About Program Signals

Program signals allow you to express your interest in individual residency programs during the application. The program signal is used as one of several data points to determine who to invite for a residency program interview.

You can send the program signals to each specialty based on your interest. Here are some latest updates on specialty signal.

How Gold signals are different than Silver?

• Gold Signals are designed to identify your “MOST PREFERRED” programs.
• Silver Signals are designed to identify your “PREFERRED” programs.

Important Note: Certain specialties decided to use a tiered program signaling approach to better understand applicants’ level of interest. Tiered signaling offers applicants two levels of signals: gold and silver.

How are signals shared with programs?

• Standard Program Signaling: If you signal a program, the program will see the word “Yes”. Standard signals will all be displayed as “Yes”.  
• Tiered Signaling: If you signal a program, the program will see either the word “Gold” or “Silver” rather than seeing the word “Yes”.

If you do not signal a program, signal a different program, or skip this question, the program will receive no information.

How do signals help you in getting Residency interviews?

As you know the programs do not look at one thing to decide whether to invite an applicant for the interview or not. It’s a holistic review that makes their decision to send the invitation. Now, Sending signals to programs that are your top-rated based on interest will make the work of directors easier to shortlist you and review holistically to invite for an interview.

If you do not signal the program, they will able to see the neutral response from your side which will not have a bad impact during the interview invitation cycle.

Tips for Sending Program Signals

• Use all the signals you received during the ERAS application to share your interest.
• Shortlist the programs based on your strengths, ultimate career goals, competitiveness, mission, relations with the program, and personal circumstances.

Some Insights of Internal Medicine Applicant 2023-24:

1. More than 22% of applicants focus on Clinical/translational Science as meaningful experience.
2. More than 20% of applicants focus on Medical Education as a meaningful experience.
3. More than 15% of applicants focus on Community Involvement/Outreach as meaningful experiences.
4. More than 19% of applicants show their Key Characteristics in Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
5. More than 21% of applicants show their Key Characteristics in Teamwork and Leadership
6. Majority of applicants relate their meaningful experience in the form of Work, Research, Volunteer, and Education

If you are a 1st-time applicant and want to plan a Residency MATCH Cycle is summarized form. Watch our YouTube video.

Source: AAMC/program-signaling