The moment that I submitted my ERAS application, it was as if a whole pile of weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Granted, I still had to worry about test scores and letters of recommendation, but at least I had completed my part. I had previously written about all the anxiety that ERAS had given me. Working to overcome that and actually filling in the application was a struggle, but I’m glad that I worked hard under my limited time parameters to get it done.
Soon after I submitted my application, interview offers began rolling in. I was super surprised! I never thought that it would actually begin so soon. In fact, it was actually a little overwhelming, considering my application was still incomplete. The Dean’s Letter or Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MPSE) wasn’t even out yet.
Since I’m still on a clinical rotation, I’ve had to balance my responsibilities with this new task of discreetly checking my email pretty much every couple of minutes because you just never know what will be coming in. On some days, I was caught up with some patient visits and writing the respective notes that sometimes I missed an offer and wasn’t able to respond until maybe a few hours a later. By that time, some of my preferred dates were already gone! I learned that I had to be just a little faster and also be more flexible in interview dates. It’s crazy to think that it’s only been 15 days since ERAS opened officially.
Now, it’s a whole new ballgame as I try to schedule interviews as geographically distributed as possible, make travel arrangements, and prepare for interviews. Wish me luck on my mock interview later this week!
