Application Requirements

The application must include the following:

  • ERAS Application
  • MSPE (Dean’s Letter) and transcript
  • Three or four letters of reference. At least one should be from someone who worked closely with you on a pediatrics rotation and who writes many letters for students, such as the student clerkship director, the director of inpatient services, a senior clinician, or one of the residency program directors. A pro forma “departmental letter” is not requested or desired unless the writer(s) know the applicant well.
  • Applicants who initially submit only three letters may submit a fourth after completing a fall elective or sub-internships. We will also accept extra letters or emails if you have submitted four letters and have other faculty, residents, etc., who want to advocate for you.
  • Applicants with an MD/PhD or other comparably extensive research experiences should include a letter from their research supervisor.
  • USMLE scores (applicants must have passed Step 1 by January 2025; submit Step 2CK and Step 3 scores if they are available)
  • Personal statement.  While we recognize that most applicants use a generic personal statement for all applications, we are much more interested in learning about you personally, and your future plans than about why you chose pediatrics. Unfortunately, there is no room for many of these things in the revised ERAS application. We want to know:
    1. Where you grew up (the principal town(s) you lived in during your late childhood and teenage years, not every town you have lived)
    2. What you most like to do for fun and what special skills you have (music, art, dance, athletics, creative writing, etc), if any.
    3. Your passions and what you are thinking of doing beyond your residency.
    4. Any important research or leadership and service activities that you didn’t have room to describe within the constraints of the ERAS application.
    5. Any other things you are proud of, including accomplishments and awards.
    6. Please include these things in an addendum at the end of your generic personal statement if they are not otherwise covered in your personal statement or in the application.
  • Good quality color photograph (ideally head and shoulders with a plain background if possible)

SIGNALING

We do not limit interviews to those who signal us but include signaling as one of many factors we consider in choosing whom we wish to interview. If you choose to signal the BCRP and wish to apply to more than one track (e.g., Categorical and LEAD or one of the combination tracks) you do not need to signal each track separately. If you signal any track within the BCRP we will assume that signal extends to any other tracks to which you apply.