Information for Applicants

Thank you for your interest in our family medicine residency program. We hope you will consider applying. Please take a few minutes to read the commonly asked questions and answers below. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact our program at ELPFamMedResidency@ttuhsc.edu.

We look forward to receiving your application for admission into our residency program. We receive applications solely through the Electronic Resident Application Service (ERAS) provided by the Association of American Medical Colleges.

The following documents should be submitted through ERAS:

  • Application
  • Personal Statement
  • Official USMLE/COMLEX transcript
  • Medical school transcript
  • Dean's letter
  • 3 letters of recommendation (one must be a letter from a family physician who can attest to your qualifications for, and interest in, family medicine).
  • If you are not currently in medical school, a letter of recommendation must be received from the physician with whom you are currently working.

We do not have a specific deadline for applications, but given the volume of applications we receive and the limited amount of interview spots, we recommend submitting your application prior to the ERAS release date of Sept. 27, 2023.  Applications received after October 11 are unlikely to be reviewed.

We accept eight residents per year.

Applicants must meet one of the following qualifications to be eligible to apply for the Family Medicine Residency Program:

  • Graduates of medical schools in the United States and Canada accredited by the LCME;
  • Graduates of osteopathic medicine in the United States accredited by the AOA;
  • Graduates of medical schools outside the United States who meet the following qualifications:
    • Have received a currently valid certificate from the ECFMG
    • One year U.S. clinical experience (does not include observerships, externships or research)

No. Though our area has a large Spanish-speaking population, a great many patients are bilingual. We also have translation services available in clinic for residents who do not speak Spanish.

There are no minimum score criteria to apply. You do not have to have taken Step 2 CK/Level 2 CE prior to being extended an interview. However, in order to be ranked by our program, we must receive passing scores for USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK (for Allopathic applicants) or COMLEX Level 1 and Level 2 CE (for Osteopathic applicants). Scores can take up to 8 weeks to be reported, so please plan accordingly.

No. The USMLE/COMLEX Step 3 is not a requirement for application or acceptance into our program. The deadline for successful passing of USMLE/COMLEX Step 3 will be March 1 of the PGY-2 year, however, the program recommends the residents complete it prior to the end of intern year.

Applicants that meet our basic criteria will be evaluated and considered. Upon initial review of the applications, you may be selected for an interview, or your application may remain active while we consider other applications. If you are NOT selected for an interview, you will NOT be contacted. We only contact applicants who are selected for an interview.

Interview invitations will be sent via Thalamus.

All interviews will be done in person, here in El Paso, Texas.  The interview experience will include dinner the night before the interview, a tour of the facilities and city in the morning, lunch at a local restaurant, and interviews with our faculty and residents in the afternoon.  We feel it is important for our applicants to experience firsthand the culture and hospitality that our program and border community have to offer.  

Interviews for the 2023-2024 application cycle will be held on Mondays and Fridays, beginning in November and continuing through January.  The interview experience begins the night before with a dinner with our residents and will be expected to end around 4:30pm the following day.

After the conclusion of our interviews in January, we will be holding a second look event in El Paso on February 10th. This will be an afternoon of food, activities, and conversation with our residents and faculty, intended to give our applicants more exposure to what our program has to offer and to answer any lingering questions they may have.  We will also be having a housing tour in the morning, to give a better idea of home and apartment options in El Paso.  We appreciate the challenges of attending for those who do not live in El Paso.  

This will in no way have a bearing on an applicant's rank status with our program if they are unable to attend.  The Second Look is solely intended for the applicants to get a better feel for our program before their rank list is due.