MCMC IM GME FAQs

Yes. All interviews for the 2024-25 application cycle will be conducted virtually.

MCMC offers a virtual open house for applicants who have interviewed with us. Unfortunately, we do not offer open houses for all applicants.

We do not have an application deadline, but we do strongly encourage you to submit your applications as close to the ERAS opening date as possible.

Yes, we use the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). We cannot process applications received through any other electronic or paper medium.

Yes. Our program will be participating in the supplemental ERAS application offered through the AAMC’s ERAS program. Applicants will be required to complete the MyERAS application, and participation in the supplemental ERAS application is optional.

The additional information collected will help our program staff learn more about applicants’ medical education journey, including more meaningful information about work, volunteer, and research experiences, and will help us better identify applicants who fit our program environment and mission.

For more information on the supplemental ERAS application, FAQs, recorded webinars, and more, visit the supplemental ERAS application webpage.

Yes.

No. MCMC is not allowing any visitors at all at this time. Do not arrive at the hospital for any reason. Security will not allow you past the front desk.

No. Positions are only offered through the National Resident Matching Program.

Yes.

Mercy’s residency consists of a mixture of graduates from U.S. allopathic and osteopathic medical schools, U.S. citizens who have elected to pursue medical education at international medical schools, and foreign nationals who wish to pursue advanced residency training in the U.S. We sponsor residents on J1 visas. We do not sponsor H1B visas.

For international medical graduated, we are looking for letters of recommendation from three (3) faculty members who know you well. At least 1 LOR should be from a U.S.- based Internal Medicine Faculty. We require Step 1 and Step 2. In addition, please ne sure your medical school transcript, personal statement, and curriculum vitae (ERAS formatted) are available in ERAS as soon as possible. You will need to be ECFMG certified by the time you start your program in June. If your ECFMG status is still pending for reasons other than your graduation date, please be sure to explain in your personal statement.

For United States medical graduates, we will be looking for at least 3 letters of recommendation. We would prefer that one be from your Dean or Chair. The others should be from faculty who know you well. We require USMLE or COMLEX Step 1 scores (only 1 exam required), and we prefer to review USMLE or COMLEX Step 2 scores. In addition, please be sure your medical school transcript, personal statement, and curriculum vitae (ERAS formatted) are available in ERAS as soon as possible.

A Chair’s letter is not required. We prefer that your recommendations be submitted by faculty members of your school who are well acquainted with you and your medical education experiences, and who can provide knowledgeable references for you. If you are an international medical graduate, it is preferred that one letter of recommendation be from a faculty member of an American Teaching Facility.

No. However, it is strongly preferred that applicants have graduated from medical school within the past five years. Applicants who have had ongoing post-graduate clinical experience will be considered. We use holistic review to find the best candidates for our program.

Yes. U.S. clinical experience is required. We prefer a minimum of 2 months of U.S. clinical experience. Ideally, some of this experience should be as an externship or clerkship at a teaching hospital.

At Mercy, we evaluate each applicant as an individual. Applicants with a single failure of a step exam but an otherwise exemplary application are encouraged to apply. Although most applicants have USMLE scores > 210 or COMLEX > 450, applicants with lower scores but outstanding qualifications in other areas are encouraged to apply.

Applications often arrive from ERAS incomplete, but the Committee waits until applications are complete before reviewing them. ERAS updates live, so if you add a document, we will be able to view it in your application immediately.

No. Do not email the Program Director or Program Coordinator with any documents or information outside of ERAS, as we will not review them. Upload documents, new LOR's, updated research, etc. into ERAS. If you'd like to message the Program, please use the messaging feature in ERAS.

Although applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, we review each of the 4,000–5,000 applications received annually on an individual basis. As one can imagine this takes time. DO NOT EXPECT an immediate response after submitting your application. It may not be reviewed until a later date, or it may be reviewed and held for a second consideration should we have additional interview dates become available due to cancellations by scheduled applicants.

We review all applications sent through ERAS. Applicants invited to interview will receive an email through ERAS. Unfortunately, due to the numbers of applications sent we are not able to send updates for all applicants, nor are we able to verify status of individual applications via email, telephone, or in person. We strongly discourage calling or emailing the Program to follow up on your application.

We sponsor J-1 visas and accept EADs with proper verification. We do not sponsor H1b visas.

Yes, PGY 2 or 3 categorical residents are permitted to complete one outside elective.

Many of our residents go on to independent practice in hospitalist medicine or primary care medicine. Others continue their training in accredited fellowship programs.

Unfortunately at this time MCMC does not offer observerships.

MCMC is a proud affiliate of both Drexel University College of Medicine and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. We offer clerkships and electives in a number of areas. Please visit our page for Medical Students for more details.