Applicant FAQ
Here at the University of Nevada, Reno Family Medicine Residency we take great pride in matching residents with great experiences and talents. It can be hard to put down on paper what makes for a competitive applicant to our program. However, the following should be used as a guide to assess an applicant's competitiveness for an interview and subsequent matching.
- Be a US citizen or have a Green Card. We do not sponsor any visas.
- Be able to qualify for a Nevada State license at the close of residency.
- Be able to pass Step 3 within 7 years of taking Step 1 (MD/PhD excepted)
We place equal weight on the following:
- Competitive board scores
- Personal Statement
- Three Letters of Recommendation
- Dean's Letter.
Excellent candidates do not need to have all elements submitted before an interview invitation is extended, but it does help.
Interviews will be done remotely during the pandemic.
When there is no pandemic, interviews are held on Thursday afternoons and Friday mornings with a common dinner Thursday night. Medical students interested in Elko will have a specific Wednesday interview date in Elko followed by a Reno interview on Thursday.
- Includes candidates from ~30 schools annually
- Is compiled by the Residents and Faculty
- A Passing score on Step 2 CK and CS must be received to be eligible to be ranked.
- If no Step 2 test available through USMLE due the pandemic, that will not be required.
- Candidates with one board failure need to be exceptional in other areas to make the matchable range.
- Have graduated from medical school less than 3 years ago and, if from a foreign medical school, from a reputable medical school that we know (for example, from a school we have had residents from before).
- During non-pandemic recruitment seasons, candidates who don't make or have a poor showing at the dinner usually end up ranking out of the matchable range.
- A limited number of VSAS rotations are available annually in our department.
- No observerships are available.