Applicant Selection & Eligibility
The following information is provided to all applicants to our training program to help them better understand our selection policies and to provide them with a detailed understanding of contractual obligations between applicants and the Department of Anesthesiology should an applicant be selected for training in anesthesiology at the University of Florida College of Medicine through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).
Eligibility and Selection Process
Residents are selected for the Anesthesiology Residency Program at the University of Florida College of Medicine according to the policies outlined below. These policies are fully compliant with our Institutional Policies for Resident Selection.
All training programs in the Department of Anesthesiology are equal opportunity programs. Applicants from all races, ethnic backgrounds, and countries are considered and evaluated based on the merit of their applications. Factors considered, among others, are preparedness, ability, aptitude, academic credentials, communication skills, and personal qualities such as motivation and integrity.
All residents selected for this program must be a graduate of an LCME accredited medical school, AOA accredited Osteopathic Medical School, possess verified credentials from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates or have completed a Fifth Pathway program provided by an LCME accredited medical school.
Applications to our residency program must be submitted through the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS). In addition to the application, we require three letters of recommendation (one of which may be the Dean’s Letter of Evaluation), a personal statement, and a current curriculum vitae. Applicants must have passed Part 1 of the USMLE prior to initial application. All successful applicants to the program must also pass USMLE Part 2 prior to beginning training at the University of Florida. Failure to do so renders the applicant ineligible to train at the University of Florida Department of Anesthesiology.
All PGY-1 level and first specialty PGY-2 level residents will be chosen via the National Resident Matching Program. Residents may also be chosen after completing training in another specialty or after military service as a physician, but these residents will generally be selected outside the matching program. Conduct of both the applicants and of this program and its representatives will be governed by the current rules of the National Resident Matching Program.
Notice to Our International Students
The University of Florida Department of Anesthesiology welcomes applications for residency from our international colleagues. Please be aware, however, that the University of Florida College of Medicine will usually only sponsor visas of the J-1 (visitor exchange) type. The College of Medicine will only in rare circumstances sponsor any new H-1 type visas for training in any medical specialty. Permanent resident aliens who already have permanent work authorization are, of course, welcome to apply. All applications must be filed through ERAS.
As an international graduate please pay special attention to our Test of Spoken English (TSE) exam requirement. The TSE is not to be confused with TOEFL, USMLE, ECFMG, or CSA. The TSE is a verbal examination that tests your ability to function in an English-speaking environment. Many international medical graduate residents, who have successfully passed their ECFMG and are highly qualified, have experienced language difficulties in the OR arena where rapid, effective communication with colleagues in anesthesiology and other medical specialties is critically important. Therefore, additional English speaking testing requirements have been implemented for all non-native English speaking applicants to our program. The exam requirement may be waived by the program director if you have been raised or spent significant time in a country where English is the primary language and received your medical training in English. Otherwise, the test of spoken English exam is mandatory and the results must be available prior to any consideration for listing in the match program. Your application to our residency program will be reviewed once it is complete.
If your application appears competitive, we will issue an invitation for an interview and advise you to take the TSE examination. We do not advise signing up for the examination until your application is determined to be competitive. The TSE examination results do not have to be available to be considered for an interview, but must be available to be considered for the matching program. You must receive a score of 50 or higher on this examination, and the results must be available prior to February 1st in order to be included on our rank order list for the National Resident Matching Program.
Sample Contract for Residency Training
A sample contract for training in the Department of Anesthesiology is provided so that you may better understand your obligations and the obligations of the Department of Anesthesiology should you be selected for training. In the case of residents selected through the NRMP, contracts will be mailed to all matched applicants within one week of the release of match results. All NRMP matched applicants are expected to sign and return a copy of the contract within one week of receipt. If circumstances change and a successful matched applicant no longer desires training at the University of Florida, he/she must obtain a written release from the program director (Dr. Martin) releasing him/her from all obligations incurred by participation in the matching program. There is no guarantee that such a release will be given, and if the release is not given, the applicant will be expected to begin training at the expected time (July 1). In general, however, release will be given for legitimate reasons.
In the case of applicants outside the NRMP, applicants will be notified during their final interview (with the program director) when they could expect to receive notification of selection and a contract. Contract will be mailed to the applicant within one week of selection, and the applicants will be given a deadline date to return a signed copy of the contract, after which the contract will be null and void.