Key facts
- It works backward from July of the year you want to start residency.
- Dates are the usual shape of the season plus planning buffers, not official deadlines.
- Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you select is sent or stored.
- Each step links to the guide behind it.
Build your timeline
Answer a few questions. You get a dated checklist, working backward from the residency start you are aiming for, with links to the guide for each step.
Planning aid, not official dates. The calendar below uses the usual shape of the season, plus planning buffers that are our own assumptions (marked in the list). Confirm each year's real dates with AAMC, NRMP, USMLE and ECFMG.
Residency applications run on a calendar that does not wait for you. This planner turns that calendar into a checklist for your situation: choose the July you want to start training, tell it where you are with exams, ECFMG, experience and letters, and it lists what is left, in date order, with a link to the guide for each step.
How to read your plan #
- The date on the left is when a step is usually due, working backward from the season you chose.
- Critical marks steps that hold up everything else, such as eligibility, credential verification, the exam passes and submitting ERAS.
- Date has passed, Coming up and Later compare each date with today.
- Planning buffer marks dates that include extra room we added on purpose.
- The banner at the top tells you whether a later cycle is more realistic.
What the planner assumes #
The season is built around a handful of anchors that are stable from year to year, and a few buffers that are our own judgment:
| Anchor or buffer | What the planner uses | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Residency start | July of the year you choose | Typical |
| Match | March of that year | Typical |
| Rank order list | Winter before the Match | Typical |
| Interviews | Autumn into winter | Typical |
| ERAS submission | Early September of the year before you start | Typical |
| ECFMG eligibility and credentials | About 9 months before submission | Planning buffer |
| Step 1 | About 9 months before submission | Planning buffer |
| Step 2 CK | By about June of the application year | Planning buffer |
| Letters and experience | By early summer of the application year | Planning buffer |
What it cannot tell you #
- Whether you will match. No planner can. For context, read IMG match statistics explained.
- Which visa you can get. The planner only shows when visa work usually starts. See the J-1 vs H-1B guide and confirm with your program.
- How strong your application is. It tracks timing, not quality.
- Specialty differences. Emergency Medicine and OB-GYN may use a different application service for the 2027 Match, and each specialty has its own norms. Read the guide for yours.
Using it well #
- Start with the year you actually want, then try the next year to compare. Moving one cycle later often removes several "past" warnings at once.
- Be honest about letters and experience. They take the longest to arrange and are the hardest to rush.
- Work from the top of each group. The first item in a group is usually the one the others depend on.
- Re-run it every few months. Passing an exam or finishing a placement changes the picture.
- Copy the link and share it with a mentor so you are both looking at the same plan.
Frequently asked questions
Are these the official dates?
No. The season follows a familiar pattern each year, but AAMC, NRMP, USMLE and ECFMG publish the real dates and they move. Use the planner to see the order and how much time each step needs, then confirm dates with those organizations.
What does "Planning buffer" mean?
It marks a date we chose to leave room for delays, such as exam retakes or slow credential verification. It is our judgment, not a rule, and you can reasonably plan differently.
The planner says my critical steps are already past. Should I give up on this cycle?
Not automatically. It means the usual order of events leaves little room. Some applicants still apply with an exam result pending or a thinner file. A later cycle with a stronger application is often the better choice, and the planner can show you that timeline.
Does it save my answers?
No. Your answers stay in your browser. If you copy the link, your selections are encoded in the web address so you can bookmark or share the plan.
Sources
- AAMC: ERAS for applicants
- NRMP: Main Residency Match results and data
- USMLE: Bulletin of Information
Found something out of date? Tell us and we will check it against the source.