Career Advising 8.29.25

Interview Symposium

Mark your calendars for our Interview Symposium on Saturday, Sept 27 from 10-12 via zoom.

Please finalize your applications soon! We have an internal deadline of Sept 15 (to avoid the rush or server crash) as many programs send their first round of interview invitations as soon as Sept 25 (Sept 24 is when programs can first view applications).

Your application cannot be changed once submitted to programs (though LORs can still be submitted). However, you can change a personal statement and LORs when applying to new programs. And signal PRIOR to applying to programs.

The MSPEs will include evaluations up until 8/29 and are being completed on a rolling basis. You can review these during Sept prior to application submission. Contact the wonderful Mandy Garcia will any questions regarding this process.

TexasSTAR is a great resource to help guide your application process. Visit: https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/education/medical-school/about-the-school/student-affairs/texas-star.html If your login has expired, contact Mandy to have it reset.

Taylor Paramo is managing my schedule (since ED shifts are all hours and my schedule changes each week). Contact her for appointments. I would be happy to meet with you!

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns along the way. We wish you all the best!

(see attached video)- 8.25 note.mp4

Emily and Team (Mandy, Sam and Taylor)

Signal Strategy Presentation:

If you were unable to attend the 2025-2026 Western Signaling Webinar, you can access the recording here:
2025-2026 Western Program Signal Strategy Presentation – August 21, 2025

The presentation slides are available below for your reference:

Program Signal Strategy Presentation 8.21.25

Please reach out to Taylor Paramo if you have any trouble accessing the materials or if you have any questions!

Reminder regarding LOR Instructions

Now that you have received your ERAS token, you can begin the process of requesting letters of recommendation by logging into ERAS to either provide access to your letter writers directly or to generate a hard copy of the Letter Request Form that you can give to your letter writers. This process may vary depending on your specialty application system.

Here is an outline of the letter request process:

• In consultation with the Academic and Career Advising team and your faculty advisor, identify three or four faculty members to write letters of recommendation for you. Be sure to check program websites so that you know whether programs have any special criteria for letter writers or have particularly early deadlines for letters.
• Find out whether your specialty or PGY 1 programs require a chair’s letter and, if so, who in the department is the designated person to provide this letter. Please note that you must request chair letters—they are not provided by default. Consult with your specialty advisor regarding the process for requesting a chair’s letter.
• Inform your letter writers that you are interested in having them write a letter for you. Ideally, you will do this in person, but if that is not possible, you may submit requests via email. Ask “Do you think you know me well enough to write me a strong letter of recommendation?” If the faculty member does not think they know you well enough, choose another letter writer.
• Once a faculty member agrees to write you a letter of recommendation, provide a packet with all the information that person will need to write you the best letter possible. Often, a faculty member will want to meet with you to discuss your application for residency before writing a letter. Be sure to ask whether your letter writers want to meet with you and be prepared to provide your packet when you meet.
• Your packet should be put together in a nice folder (physical or virtual), and should contain the following items:
• A personal note or cover letter to your letter writers thanking them, describing what is in the packet, and letting them know how to contact you if they need further information. If you will be requesting multiple letters from the same faculty member, please explain this in detail in your cover letter.
• The letter from Dr. Rose to prospective LoR authors which can be found here:  Instructions to LoR Authors from Dr. Rose Co2026
• The Letter Request Form* generated from ERAS (or the residency application platform you are using, as applicable). If you are requesting multiple letters from the same faculty member, you will need to provide multiple cover sheets. Please highlight the specialty to which the letter will be assigned. *Alternatively, you may provide this access directly via ERAS.
• Your CV.
• Your personal statement if you have it ready when you request the letter. If it is not yet ready, you can send it later or provide a working draft if requested. This can be a helpful reminder to your letter writers.
• Your photo (optional).
• Your clerkship summary evaluation narratives (recommended, compiled by you in a Word document), publications, or anything else that will help your letter writers write strong letters for you such as highlights or memorable aspects of time you spent with them on during your rotation.

Please let your letter writers know that they must upload letters directly to your residency application platform. Our office is unable to upload letters for them. If letter writers need more information, they can consult this website.

Due dates for letters will vary by program. You must research your programs to find out when the deadlines are. You do not need to have all your letters in to submit your application, but plan to if possible.

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Mandy Garcia, M.E.
Director of Academic and Career Advising
Keck School of Medicine of USC

University of Southern California
1975 Zonal Avenue, KAM 218D
Los Angeles, California 90089-9024
Office 323 442 3050

[email protected]