1. What is your application deadline?
Our application deadline is October 6, 2023, and categorical applications must include the WUSM General Surgery Secondary Application. Applications submitted after October 6, 2023 will not be reviewed.
2. What are your criteria for submitting an application?
We are registered with the National Rank Match Program (NRMP). All applicants must be registered in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS®) and the NRMP to apply to our program. For more information, please visit: http://www.nrmp.org/residency/main-residency-match/ and https://www.aamc.org/students/medstudents/eras/. Applications must consist of all ERAS® materials and the following REQUIRED documents:
- Medical Student Performance Evaluation (Dean’s Letter)
- Medical School Transcripts
- Three (3) letters of recommendation from American Board of Surgery-certified surgeons who are familiar with your work
- USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK Scores (see question #9)
- Personal Statement
- WUSM General Surgery Secondary Application (see question #3)
Please note that all applicants must have graduated from medical school within the last five (5) years.
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed by our selection committee.
3. What is the purpose of the program-specific secondary application?
The purpose of our secondary application is to help us better understand your training and career goals and interests, as well as your interest in our program specifically. We first implemented a secondary application during the 2021 Match cycle and found that the information we received assisted greatly with our holistic approach to application reviews, as well as with preparing our interviewers for their one-on-one sessions with applicants on interview days. We have decided to carry this requirement into the 2024 Match cycle.
Directions for how to submit the secondary application will be sent upon receipt of your ERAS application.
Questions include:
- Please comment on a specific mentor, research interest, or focus of training at Wash U that makes you excited to train at Wash U.
- What most excites you about living in St. Louis or the Midwest?
- What did you do on your last day off?
Answers to each question will be limited to 280 characters or less.
All applicants who apply to our program in ERAS by the October 6th Deadline will be sent directions on how to submit the WUSM General Surgery Secondary Application. In order to be considered for a Categorical position in the 2024 Match, all applicants MUST complete the WUSM General Surgery Secondary Application. The secondary application is intended to help us better understand your training and career goals and interests, as well as your interest in our program specifically.
4. I have never been to St. Louis. Will I be able to visit your program in person?
We recognize that choosing a place to call home for the next 5 to 7 years of your training is a huge decision, and we appreciate how difficult it can be to gauge whether a city or program is right for you without having ever experienced the sights, sounds and people in person and face-to-face. With that in mind, we have tried to put together a thoughtful collection of resources, including a video tour of our medical campus and several St. Louis landmarks, hosted by our Program Director, Dr. Paul Wise.
In addition, categorical applicants who interview with us will be invited to join us in person for a “Second Look” event in February. Second look events will be scheduled AFTER all interview days have taken place, and AFTER our program’s rank list has been submitted to the NRMP. Second look events will not be required, and because they will take place following submission of our rank list, will have no influence on our rank list decisions. Their purpose is solely to provide applicants with as much information as they need to determine whether training at Washington University in St. Louis is the right choice for them.
You are also welcome to visit St. Louis on your own time and play tourist for a day or weekend. We happen to think that St. Louis is a great place to visit, and an even better place to live, and we hope you will too! If you do happen to visit on your own, please be aware that we will not be able to accommodate any in-person meetings or tours, to ensure that we can provide a consistent, equitable experience to all who apply and interview with us.
6. What are your interview dates? When will interview invitations go out?
Interview dates for the 2024 Match are:
- Thursday, November 16 (Categorical)
- Thursday, November 30 (Categorical)
- Thursday, December 7 (Categorical)
- Thursday, January 11 (Categorical)
- Thursday, January 25 (Preliminary)
In keeping with APDS recommendations, we anticipate sending our first round of interview invitations for Categorical positions between October 26 and November 1, 2023, in alignment with APDS recommendations. Invitations for Preliminary positions are planned to go out in late December/early January.
Visit our webpage or Twitter account to learn about interview updates.
7. What is your accreditation status?
Our program has continued full accreditation status with the ACGME.
8. Do you accept applications from international medical graduates?
Yes, all applicants who meet the requirements noted in question #2 above will be considered. Please note that all applicants must have graduated from medical school within the last five (5) years.
9. What are your minimum USMLE scores? Are there other selection requirements?
The Selection Committee for our training program is committed to a holistic review process, taking into consideration the whole applicant with the goal of assessing the value they would contribute to learning, practice, and teaching at our institution. While we don’t have a specific set of criteria per se, as a rule we do require passage of both Step 1 and Step 2 CK on the first attempt. Our current categorical residents’ USMLE Step 1 scores range from 211 to 266, with an average score of 244. Our current categorical residents’ USMLE Step 2 CK scores range from 215 to 275, with an average score of 256.
Step 1 scores must be included in your application; Step 2 CK scores are not required for your application to be reviewed, but applications with Step 2 CK scores will be prioritized and are therefore strongly recommended to be included at the time you submit your application.
10. What are your requirements for letters of recommendation?
All applicants must submit three letters of recommendation from American Board of Surgery (ABS)-certified surgeons. These individuals can be in any surgical discipline, but must currently be ABS-certified. This requirement applies to international medical graduates as well, regardless of whether applying for the categorical or preliminary track.
11. I am an IMG who has not had clinical experience or training in the United States? Can I still apply to your program?
We do not require prior U.S. clinical experience. However, because we do require three letters of recommendation from American Board of Surgery-certified surgeons, we find that nearly all IMG applicants who are invited to interview with our program have had clinical observerships, sub-Is, and/or research experience in the United States.
12. Do you have international medical graduates in the program?
Yes, we currently have both preliminary and categorical residents who are international medical graduates. Please visit our Resident Profiles to learn more about our current preliminary and categorical residents.
13. What visa(s) do you sponsor?
Our institution most frequently sponsors J-1 visas. In some instances, we have been able to sponsor other types of visas on a case-by-case basis (F-1 Opt, H-1B), but we are not able to guarantee sponsorship of any type of visa. If you will require visa sponsorship to accept a residency position with us, we recommend that you contact your local Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) office to understand the various pathways to visa sponsorship available to you.
Please feel free to email us with any other questions you may have at: asksurgery@wustl.edu.