Advanced Programs: Specialty programs typically with post graduate year two (PGY-2) positions that begin the year after the Match and after one or more years of required preliminary training.  

Categorical Programs: Program with post graduate year one (PGY-1) positions that provide the full training required for board certification in a specialty.  

ERAS (Electronic Residency Application Service): The Electronic Residency Application Service® (ERAS®) streamlines the residency application process for applicants, their Designated Dean's Offices, Letter of Recommendation (LoR) authors and program directors. By providing applicants the ability to build and deliver their application and supporting materials individually or as a package to programs, ERAS provides a centralized, but flexible solution to the residency application and documents distribution process. 

Fellowship Programs: Programs that begin subsequent to completion of a core residency training program.  

MSPE (Medical Student Performance Evaluation): The MSPE is a summary letter of evaluation intended to provide residency program directors an honest and objective summary of a student’s salient experiences, attributes, and academic performance. This contains noteworthy characteristics, a summary of coursework and grading, clerkship grades and comments and class rank and is compiled by Clinical Education.  

NRMP (National Residency Matching Program): After the application and interview process, the NRMP provides the mechanism through the Registration, Ranking, and Results® (R3®) system for applicants and programs to enter rank order lists of their true preferences. NRMP uses a mathematical algorithm to match applicants and programs to their most preferred ranked choices to make the best possible match for all participants.  

 Preliminary Programs: Transitional or specialty programs with one-year (PGY-1) positions that provide prerequisite training for advanced programs.  

 Structured Evaluation Letter (SEL): Some specialties are requiring Letters of Recommendation to be written according to a template unique to that specialty. Some specialties that required SELs during the 2023 ERAS season were OB, IM and EM.  

VSLO (Visiting Student Learning Opportunities): The VSLO program helps medical students connect with institutions offering short-term elective opportunities that can enhance their medical education. These elective opportunities include clinical opportunities, away electives, clinical audition rotations and visiting opportunities.