"Rocking the match": Applying and getting into residency

Success in life requires talent and skill. But in addition, preparation is critical because it allows a person to use talent and skill to their maximal advantage, putting the person in the best position possible for whatever is planned. Success in the residency application process is more likely if the student keeps this in mind. If a student begins to prepare long before the deadlines and due dates, the process will be easier and things will be more likely to work to his or her advantage. This article is written from the perspective of someone who has evaluated many residency applications and many residency applicants. It is "an insider's view" into the process and provides some tips to medical students as they contemplate the next step after medical school. The points in the article can be remembered with the mnemonic "MRS. POPE," which should allow the student to recall the importance of Mentoring; how to prepare a Résumé; the value of good Scores; the skills involved in Promoting oneself; the role of careful Observation during the interview process; and how to Present oneself and Express interest during and after the visit. Even if the mnemonic cannot be recalled, the student should remember above all that the process of preparing oneself for applying for residency begins the first day of medical school, if not sooner. Hopefully, students can use the information in this manuscript as a recipe for "rocking the match.".