What Are Signal Tokens?
Signal tokens are a relatively new component of the residency application process, first introduced in 2022 for some specialties and adopted to more specialties in the years since. Think of the signal token as a “super-like”- it is a finite number of signals that you can send to the programs you are especially interested in. This can be for any number of personal reasons, including but not limited to:
- Location
- Strength of Training
- Program Benefits
- Other opportunities
Signal tokens are a very important thing to understand and take advantage of because again – you can only send “X” number of them! Programs take these very seriously and give applicants that send signals extra consideration in the interview selection process.
ERAS just announced the updated signal token allocation for the forthcoming 2025 match and we are thrilled to share it with you and discuss some key aspects. Lets dive right in!
As you can see, major changes were only made to a handful of specialties, which are Internal Medicine, General Surgery, PM&R, Psychiatry, and Radiation Oncology. Importantly, there was an increase in the number of signals in all of these specialties, which is better for applicants in our opinion!
Allocating Signals
One of the most frequent questions we encounter when working with students is how to allocate signals. The truth is, there is no master one size fits all formula. This is a highly personal decision that will vary for every single applicant individually. However, it is important to consider your own priorities in the match, your applications competitiveness, and how many signals your specialty offers prior to determining which programs will get them. If you are a highly competitive with 10+ signals to give, your list will be vastly different then a below average applicant with 5 to give.
This is where having good mentors in your specialty come in handy to not only evaluate your competitiveness and discuss your priorities, but also provide insight to which programs are more/less competitive and which are more or less receptive to MD/DO/IMG. Having these conversations early are critical in coming up with an actionable game plan come September and time for application submission!
Learn more about our advising and mentorship services on our website here!
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