INFORMATION FOR NEW APPLICANTS

Thank you for your interest in our Internal Medicine program. The information below should answer most, if not all, of the questions you have about applying to our program.

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED WITH ERAS APPLICATION:

1. Curriculum Vitae.
2. Personal Statement.
3. Dean’s letter.
4. Certified medical school transcript (copy).
5. Three additional letters of recommendation from professors familiar with your academic performance.  There is no advantage to submitting more than the requested number of recommendation letters.  Please do not submit more than five letters (including the Dean’s letter.)
6. USMLE (United Stated Medical Licensing Examination) score reports for Steps 1, 2 and Clinical Skills Assessment (Step 2 CS). Candidates must pass all the above USMLE steps prior to the start of the program.
7. International medical graduates (IMG’s) must submit a copy of their ECFMG certificate at interview.
8. Copy of medical school diploma if you have completed medical school at time of application.
9. Recent color photograph of yourself (optional but mandatory if invited for interview).

Resident selection:
Howard University Hospital participates in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
• The Department of Medicine selects from eligible applicants on the basis of their preparedness, ability, aptitude, academic credentials, communication skills, and personal qualities such as motivation and integrity.
• The program does not discriminate with regard to sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
• Only applications that are submitted thru Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) will be accepted.
• Applications should be submitted by December 1, 2007.
• All applications submitted through ERAS will be reviewed.
• All aspects of the application will be considered – including, but not limited to:

performance in medical school
performance on USMLE
Dean’s letter
personal statement
letters of recommendation
research productivity and clinical/academic activities since graduation.

• No previous clinical experience is necessary.
• Candidates must pass USMLE steps 1 and 2 with no more than two sittings each.  Candidates scoring in the higher percentiles (i.e., 90% and above) are considered first.
• A personal interview is required. Telephone interviews are not granted.
• Candidates who have been selected for interviews will be notified by the program coordinator with details.
• Interviews are conducted from October, 2007 through January, 2008.
• There is no advantage to early (November) vs. late (January) interviews.
• There is no advantage to late (January) vs. early (November) interviews.
• There are IMGs in the program (Categorical & Preliminary).
• All IMGs must pass USMLE Steps 1 and 2 before being considered for invitation for interview.
• All IMGs must be certified by the ECFMG in order to begin training.
• The Howard University Hospital sponsors both J1 and H1B visas.
• The program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
• Participation in the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) is required.
• The Education Committee of the Department of Medicine will determine the rank list and order for NRMP.
• Candidates will be selected for the NRMP rank list and order on the basis of their preparedness, ability, aptitude, academic credentials, communication skills, and personal qualities such as motivation and integrity as demonstrated during the interview.
• NRMP match is binding.
• Pre-match positions are not offered.
• No resident will be permitted to begin training without legal permission to work in the U.S. The Department is under no obligation to hold any position for any candidate who matched but who does not have legal documentation to work in the United States.

• We do not offer externship or observership positions.

Peter L. Sealy, M.D.
Program Director