Dear 2010 Applicant to the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency (OEMR),

Thank you for your interest in our two-year residency program. This program, accredited by the American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), is available to those who have an MD or DO degree from an accredited medical school in the United States or Canada and have completed at least one year of internship in an accredited program. The program leads to board eligibility in occupational and environmental medicine through the American Board of Preventive Medicine. International Medical graduates are also welcome to apply providing they have completed (at least one year) or are currently in an accredited training program in the United States or Canada. International Medical graduates should have attended a university that is recognized by the Ministry of Education of the respective country or accredited by a U.S. regional accrediting association. For details please consult our website www.hsph.harvard.edu/erc/oemr/index.htm.

We encourage those who are not eligible for military support to apply to the Occupational Physicians Scholarship Fund (www.opsf.org) for stipend support. The OPSF deadline is November 6, 2009.

Please note that the Harvard School of Public Health uses the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) - an online application. The OEMR does not accept the Universal ERAS application at this time.

This letter provides a brief overview of the residency application process for you. Please visit our website www.hsph.harvard.edu/erc/oemr/index.htm for additional information.

Application to the OEMR consists of the following:

1) The SOPHAS online application (available September 1, 2009, at www.sophas.org);  

2) Information and documents required by The Residency Program, some of which may duplicate information and documents required by SOPHAS, sent directly to the Residency Program as indicated below.

For 2010 entrance, the deadline for OEMR applications is October 15, 2009. If this October deadline is a problem for you, please contact Ann Backus at 617/432-3327 or by email abackus@hohp.harvard.edu.  

1) The SOPHAS Application

A. Access the application at www.sophas.org after Tuesday, September 1, 2009.

B. Suggestions for completing the SOPHAS application:

• Statement of Purpose and Objectives: Use the opportunity provided in the SOPHAS application to provide a personal statement that reflects your particular interest in the Harvard OEMR. For example, you may want to describe how you believe your strengths, goals, and interests will be served through our program.

• Transcript Tip: SOPHAS requires submission of official transcripts from all post-secondary schools as well as data entry for each course taken and grade received. We recommend that you order two official copies of each transcript: one for SOPHAS and one to be held by you, to be presented to the Admissions Office unopened upon matriculation, if admitted. Additionally you should obtain two unofficial copies of all transcripts: one for your data-entry purposes and one to send to the Residency Program administrator (see below). [Note: If you do not wish to enter the courses and grades in the SOPHAS application yourself, you may contact SOPHAS to inquire about a fee-based service that will enter these data.]

• Letters of Recommendation: For letters of recommendation, follow the process as outlined in SOPHAS. In SOPHAS, each reference is asked to write a recommendation that will be applicable for any (participating) school of public health to which you designate your application. For the HSPH Residency Program documentation requirements for letters of recommendation please see below under “Residency Program.” 

• Please also note that HSPH Admissions will be glad to add to your file any additional letter(s) of recommendation that discuss(es) how the Harvard OEMR is suited to your needs and interests. Any letters specific to the HSPH should be mailed directly to the Admissions Office at 158 Longwood Avenue, Boston MA 02115-5810.

• Specifying the OEMR: To specify your interest in the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency, under "Update Designation" select "Harvard School of Public Health," then select "MPH, Occupational and Environmental Health," or "MOH, Environmental Health." (MPH is the usual degree, but MOH is also accredited for the residency.) Click "Search" and choose "Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency," then under the October 15, 2009 deadline, click the OEM box.

• Application to The Residency requires that you complete the SOPHAS application and submit the following documents directly to Ann Backus by October 15 2009:  

Ann Backus, M.S. Administrator, OEMR
Occupational Health Program, Room 1-1402
665 Huntington Avenue
Boston MA  02115  

1) A statement of purpose and objectives;

2) Your current CV;

3) Unofficial medical school transcripts;

4) Official USMLE scores for all steps taken;

5) MCAT (US/Canadian Medical Graduates) or GRE scores (International Medical Graduates);

6) ECFMG certification (if an international medical graduate);

7A). If you have completed a prior US/Canadian residency program: Submit one original letter of recommendation from the Program Director of your most recent training program that includes the following statement: “In accordance with ACGME requirements, as Program Director, I verify that Dr. ____ has demonstrated sufficient competence to enter practice without direct supervision.” This letter must be signed across the envelope seal and sent (to Ann Backus) directly from the recommender.

7B) If you are presently in a training program (PGY 1 or higher): Submit one original letter of recommendation from the Program Director signed across the envelope seal and sent directly from the recommender.

8) Two additional original letters of recommendation (each signed across the envelope seal and sent directly from the recommender) at least one of which should have direct knowledge of your clinical skills.

9) If you have completed only one year of US/Canadian clinical training (PGY-1 internship or transitional year) (or greater than one year, but will not have completed a full residency by July 2010) you also need: A summative evaluation from your most recent program director. Your Program Director can access the Summative Evaluation of Competencies for 12-month Clinical Phase Residents, at http://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/RRC_380/380_SummativeEvaluation_GPM_AA_04_10_2008.pdf. 

• Although some of the documents required by the Residency Program are duplicates of those required by SOPHAS, it is crucial that SOPHAS and the Harvard OEMR each receive all required documents.

• If you already have an MPH and wish to be considered for the Practicum Year only (clinical year), please contact Ann Backus and send an unofficial copy of your MPH transcript to abackus@hohp.harvard.edu so that the residency director and faculty can advise you whether or not additional courses are needed in order to meet our academic competencies for Occupational Medicine.

• If some additional courses are required, but the credits are not enough to constitute a full degree program, you may be asked to apply through SOPHAS to HSPH as a non-degree special student rather than as a degree student.

• If applying as a special student, specify your interest in the Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency, under "Update Designation" select "Harvard School of Public Health," then select "Non-degree, Department of Environmental Health." Click "Search" and under the October 15, 2009 deadline choose "Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency.

•  Special students and those who have met the requirements to enter the residency without further course work will still need to send the Residency Program documents listed above.

We encourage all prospective applicants to contact the OEMR administrator directly so we can help track and facilitate your application throughout the process, as well as answer any questions. Her contact information is:

Ann Backus, MS abackus@hohp.harvard.edu

617/ 432-3327  

Questions about the SOPHAS application can be directed to the Admissions Office:

admisofc@hsph.harvard.edu

617/ 432-1031

I also encourage you to contact me directly regarding your interest in the residency and for any questions regarding program content.

Thank you.  We look forward to working with you during the application process.

Sincerely yours,

Stefanos Kales, MD, MPH

Director, OEMR s

kales@hsph.harvard.edu

617-665-1580