You can no longer edit many documents in ERAS once you have begun applying for medical residency. Yet, applicants may wonder, “Can I still update my personal statement?”  

According to the AAMC, the Personal Statement can be updated throughout the residency application season, even for programs you have already applied to. The following is directly from the AAMC:

Can I edit my Personal Statement after I apply to programs?

Yes, Personal Statements can be edited at any point during the application season – even when assigned to programs applied to.

(Source – MyERAS Documents section of: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-residency/faq/faq-eras-residency-applicants/)

Now, you may be wondering, “Why would I want to update my personal statement in the middle of the season?” 

Reasons to Consider Updating Your Personal Statement

1) Not getting enough interviews.  

Perhaps you are running low on interview opportunities. As such, it is common to wonder what could be going wrong. One issue could be that you did not get the right help or enough help crafting your personal statement(s). It is very possible that your personal statement might be completely missing the mark. Additionally, it could be turning programs off from you as an applicant for reasons you did not realize before. 

2) Outdated or irrelevant information.

For example, some applicants leave an asterisk noting the arrival of test scores. Or, perhaps there were extenuating circumstances that you included in your original application which are no longer relevant to you anymore. 

3) New and important experiences. 

The application season takes many months. In September, when you may have applied, perhaps you didn’t have US Clinical Experience. But now you have a wonderful experience that would be very powerful and helpful for you to share. Of course, this is another great opportunity to keep fine-tuning your application throughout the season. 

In Summary

Landing a residency position is challenging. Optimizing your application at all points of the residency season is important to overcoming the hurdles of residency. This is especially true for IMGs and/or those who have red flags in their application.

Now, you may be thinking, “Should I update my personal statement?” Our support staff is happy to provide guidance and input regarding this extremely important document. 

Call Residency Statement at 858-221-8590 or email support@residencystatement.com today.