Match rank order lists must be submitted in late December / early January to the SF Match
or American Urological Association as appropriate. Results of those matches are announced in mid-January
through early February. Contact the Office of Student Affairs for support and additional advising. All programs
require that you rank your preliminary year through the NRMP!

SF Match — Mailing your Medical Student Performance Evaluation

(Does not apply to programs using ERAS)

Please supply the Office of Curricular Affairs (OCA) with the following by October 5, 2007:

1. On November 1, OCA will send one copy of your MSPE and an updated copy of your transcript via Federal Express
to the SF Match, which will redistribute these documents to all of your programs. Please give your SF Match ID# to
David Backman to ensure that this process is successful.

2. You must also supply OCA with a complete list of programs you are applying to, with mailing addresses. We use
this list to ensure that we can quickly retransmit your information if a program fails to receive your materials.

page 12
 Career Medical http://medschool.ucsf.edu/professional_development/careers
Student Application / Interviews /
selection Performance ERAS / SF Match / Matching /
& advising Evaluation documents NRMP
Explore various April 25: Medical Attend post-match dinners, review Work out your vacation
March & specialties by going Student Performance post-match surveys, and talk to the schedule with Maureen
April 2007 to departmental
“mini-meetings.”
Evaluation / residency
information meeting.
class of 2007 about residency appli-
cations before their internships start!
Mitchell to allow for
residency interviews.
Select a career Review your AMCAS Urology applicants should register
advisor and begin application, CV, and online at www.auanet.org (though
May reviewing specialty other documents to you will be using ERAS to transmit
choices and your write your MSPE your application materials).
competitiveness. paragraphs.
Work closely with June 22: Your MSPE “Early Match” applicants (neurosur- Review the post-match
your career advisor to biographical para- gery, ophthalmology, and pediatric surveys for insight into
June develop an initial list graphs are due to neurology) should register for the SF how many residency
of programs. David Backman. Match at www.sfmatch.org programs to apply to.
Contact UCSF alumni If you haven’t already July 1: MyERAS opens. You should
to solicit information done so, go to log in using the electronic “token”
July about their residen- Curricular Affairs to sent to you by David Backman,
cies and the applica- review your academic enabling you to register for ERAS at
tion process. Career file. Make sure that the http://myeras.aamc.org
advisors have some summary evaluations
contact information; are accurate, as these Attend ERAS information meeting.
the Offices of Student are used verbatim in
and Curricular Affairs your MSPE. Begin to solicit your letters of
can also assist. recommendation (LORs).
Review a draft of Email biographical Continue to solicit your LORs. Make To participate in the
your personal updates to David copies of your personal statement NRMP, all applicants
August statement with your Backman for use in and evaluations to assist your LOR should register at
career advisor. Your your MSPE. These writers. Register all writers in ERAS, www.nrmp.org to use
Advisory College might include news of and give them the instructional cover NRMP’s web-based
Mentor is also articles accepted for sheets/privacy waivers. Determine system. Initial informa-
available to help. publication, awards LOR requirements for your programs tion will be available in
received, and presenta- (number of LORs, chair’s letter, etc.). July, and an Applicant
All applicants to tions given at confer- User Guide will be
transitional and ences. Late August: This is the “target posted before registra-
preliminary programs deadline” for all SF Match applica- tion begins in August.
should find and begin tions for neurosurgery, ophthalmol- Register on time to
to work with medicine ogy, and pediatric neurology. avoid hefty late fees!
and surgery career
advisors.

Work with all Mid-September: Each September 1: Residency programs Programs may begin
advising resources student will be sent a can begin downloading from ERAS. evaluating ERAS users
September to develop final draft of the MSPE. You sooner if their applica-
career plans. must review it for Consider ordering a current version tions are complete
accuracy and return it of your transcript to be scanned into (including certifying
Review your MSPE to David Backman. ERAS. Confirm all online grades for the Common Applica-
draft with your career accuracy, but know that some grades tion Form, writing a
advisor. will not yet be available. (Whether or personal statement, and
not you have an early transcript scanning a current
scanned, we will scan a copy in late transcript, even without
October at no cost to you.) the MSPE until Nov. 1).
http://medschool.ucsf.edu/professional_development/careers page 13
 UCSF - Phase III: Career Medical
Decision-Making Student
& Residency ApplicationApplication
/ Process Interviews /
selection Performance ERAS / SF Match / Matching /
& advising Evaluation documents NRMP
Show your career October 5: Clerkship 1) Letters of recommendation must Early Match applicants
October advisors the list of
categorical programs
evaluations must be
received by Curricular
be in Curricular Affairs in time to
meet your program deadlines, but
begin to schedule
program interviews,
to which you’re Affairs in order to be should be no later than October 5. typically for November
applying. included in the MSPE. 2) All ERAS program applications and December.
Getting a Fall Block 1 must be submitted by October 5.
All applicants to evaluation to us is 3) SF Match users must give their If you haven’t done so
transitional and your responsibility! SF Match ID# to David Backman by already, all applicants
preliminary programs October 5. should register at
should also review Two proofreaders 4) For each non-ERAS program you www.nrmp.org to use
their lists of PGY-1 review each MSPE in are applying to, Curricular Affairs NRMP’s web-based
programs with a mid-October. needs two sets of mailing labels for system. All Early Match
medicine/surgery your programs by October 5. programs use the NRMP
career advisor. to match you for your
UCSF transcripts are scanned into preliminary year of
ERAS during the week of October training!
22. Check them online for accuracy
well before this date!

November 1: All Everyone schedules

November MSPEs for all United
States medical stu-
program interviews, held
in November, December,
dents are released. and early January.

Keep your career Consider bringing copies of your “Military Match” results
advisor informed most recent clerkship evaluations to are usually announced in
December about your progress your interviews. late December.
(which interviews
were granted, your December 31: Deadline for all
feel for the process, students to take USMLE Step 2 CK
etc.) and request (Clinical Knowledge).
assistance as needed.
“Early Match” users: Consider using ERAS to transmit “Early Match” results are
January Working with your your most recent Step 2 CK scores announced in mid-
career advisor, to all of your programs. January/early February.
2008 prepare a rank order All programs require that
list to be submitted you rank your prelim year
by early January. through the NRMP!

Working with your Volunteer to share your insight and Every student who will
career advisor, experiences with the class of 2009 at not be in San Francisco
prepare your NRMP departmental mini-meetings and the on Match Day, including
rank order list by Career Fair, and remember to fill out anyone planning
February mid-February. You the residency application process international travel or
enter your rank order surveys after Match Day. away rotations, must
list into the Web- meet with Dr. Papadakis
based system. Save before leaving town.
each time you log in!
March 17: Students March 18: Dr. Papadakis Match results are distributed at 9 a.m. Late March: All
March will know if they have
matched, but no one
and OSA assist with any
necessary residency
on Thursday, March 20 in the Student
Lounge. Individual results will be
students will complete
licensure paperwork
page 14 knows the match site. “scramble.” available on the Web at 10:00 a.m. for their new programs.