kaplan medical

Residency Guide

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kaplan method
The Most Personalized
Prep Experience

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kaplanmedical.com 1-800-533-8850 *USMLE is a joint program of The Federation of State Medical Boards of the
United States, Inc. and the National Board of Medical Examiners.
 Kaplan Medical: The leader in
USMLE preparation for more
®

than 40 years.

Kaplan helps build futures, one success story at a time, as we

help physicians score competitively in order to secure their
top-choice residency positions. We have developed this guide
to help you navigate the competitive process of obtaining
a residency position. Let Kaplan help you succeed in
accomplishing the most important next steps in your medical
career. At Kaplan Medical, your success is our #1 priority!

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k a p l a n m e d ic a l r es i d e n c y guide
 Kaplan Offers the Widest Range of Valuable Resources
Kaplan knows that thorough preparation with expert faculty, proven content, and practice
questions are key to a great score—that’s part of the “Kaplan Method,” and that’s why
our comprehensive approach to the USMLE has been so successful for so many physicians.
Our programs are designed to help you score higher on the USMLE and to improve your
candidacy for the residency you want.
the kaplan
These include: method
4 Expert Faculty The Most Personalized
Prep Experience
4 Personal Learning System (PLS)
Content Review
4 Highest-Yield Content

4 Content, Question Practice, Exam Simulation, and Strategy

4 Flexible Study Options Question Review

The Road to Residency

Kaplan students know that the many months leading up to a successful candidacy for Exam Simulation
residency require applicants to prepare for the USMLE, while simultaneously managing
the application process and all the many deadlines that entails. Furthermore, in order to
secure interviews and favorable rankings, residency candidates must position themselves
competitively among their peers. At Kaplan we know that simply passing the USMLE is
not your ultimate goal. Your end goal is to obtain residency—we will help you succeed

The IMG’s Pathway to Medical Licensure

in the United States

The following
exams may be Step 3
taken in any Residency Match Taken during
order, and residency*
are required Requirements • ECFMG® Certification

for ECFMG for ECFMG • Enroll in NRMP®

Certification: Certification • Apply using ERAS®

Step 1 • Medical degree • Interviewing at

3–9 months residency programs
• Medical school USA Residency
to prepare transcript • Rank programs Training
Step 2 CK • Step 1, Step 2 CK, • If no Match,
3–9 months “scramble” or 3–8 years required
Step 2 CS depending on
to prepare reapply the
following year specialty chosen
Step 2 CS
1–2 months
to prepare

*Several state medical boards allow IMGs to take USMLE Step 3 before beginning their residency program.

The U.S. pathway to medical licensure requires completion of a U.S. residency training
program. Most programs select candidates using the National Residency Matching Program
(NRMP®) also known as the “Match.” In order to qualify to participate in the Match,
International Medical Graduates, or IMGs, must obtain certification by the Educational
Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®), which in turn requires the completion
of all exam requirements.

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 Understanding the National Residency Matching
Program (NRMP)
The NRMP oversees the Match. This system of matching candidates to residency training
positions allows you to interview and rank preferences, while simultaneously allowing the
residency programs to rank those applicants they have interviewed. The preference lists are
merged by computer, with results announced on “Match Day” in mid-March.

As a successful applicant, you must 1. Scores (USMLE)

prove that you are an excellent fit 2. Experience (CV and Clinical Experience)
for the residency program, which
3. Passion and Leadership (Personal Statement
is demonstrated by your completed and Interview)
application package.
4. Commitment (Letters of Recommendation)

Match Class
Kaplan has developed the keys to residency success with our virtual class found on your My
Kaplan page when you register with Kaplan. Match Class offers a series of exclusive services
and information that includes:

4 A growing online Video Archive on various topics

Rx
4 Online Match Message Board Forum
kaplan’s rx for residency
4 Various Match resources, including placement statistics by residency type and the latest
Match information
Note that residency
programs often rank the
What do interviewers look for?
importance of applicants’
test scores differently; The interview process is the program’s chance to get to know you firsthand, rather than
your probability of through written materials. They are interested in your motivation for medicine and for their
matching into your specialty, in your communication skills and personality, in your self-confidence and ability
to handle the interview process itself. For IMG candidates, they are especially interested in
preferred specialty will
your English language skills, any clinical experience you bring to the table (particularly from
sometimes be more the United States), your understanding of the residency training process, and your ability
strongly associated with to fit in with other members of the program.
your Step 1 score, while 4 Conducted in late fall/early winter
for other programs your
4 Opportunity for residency program and candidate to evaluate each other
Step 2 CK score may
4 Candidates who do not interview with a program generally will not be selected for
be more important. a program
Researching various
4 Visit kaplanmedical.com for Residency Interview Workshops held at Kaplan centers
programs early to learn throughout the year and be sure to practice your interviewing skills prior to going to
what selection criteria any official interview
they use will help you For more information about Kaplan’s services for building interviewing skills, visit
set appropriate test kaplanmedical.com or call (800) 533-8850.
score expectations, and
will help identify your Educational Commission for Foreign Medical
residency options when
Graduates (ECFMG)
you are applying.
ECFMG certification is a prerequisite for state licensure for all IMGs. The ECFMG is
responsible for making sure that IMGs have met all the minimum requirements before
being allowed to seek a residency position through the Match.

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Higher Scores Open Doors!
Among the most important components of your residency application is a strong
performance on the USMLE. Due to large numbers of applicants, most programs do not With my personalized
have time to consider every application and rely on USMLE scores as a preliminary means
of filtering which applications to review and which to ignore. study guide, I was able
to direct my attention
About the Exams
to my weaker subject
USMLE Step 1 tests knowledge of the Basic Medical Sciences (subjects typically
areas. It gave me the
learned in the first two years of U.S. medical school).
confidence I needed
USMLE Step 2 CK tests Clinical Science Knowledge (subjects typically learned in the
third and forth years of U.S. medical school). going into test day and

USMLE Step 2 CS is a “practical” live exam using standardized patients that is meant
I highly recommend
to test a candidate’s English communication and clinical skills. PLS to anyone taking
USMLE Step 3 tests Patient Management Skills at the level of a first-year resident. the USMLE.
–Diana Aldape, Kaplan Medical Honor
Society Member
IMPORTANT:
International Medical Graduates Need More Than
a Passing Score
Programs generally look for USMLE scores above 216/88, with competitive programs often
seeking much higher scores. Most programs require applicants to have passed the exam on
the first attempt or a very limited number of attempts, while highly competitive programs
may only offer interviews to IMGs with scores above 225. Plan ahead to ensure that you are
able to meet the various Match deadlines. At Kaplan Medical you can prepare thoroughly
and gauge your progress so that you can reach your highest score on your first attempt.

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kaplan medical residency guide
 Residency Checklist
Kaplan’s experience and staff support, help simplify the residency application process so you can feel confident you will not
miss anything along the way. Use the checklist below to track your progress as you travel the road to residency.

1 q Research Potential Residency Programs

q Get advice from your peers, conduct research online, and attend free Kaplan events to gain insight into
the USMLE and the NRMP matching process
q Meet with a Kaplan advisor to plan your personal pathway to medical licensure in the United States
q Determine the eligibility requirements of your desired residency programs (In addition to competitive USMLE
scores, participation in U.S. clerkships, and additional clinical or research experience may help improve your candidacy)

2 q ECFMG Certification
q Register with the ECFMG via OASIS to begin your application to take the USMLE
q Submit your diploma and medical school final transcript to ECFMG (Transcript must be translated in English;
medical school and graduation year must be listed in the IMED)

q Schedule, take, and pass USMLE Steps 1, 2 CK, and 2 CS (Must be passed within a seven-year time period. Ideally, all
scores should be available by September 1, prior to applying to programs)

3 q
NRMP
q Apply for a token (AAMC ID #) via ECFMG’s OASIS system
q Use token to open up Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) application workspace
q The following application components must be submitted to ERAS no earlier than July 1, but ideally
by September 1
q Profile
q Personal Statement
q Common Application Form
q Supporting documents should be submitted to ECFMG for scanning and uploading to ERAS by August 1
q Letters of Recommendation
q Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE)
q Medical School Transcript

4 q Apply to Residency Programs (September)

5 q Interview as Scheduled (November–January)

6 q Send Thank You Letters Following Program Interviews

7 q Submit Rank Order List via ERAS (late-February deadline)

8 q Match in Mid-March

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Helpful Resources
Kaplan Medical is committed to helping physicians prepare for the required medical licensing exams. Below is a list of resources
we hope will help you in your journey to becoming a licensed physician in the United States.

licensing exams and certification

United States Medical Licensing Examination

4USMLE Exam updates and general exam information, latest fees.
www.usmle.org

Educational Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates

4ECFMG Certification and Applying to take Steps 1, 2 CK and Step 2 CS.
www.ecfmg.org

4ECFMG To subscribe to e-mail announcements from ECFMG regarding

www.ecfmg.org/reporter/
Reporter important news.

4Kaplan
Board review and other applicable information. www.kaplanmedical.com
Medical
4SLM Kaplan works with this Sallie Mae company to help you finance
www.salliemae.com/ctl
Financial® the cost of your USMLE preparation.

residency research and application

Electronic Residency Application Service

A service that transmits residency applications, letters of
www.aamc.org/eras
4ERAS® recommendation, Dean’s Letters/MSPE, transcripts, and other
www.ecfmg.org/eras
supporting credentials from applicants and medical schools
to residency programs via the Internet.

Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/

4FREIDA® Online database of 8,200 Graduate Medical Education Programs. category/2997.html

Federation of State Medical Boards

4FSMB Information about State Medical Boards and Applications www.fsmb.org/usmle_eliinitial.html
for Step 3.

the match and scramble

National Residency Match Program

4NRMP This is the main residency match with the majority of www.nrmp.org
specialties participating.

4San Handles the residency matches for the following specialties

Francisco (and similar fellowships): Child Neurology, Ophthalmology, www.sfmatch.org
Match Plastic Surgery, Neurology.

4American
Urological Handles the residency match for Urology only. www.auanet.org
Association
Electronic service provided by AAMC that lists open residency
4FindA positions year round. Particularly helpful for locating open
www.findaresident.com
Resident™ positions between Match cycles or positions that begin off-cycle.
Works in conjunction with ERAS. Fees apply.

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kaplan medical residency guide
 Highest-Yield Content
Lectures, review notes, and study questions are only as good as the people who contribute
to them. Kaplan Medical’s research team selects the topics for review that are most likely
to be tested and are most important for exam success.

Our high-yield content does not neglect information vital to your understanding of key
concepts; it thoroughly covers all exam subjects, without sacrificing the quality of one
subject for that of another.

We have also designed the Lecture Notes in such a way that they promote active studying
and topic integration. Revised routinely to reflect the latest exam trends and student feed-
back, you can think of your notes as containing the combined experience of thousands of
test takers just like yourself!

The Kaplan Method

The Most Personalized Prep Experience

Rx Content Review + Question Review + Exam Simulation

Only Kaplan provides you with the best content review, question review, and exam
kaplan’s rx for residency
simulation that you will need to be successful on test day. With the Kaplan Method we
have developed the most robust, comprehensive approach to exam preparation that also
Research your programs includes detailed explanations to deepen your understanding of difficult test questions.
early on so you will know And only Kaplan is able to provide this distinct personalized strategy that allows you to
develop a study timeline to fit your specific needs.
what you need to do to
Design a course that meets your study and score goals to increase your chances of
improve your candidacy. matching to the residency you want. With the Kaplan Method applied to each of our core
Rest assured, if programs, you can apply our revolutionary exam approach to your preferred courses.
you have prepped with You can conveniently combine the best of what Kaplan has to offer with our unique Live
and Center courses.
Kaplan, your scores
will pay off, allowing
you to focus more time the kaplan method
on your applications.
Content Review Question Review Exam Simulation

Gain deeper subject Practice exam- Build confidence

comprehension in style questions for test day and
a highly interactive and modify your gain invaluable
learning environ- approach as you insight into your
ment and reinforce learn key concepts test-taking behavior
your studies with and material at as Kaplan
dynamic video your own pace replicates the
content review. and discretion. USMLE experience.

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k a p l a n m e d ic a l r es i d e n c y guide
Unique Kaplan Resources
Personal Learning System (PLS)

We understand that preparing for the USMLE can seem like an overwhelming task. Kaplan
Medical’s innovative PLS is an interactive study tool that will analyze your test scores and
create a personalized study guide customized to your strengths and weaknesses. A feature
of select Step 1 and Step 2 CK review programs, PLS helps you focus on the topics that USMLE Step 1 Lecture
you need to improve and provides suggestions for remediating weak areas. PLS allows Notes:
you to study with confidence by helping you cover the highest yield material as efficiently (Eight Books)

as possible. • Anatomy
• Behavioral Sciences
PLS also organizes many of your testing resources so you are able to focus •B  iochemistry and Medical
Genetics
on areas of improvement. Take advantage of the following resources:
• Immunology and Microbiology
• Pathology
4 Topical Quizzes 4 Subject-Based Assessment Tests • Pharmacology
• Physiology
4 Diagnostic Exam 4 Full-Length Exam Simulation • Qbook

USMLE Step 2 CK
Lecture Notes:
(Six Books)

• Internal Medicine
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Pediatrics
•P sychiatry and Ethics
• Surgery
• Qbook

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kaplan medical residency guide
kaplan medical residency guide
 Kaplan’s Personal Guidance
As you travel the road to residency, we encourage you to get informed, ask questions, and
take charge of your destiny as you employ the Kaplan Method. Kaplan Medical is excited to
be a part of your success and we look forward to serving you in the very near future.

first things first :

Meet with a Kaplan advisor, schedule a diagnostic exam,
and choose your Kaplan Medical review program.

Getting Started with Step 1

Kaplan understands that students have different study needs. Students who match some
of the characteristics in the chart below will be ideally suited to the study lengths indicated.
To help you determine which program best fits your needs, make an appointment with a
Kaplan advisor who can schedule a free diagnostic test and help you build a study timeline.
Please refer to the chart below and review with a Kaplan advisor to build a review plan and
residency preparation timeline.

Length of Study
Step 1 Courses Comprehensiv e Intermediate Basic

Applying to extremely competitive Applying to competitive programs Solid diagnostic scores—may only
programs with time to devote need a few points to reach their goal
completely to board prep Modest diagnostic scores with confidence

Previous exam failure or very low Candidates with a mostly solid IMGs who are academically very strong
diagnostic scores academic foundation and with a
few especially weak areas Very fluent English skills
Candidates who need to strengthen
Offshore medical students or other
History/ their academic foundations Satisfactory English skills, requiring
infrequent repetition IMGs who have recently completed
Background
Candidates whose English is their coursework or graduated less
Candidates who have graduated than 1 year ago
less than fluent will also
1–5 years ago
benefit from this immersion-
style environment, with ample
opportunity for repetition

IMGs who have graduated more

than 5 years ago

CenterPrep
Flexibility, 9 Months 6 Months 3 Months
Independent Study

LivePrep 16 Weeks* 14 Weeks 7 Weeks

Structure, Interaction

*Not a stand-alone LivePrep course—must be combined with 7- or 10-month CenterPrep.

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k a p l a n m e d ic a l r es i d e n c y guide
Meet Our Faculty
Kaplan’s instructors are the heart and soul of our program. With more than 70 faculty
members, Kaplan programs all feature experts in their respective fields who are also highly
evolved teachers in the classroom. At Kaplan we know that being a content expert is not
enough; our faculty also must be able to teach effectively—and more importantly, teach
directly to the test! Our faculty are the “A” list in education and test preparation, setting the
bar in USMLE preparation.
4 I nclude U.S. medical school faculty and practitioners
4 Integrate methods and resources developed from feedback by thousands of students
4 Offer unique insights into the high-yield content of the USMLE

Meet just a few of Kaplan’s Expert Faculty:

Dr. Elmar P. Sakala

M.D., Loma Linda University | M.A., Walla Walla University
M.P.H., Loma Linda University
4 Teacher of the Year Award: 4-Time Winner
(Loma Linda University School of Medicine)
4 Best Obstetric and Gynecological Doctor in America: 3-Time
Winner (Loma Linda University School of Medicine)
4 Author—Obstetrics and Gynecology (Board Review Series)

Dr. David Seiden

Ph.D., Temple University
4 Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society Member

4 UMDNJ Excellence in Teaching Award

4 Robert Wood Johnson Teaching and Service Award

Dr. Salvatore Turco

Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Postdoctoral Period, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
4 Silver Pointer Best Teacher Award: 11-Time Winner
(Awarded By First-Year Medical Students)
4 Author—More than 150 articles in peer-reviewed journals

4 Co-author—Kaplan Medical Biochemistry Lecture Notes

Dr. Manuel A. Peñalver

M.D., University of Miami School of Medicine
4 Chairman, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
FIU School of Medicine
4 Doctor of the Year in Miami, Florida Winner
(Baptist Hospital Surgical Services)
4 Author—Numerous peer-reviewed journals, textbooks
and chapters

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 Free Events
Get the information you need on attaining residency, the Match, the USMLE,
test-taking strategies, and much more. Register for a free event today!

Here are just a few of the events Kaplan Medical will be hosting:

4Learn How to Personalize Your Study for Step 1 and Step 2 CK

I can’t believe these
4Interviewing for Residency
events are actually free!
I used specific tactics I 4Personal Statement Workshop
learned at a couple free
4Inside the Step 2 CS
events on the actual
exam and now hope to 4Begin Your ERAS Application
Match with one of my
4USMLE* Test-Taking Strategies
top residency choices.
Thanks, Kaplan! 4How to Match to a Residency
–Fahmida Yasmin, Kaplan Medical Honor
Society Member

Sign up for the free Residency Match Toolkit.

Get free information, reminders and other services regarding the Match.
To sign up, go to kaplanmedical.com/toolkit.

kaplanmedical.com 1-800-533-8850
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