Addressing the Challenges of Applications and Transition to Residency

Dr. Maya Hammoud is Chief of Women’s Health Division and Associate Chair for Education at the University of Michigan. Dr. Helen Morgan is the Director of Residency Preparation Courses at the University of Michigan. Together, Drs. Hammoud and Morgan are leading the $1.7 million American Medical Association (AMA) Reimagining Residency Grant for Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO) Right Resident, Right Program, Ready Day One.

The episode begins with Drs. Hammoud and Morgan sharing a call to action regarding the need to transition the emphasis of applying to residency from the lens of individual achievements to that of an individual’s competency as a future physician. The two physicians share what inspired them to contribute to making changes in the realm of OB/GYN, including personal experiences from advising medical students at the University of Michigan to their own family members. During this time, they address pitfalls of the current system, including the financial expenses for applications.

The group then transitions to describe the 5-year grant that led to the development of Right Resident, Right Program, Ready Day One. The program addresses 2 components: (1) the application process itself, and (2) students’ readiness for residency. The physicians cover the topic of “application fever” (i.e., the large increase in the number of applications that each student submits), and how the field of OB/GYN has adopted “program signaling” with the hope to mitigate this ongoing trend. Drs. Hammoud and Morgan also address topics such as growth mindset, holistic review of applications, importance of coaching for preparation for residency, and the increasing popularity of OB/GYN as a specialty.

Lastly, the group highlights other aspects of the residency application process, including methods to ensure an equitable review process, the need to increase diversity in the field, the standardized letter of evaluation (SLOE), and best practices to facilitate transition to residency. During this conversation, Drs. Hammoud and Morgan share about the residency preparation courses that are available for medical students at the University of Michigan.