The proverb states "the early bird catches the worm," and indicates the success that the conscientious bird achieves by being early! Woody Allen further states that "just showing up is half the battle." And finally, one of my personal favorite quotes is...
"to be early is to be on time,
to be on time is to be late,
to be late is to be forgotten"
-Elin Hilderbrand
Overall, the takeaway is to not only show up (which is definitely important :)), but to show up early. And, very appropriately and consistently with the quotes above, Merriam-Webster defines timely as "coming early or at the right time."
In medical education and practice, timeliness is key and also indicates one's respect for others. By just showing up, and more specifically, showing up "on time", you are indicating that you realize the preciousness of time for both yourself and for others. As a medical student, resident physician, and practicing physician, the practice of accounting for any delays and striving to be early (or at least on time) is an indicator of your professionalism and how you are perceived and valued by your colleagues, preceptors, and patients. Making a habit of being timely in showing up is just one part of the puzzle. Additionally, charting on time and completing any other required patient-related tasks in a timely fashion can have an impact on patient care.
So what led me to post about timeliness now? For medical students, as the ERAS application timeline moves forward (with September 28, 2022 as the first date that residency programs can review apps), the importance of submitting applications "on time" (if possible) can be an important step toward your residency match success. Similarly to adhering to being timely when in person for rotations, adhering to timelines for documentation and applications is important. As you finalize your applications and prepare for submission, in addition to considering the content, consider the timing of submission. With technology, there is the potential for computer, internet, or website issues, so the recommendation is to try to submit earlier than the deadline to ensure that you do not face any issues with successful application submission.
Wishing medical students the very best with your residency application process and upcoming interviews! Remember that you are amazing! You have achieved so much and now this final phase is a culmination of your incredible medical school journey.
Best wishes for a successful 2023 match cycle for all,
Take good care,
Rupal S. Vora, MD, MPH, FACP
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