Applying for Residency or Fellowships? Get Advice from Friendly Experts
July 16, 2024
Anxious about applying for residency or fellowship programs? Register for a webinar with experienced but approachable program directors and faculty who can give you advice and guidance.
Applying to Adult Neurology Residency: 2024-2025 Application Cycle Insights
Wednesday, July 31
6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. CT
Moderator: Erica A. Schuyler, MD, FAAN, University of Connecticut, Hartford HealthCare
Panelists:
- Rebecca E. Matthews, MD, Emory University School of Medicine
- Jorge Eduardo Patino Murillas, MD, University of Texas Health Science Center
- Jose H. Posas, MD, FAAN, University of Virginia
- Leticia Tornes, MD, FAAN, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Jackson Health System
Applying to Child Neurology Residency: 2024-2025 Application Cycle Insights
Tuesday, August 6
6:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m. CT
Moderator: Aaron Lane Nelson, MD, FAAN, NYU Langone Health
Panelists:
- Rana R. Said, MD, FAAN, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
- Hayden Alexander Moses Hatch, MD, PhD, Boston Children's Hospital
- Latanya Agurs, MD, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
- Rachel J. Gottlieb-Smith, MD, MHPE, University of Michigan Health System
“We want to relieve the applicants’ anxiety about applying to residency by having them hear from some of the program directors and faculty who are familiar with doing this from the program side,” said Schuyler, who is chair of the AAN’s Resident Application Statement Work Group. “We will answer frequently asked questions that applicants may have or be worried about."
Schuyler said the biggest change in the application process is the number of programs that applicants can signal in the adult neurology residency application. “In the previous two years, they could signal interest to three programs. This year, they can signal eight programs. This may change how programs are screening applications.”
The AAN has issued a consensus statement for the 2024–2025 application cycle, including a recommendation that all neurology and child neurology residency and fellowship programs once again commit to virtual interviews for all candidates in the 2024–2025 application cycle.
Schuyler said, “The goal of having a consensus statement is to show that as a specialty and through the AAN, we value having an equitable process for applications, we are committing to a holistic review of applications, and we are transparent with applicants about our process.”
The AAN joins the Association of American Medical Colleges and other institutions that have made similar recommendations for the upcoming cycle.
Initially introduced to maintain safety during the pandemic, the virtual interview format has been shown to boost equity and reduce financial burden, with data pointing to its effectiveness for matchmaking as comparable to in-person interviews—at a fraction of the cost.
The AAN’s statement also contains guidelines for programs in areas such as “second looks,” away programs, the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) platform, and holistic review strategies. Applicants can also find useful information and advice, such as choosing how many applications to send—an area where many feel pressure.
Schuyler said, “Hopefully applicants who attend the webinar come out of that session feeling excited and comfortable with the application process. That’s really the goal of all this—the consensus statement exists so that applicants have some advice about what to do and that they feel comfortable going into the process and are excited to apply. Programs are all looking forward to meeting our future neurologists."