Best Residency Prep Company

The residency match is the process of matching MD and DO medical students with positions in residency programs. It’s a significant step in a doctor’s career, but it can be stressful.

According to a recent Canadian data snapshot from CaRMS, 69–94% of candidates, depending on the application category (USMG, IMG, or CMG), matched to appropriate positions. In the US, the number of medical school students has grown by over 30% in recent years, but with insufficient federal funding, residency slots have not kept pace. It’s very likely that applicants who successfully matched attended one of the medical schools with best match rates, submitted outstanding application materials, or perhaps even completed a residency prep course.

Want to learn more about common residency interview questions? Check out this video:

Some medical students will have to wait at least a year before they can begin their careers as physicians. Others decide to take a gap year before residency. Many will ultimately succeed on their second try at a match, but given the time, energy, and effort required, why not aim for success the first time?

Finding a great residency prep company with excellent resources and qualified advice to help you prepare for your residency application and interviews, including how to create your residency rank order list, is a wise investment in your future and will ultimately save you time and effort. International applicants may wish to consider a specialized IMG residency consultant for support in addressing all the additional criteria for this category.

What Does a Residency Prep Company Do?

A residency prep company will help you create your strongest application for residency. Here are five areas that a residency prep company might cover in their services:

1. Providing an overview of the residency match process
2. Compiling a list of programs that you hope to match to
3. Building your residency CV
4. Providing residency personal statement editing, guiding you through the writing process, and advising you on pertinent resources
5. Setting up residency mock interviews and assigning practice tasks to prepare you for interviews

In addition, a residency prep company can help you manage the entire residency application process, including:

• Integrating your residency application into a long-term career strategy
• Effectively using tools and online resources available for medical students preparing for residency

How do residency interview preparation services help applicants? Check out this infographic:

What Do Residency Program Directors Look For?

Understanding what residency program directors are looking for may be one of the best reasons to use the services of a residency prep company, as an admission advisor specialized in this field will have the “inside scoop” on everything related to residency. Clearly, you will want to emphasize parts of your application that you believe will increase your likelihood of receiving an interview invitation, but are you sure what they are? The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) states that program directors do give specific aspects of your ERAS application a higher rating than others. So, are you certain you have adopted the right approach or that each component is as strong as it could be? Have you disregarded lower-rated components? The purpose of a residency prep company, simply put, is to take the guesswork out of the process.

Applying to residencies is challenging for all MD and DO students, but a residency prep company will be there to support you, boost your confidence, help you with big decisions, and provide you with great information and resources to strengthen your application, ensure you apply to the best residency programs in the US and the best residency programs in Canada, ace your interviews, and match!

How Do Residency Prep Companies Help Students?

Engaging the services of a residency prep company can benefit students in many ways:

1. In Understanding the Residency Application and Match Process

A residency prep company will, above all, improve your comprehension of the entire application process. This is important because, as statistics show, not all medical and dental students get matched with residencies. The competition is high whether you’re attempting to match to the most competitive residency or the least competitive residency, so your application and interview performance must be exceptional. Having a good, general understanding of the application timetable, stages, materials, and expectations will help you visualize and plan everything you need to do and where you need to improve.

2. In Narrowing or Aligning Your Selections and Objectives

A residency prep company can help you assess your options and narrow your choices of residency programs. They can also prepare you for your residency experience by informing you of what life might look like as a resident doctor and providing a knowledgeable perspective to help steer you in a direction that best correlates with your professional interests, passions, and long-term career goals. A residency prep company can be especially helpful if you’re unsure which field is best for you or are looking to learn more about career outcomes. They can guide you on which are the best pediatric residency programs, the best internal medicine residency or the best residency programs for surgery. They will also be able to offer you online information and tools to assist you with your application and decision-making process.

3. In Learning How to Prepare for Residency Applications

You must submit an application that is flawless if you want to improve your chances of matching. In navigating the ERAS application or CaRMS, you will notice the importance of certain deadlines and requirements, such as your ERAS experience section and residency letter of intent. You must explain your relevant experiences, credentials, and skillset on your application succinctly and in a way that will captivate decision makers. You must produce a professional residency personal statement that highlights your skills and experiences, wows residency program directors, and makes you stand out from the competition.

To make your residency application the very best it can be, a residency prep company can help you sort through and keep track of all the criteria and confirm that you’ve met all requirements for your chosen programs. They will also help you assemble proof of the training you’ve had in medical school and the experiences you’ve had in the field and then show them off to your best advantage! Moreover, a residency prep company can point out any red flags in your residency personal statement and teach you how to present certain information more effectively.

In a competitive environment, it’s essential to highlight your talents as a candidate and potential physician. A residency prep company offers many services and resources to educate you and give you guidance and strategies for how to achieve that.

4. In Practicing and Building Specific Skills

Through residency interview preparation services, a residency prep company will give you the chance to practice your interviewing techniques with professionals in residency mock interviews while gaining an understanding of what to expect in the interview. They will also provide you with self-assessment tools, which can be particularly useful for identifying weaknesses and areas to improve. Residency interviewers will ask you a lot of open-ended questions, which calls for a great deal of thought and a succinct delivery. For example, knowing how to answer “tell me about yourself” during your residency interview and preparing for similar questions in advance will help you avoid any major blunders in the actual interviews.

A residency prep company can also teach you how to write specifically for your application, that is, how to develop a draft of your CV or personal statement, how to produce a polished, edited version, how to transfer information to residency application forms, and how to write your own letter of recommendation. These are skills that will serve you well throughout your academic and professional career, for example, when you wish to produce a stellar research resume or apply to a position as a physician. In fact, engaging a residency prep company at this stage is basically like hiring a professional to help produce your portfolio – a package you can take with you wherever you go.

5. In Gaining Confidence

Residency prep companies can also boost your confidence, which is critical for residents as well as future doctors and specialists in their fields. The residency application process causes many medical students anxiety, given that it is a crucial stage in their career. With so many different medical specialties to choose from, it can be difficult to know which programs are the best options for you.

Residency prep companies can aid in this decision making by informing you of the various types of residencies, their match rates, and their suitability to your long-term goals. Your confidence will also grow as you become more well informed about the whole process and have the opportunity to practice your writing and interview skills.

6. In Preparing for Exams 

Residency prep companies can help medical students get ready for USMLE Step 2 CK and OSCE exams to improve performance and reduce the stress that is often experienced. They will provide guidance and even courses to help with study methods and test-taking strategies as well as other resources, such as OSCE prep cases and practice exams that simulate the actual tests.

Preparing for exams at this level is more than just memorizing content; a residency prep company can outline what to expect and give you guidelines for managing your time, nerves, nutrition, fatigue, and many other aspects that affect your ability to ace these marathon-like exams.

7. In Refreshing Your Application if You Previously Went Unmatched

As any good doctor knows, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but the fact remains that some students may not match in the first iteration. The Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP) exists to attempt to match such students in the period following the main process, and while the chances of matching at this time are good, it remains a trying and sometimes embarrassing time for students, who may feel like they just didn’t “measure up.”

The main reasons for students not matching in the first round, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) are as follows:

As you will have gathered by now, a residency prep company has resources that can help in basically any of these areas and can propose more effective strategies. They can also accompany you in considering alternatives, such as another specialty or a transitional year to work in a clinical setting or improve test scores. What’s important to remember is that you will not improve your chances of matching if you use the same approach that was unsuccessful in your first attempt. It is crucial to identify what went wrong and understand what you need to do to remedy the situation. A residency prep company will systematically analyze the steps you took and pinpoint areas for improvement.

Some students may also be returning to the match process after some time. Perhaps you graduated from medical school a few years ago and embarked on other professional or personal projects; in this case, a residency prep company can provide a “refresher” to help you brush up on your application preparation skills and knowledge, interview abilities, career goals, and areas of interest.

What to Expect from a Residency Prep Company

One-on-one assistance is definitely the best option for increasing your chances of matching to your desired residency. Often delivered online, these services are convenient and self-directed; in other words, a good residency prep company will personalize the help they provide to what you request while advising you on aspects of your application you may have neglected or addressed improperly.

In most cases, you will have the opportunity to meet for one-on-one sessions with a residency admissions advisor for an agreed amount of time. At the end of this process, they will confirm for you when your application is perfect and ready for submission. Sessions may involve answering your questions, giving advice, providing you with examples and homework, and reviewing your application materials. This can be complemented by sample/mock scenarios and interviews.

Some residency prep companies offer courses that can be taken at your own pace and may involve recorded lectures, webinars, and one-on-one feedback from an instructor. They may also include the opportunity to connect virtually with other medical students who have already been through the Match and can give helpful tips.

How Long Do Residency Prep Company Services Last?

The duration of service from a residency prep company can vary greatly, from a week or two to several months. This will depend on your needs, goals, available time, and budget. For example, if you are familiar with the overall process, you may be looking for a quick crash course, simply to review your residency application components. However, if you feel out of your depth or had a poor experience with matching in the past, you might feel more secure with weekly meetings with an advisor as well as access to additional resources, such as reading material and practice interviews.

How Much Do Residency Prep Company Services Cost?

The cost of services offered by residency prep companies varies as well, and some can be expensive. You can complement your residency preparation by availing yourself of all resources offered by your school, which are often extensive. In fact, many clinical education departments will provide mentors, electronic and computer support, and help with personal statements and interviews. However, if you wish to benefit from the guaranteed services provided by qualified admission professionals at a residency prep company, it is important to look for one that offers flexible payment plans, such as an installment agreement, and a money-back guarantee, as we do here at BeMo. 

Conclusion

A residency prep company can be highly beneficial in terms of giving you an overview and roadmap of the application process, examining every part of your application, and making sure all your documents are compelling, well written, and error-free. They can also give you the confidence you need as you start your demanding but rewarding professional journey and help you smoothly transition to residency. Finally, a residency prep company can help you get ready for interviews by providing OSCE and USMLE advice, resources, and practice. Consequently, engaging a residency prep company is worth seriously considering, whether you are a medical student applying to residency for the first time or have graduated but did not match.

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To your success,

Your friends at BeMo

BeMo Academic Consulting

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