Senior Resident

As a senior resident, aim to attend national conferences and present research. Try to submit and present abstracts, posters, oral presentations, and/or journal articles. If there is an assembly on pediatric emergency medicine (PEM), use this opportunity to network. You should also begin finalizing your resume and start researching what you're looking for in a fellowship. Similar to the residency application, consider your geographical preference, program leadership and faculty, and moonlighting opportunities.

Application Timeline

February-April

• Investigate programs on the Emergency Medicine Residents' Association (EMRA) Match website, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) website, and the FREIDA Residency and Fellowship Programs Database. Pay close attention to the requirements for each program.

April-June

• Sign up for MyERAS website (you will need your AAMC ID).
• Sign up for MyERAS token on the MyERAS main page for fellowship applicants. Once given a token, you can then activate your application for the season.
• Start working on your personal statement.
• Ask mentors for letters of recommendation.

July

• ERAS opens mid-July for fellowship application submission. You should apply as early as possible.
• Complete the ERAS application, including your basic profile, USMLE scores, activities, awards, personal statement, and letters of recommendation.
• Designate programs in MyERAS you wish to apply to.
• You will need to register each person who is writing a letter of recommendation.
• Request through MyERAS and ERAS Fellowship Documents Office (EFDO) a copy of your transcript and Dean's letter from your graduating medical school - do this as soon as possible as it may take several weeks to upload. You will also need contact information for your Dean's office designee in order for EFDO to electronically send request, and will need to upload a photo of yourself.

Late August

• Sign up and register for NRMP Match.

August-October

• Receive invitations and attend interviews.

Late October

• NRMP opens for ranking. Submit your rank order list by late November/early December.

Mid-December

• Match results are available on the NRMP website.

Questions to Consider when Evaluating Programs and Interviewing

• What are the research requirements for your PEM fellowship?
  • Ask about the track record for previous EM-trained fellows research completion and type. Given the short (two-year) EM timeline for pediatrics, you will need support from the fellowship program if you want to produce quality research, especially if you are focusing on pediatric advocacy in a general EM environment. This environment necessitates solid scholarly experience as the building blocks for patient care education, quality improvement, and safety process design.
  • How much dedicated research time do you have in fellowship?
• How will you be supervised during your clinical shifts and by whom (EM faculty, PEM faculty)? 
• Will you be allowed resident oversight or receive an associate professorship? Which years and what specialties will you be responsible for?
• What are the characteristics of your clinical environment (acuity, volume, trauma, etc.)?
• What are the mean numbers and types of procedures for that program? Who has priority on the procedures at the institution (PEM fellows, anesthesia, critical care fellows)?
• Does the fellowship offer pediatric-specific EMS exposure?
• What electives are available? Are these opportunities congruent with your long-term interests (global health, advocacy, research, etc.)?
• How content were previous fellows from that program and where are they working now (ask to receive previous fellows' contact information as well)?
• Will the program allow you to moonlight in EM to keep up your skills while in the fellowship?
• Will moonlighting be scheduled as part of your fellow shifts or will you have a separate opportunity?
  • Keep in mind that as you are coming from EM training, you will want to keep your general EM skills if you are planning to practice "regular" EM again.
  • Some institutions will allow you to work at the primary teaching facility for the EM residency, while others require you to work outside of the system. Be sure to ask about how this works if you want to work with residents. Current or former fellows are a great resource for this, so speak with a current EM-trained fellow about their individual experience.