When to Take Step 2 CK for the 2026 Residency Match
The Step 2 CK exam score is one of the top factors residency programs use when selecting candidates to interview. Most students in the United States take the USMLE Step 2 CK after their third-year clinical rotations—typically between May and July—to align with residency application timelines. This schedule ensures you...
US Doctor Specialties by USMLE Step 2 CK Scores
With the change of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 transitioning to an entirely pass-fail examination, more emphasis has been placed on the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (Step 2 CK) score in the residency selection process. KeyPoint Details Importance Step 2 CK is one of the most important standardized...
How Long Is Residency by Specialty?
Residency is a stage of medical training that, in the US, is completed after medical school. As post-graduate medical education, residency training ranges in length depending on what field you are training for. Additionally within each field, there are opportunities to specialize even further through an added few years of...
ERAS Program Signaling: Key Changes Explained
This blog was originally published in July 2023, and updated on July 9th, 2025 by Dr. Dylan Eiger. Two years ago, Elite Medical Prep hosted a residency roundtable event for the 2023 match cycle. We are now thrilled to share that all the sessions have been meticulously recorded, allowing...
How to Prepare for Residency Match Day
The day you have been waiting for has finally arrived! You have spent years training to become a doctor. And in just a few days or weeks, you will learn on Match Day where you will spend the next few years of your life as a practicing physician in residency....
Tackling the Residency Personal Statement
This blog was originally published in August 2023, and updated on July 1st, 2025 by Dr. Dylan Eiger. Last year, Elite Medical Prep organized a roundtable event on the nuances of residency applications, equipping attendees with essential insights for the year’s application cycle. In the event titled “Mastering the...
The Hardest Residency Specialties and What to Expect
This blog was originally published in 2023 by Dr. Alina Khil and updated for accuracy in February 2025 by Dr. Coco Stewart. The Hardest Medical Specialties to Match Into Choosing a medical specialty is a challenging task, especially when it comes to many of the more competitive specialties. Is...
SOAPing Into a Competitive Residency Program
The last thing on most students’ minds going through the SOAP is, “how do I match into a competitive program?” The truth is, most SOAPing medical students just hope they Match into a residency program at all. But, the best applicants make the most of this tough situation. Sometimes, these...
Woman in Surgery: Insights From an Orthopedic Resident
I distinctly remember the day I first considered a career in orthopedics. Prior to medical school, I worked as a scribe in a small orthopedic clinic. While the other scribes grew tired of their days repeatedly evaluating arthritis, I was fascinated by the nuances and surgical options that orthopedics offered....
Matching Into Orthopedic Surgery Residency
The NRMP Program directors survey “at a glance” tool is extremely helpful in gauging where your application packet stands compared to the applicant pool. Here are the major components to consider when applying into Orthopaedic Surgery.