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Applicant Specific Questions
What is your application deadline?
We accept applications via ERAS. The application deadline to be considered for an interview is October 11.
Does your program require a drug test?
Yes. If hired, this will be part of the onboarding process.
Does the program accept osteopathic applicants?
Yes, we accept both allopathic and osteopathic candidates.
By what criteria are residents selected?
Our program is rooted in a holistic approach to patient care, academic rigor, and a dedication to developing an exceptional group of young physicians. Our primary goal is to select residents who will be valued, integral members of the Northwest Arkansas medical community. We seek applicants who embrace professionalism and teamwork, demonstrate a strong work ethic, pursue personal growth through openness to feedback, and are committed to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. Additionally, we are fortunate to have vibrant and growing Hispanic and Marshallese populations. We are seeking applicants who are advocates, champions and members of these communities.
How are your interviews scheduled? How will we be notified of an invitation for a Northwest Arkansas interview?
Interviews will be conducted virtually, and you will be notified via email.
Program signals are considered and receive preferential review. Due to the volume of applications, we cannot provide updates on your file status or respond to individual inquiries about our program. Please do not send your application information via e-mail. We only accept applications via ERAS and conduct interviews using Thalamus. We will begin our interview process in mid-October and continue through mid-January.
Do you hire outside of the NRMP Match?
No. Applications for the PGY-1 positions are only accepted via ERAS. Our program participates exclusively with the NRMP and ERAS
How long can I be out of medical school and still apply for your program?
Most of our residents do not take time off between medical school and residency. However, we understand that every applicant’s journey is different. To be considered, applicant’s graduation date must be within the last five years from a medical school accredited by the LCME or AOA. International graduates must have a valid ECFMG certificate and meet at least one of the three ACGME additional qualifications
Do you offer observorships, externships or volunteer research work?
Our UAMS policy excludes graduate-status individuals from observorships, externships, and shadowing opportunities at our campuses during any rotations students or residents are on. That said, there are clinicians within Northwest Arkansas who are able to take observers both in private practice and at our main participating hospital site, Mercy Northwest.
Our research team is also unable to support requests for volunteer research experience due to scholarly activity requirements for our residents and medical students.
If you are in an LCME-accredited medical school, you can apply to rotate with our residents and attendings at Mercy Northwest through the VSLO system.
Are applicants required to pass both the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK or COMLEX Level 1 and 2 prior to applying?
Yes, you must pass both exams before we consider you for an interview.
Do you have a minimum USMLE or COMLEX score?
There is no minimum USMLE or COMLEX score requirement, as this is only one of many criteria used in our selection process. We do not believe that a test score reflects the quality of a physician.
International Medical Graduate Questions
Do you accept international medical graduates?
Yes, we accept international graduates.
Do you sponsor any Visas?
Yes. This residency program only sponsors J-1 visas through ECFMG and does not sponsor H-1B visas. For information on other non-immigrant visa types, or if you have questions, visit the UAMS Immigration Services page, or contact UAMS Immigration Services at AskImmigration@uams.edu.
Is U.S. clinical experience required for international graduates?
U.S. experience is not required, but it is highly encouraged. International graduates without prior US clinical experience should provide a letter of recommendation attesting to excellent clinical communication skills. Please note that we do not count externships, observerships, or research work as clinical experience.
Program Specific Questions
Why have a residency program in Northwest Arkansas?Northwest Arkansas’ population is now over 560,000 and growing by 2.4 percent annually. This equates to roughly 40 new neighbors every day! The four counties in the region—Benton, Washington, Carroll, and Madison—are considered to be medically underserved based on the Arkansas Department of Health Classifications. The strong and rapid growth of the 65+ age population requires greater utilization of health care resources in the future. The heightened demands for medical care increase the existing primary care physician shortage. Our goal is that our advanced medical education and training program will help relieve the physician shortage. We are so happy to have local and regional community and government support to increase graduate medical education positions in Northwest Arkansas.
How many PGY-1 positions are available?
There are 10 categorical positions each year in our three-year training program.
Do you have a bias for UAMS graduates?
We hope to recruit from our medical school and to recruit the best and brightest residents from local, regional, and international programs who align with our program’s mission and values. We believe that a diverse residency program provides the best training environment for our communities.
How many clinical training sites are there?
Multiple sites throughout the Northwest Arkansas Region. Our top sites include Mercy Northwest Hospital in Rogers, AR; Veterans Health Care Systems of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, AR; and the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville, AR. The UAMS Northwest Regional Campus serves as the site for educational activities (i.e., simulation, Continuity Clinics, and research electives).
How long does it take to drive between hospitals?
All of our sites are close to one another. The Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks is next door to the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville. Mercy Northwest in Rogers is approximately 20 minutes away.
Where do most residents end up living and do they buy or rent?
The majority of our residents live in Rogers, Arkansas, primarily because Mercy Northwest is the primary inpatient clinical site, which requires early mornings and late nights on certain rotations. Most residents rent, but several have also purchased homes.
What resources does the UAMS COM Northwest Internal Medicine Residency offer?
Our residency program has the following educational resources for our residents: (subject to change annually based on budget)
- MKSAP online subscription for each resident
- American College of Physicians (ACP) Resident Membership
- Our UAMS Library has numerous e-Resources available, which include eBooks and e-Journals at the UAMS campuses and are available to all UAMS faculty, students, and staff. These include Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, Access Medicine, Up-To-Date, Lexi-Comp, EBM Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews
- UWORLD for Step 3 or Comquest for Comlex 3
- Registration cost for Step 3 or Comlex 3
- Travel costs above the UAMS educational stipend if presenting a scholarly activity at a national conference of merit or for after publication cost (APC) when submitting a manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
Do you have an example of the resident contract?
Yes, please click this link to view our resident contract: Contract
Benefit Questions
What are your benefits and terms and conditions for appointment (employment) in residency training programs at UAMS?
- Benefit Summary for Medical
Please refer to the GME policy website here.
Salary
What is the salary?
For further questions regarding salary, benefits, sample contracts, please refer to the House staff handbook.
Duty Hour Questions
How does the program comply with the duty hours regulations?
Our program reports to our UAMS GME Office and complies with national work-hour regulations (ACGME/RRC). All residents are required to log their hours weekly electronically in our New Innovations Residency Management Software. We monitor their hours regularly to ensure that no week exceeds 80 hours.
Do you participate in the couple’s match?
Absolutely. We welcome applicants participating in the couples match and will be flexible in scheduling your interview day.
How does the cost of living in Fayetteville, Arkansas compare to other larger cities?
You can check this out here
When are my days off?
All residents (PGY-1, PGY-2, PGY-3) get one day off in seven when averaged over a one-month rotation. Some rotations, such as outpatient clinic-based rotations, offer more than 1 day off a week, but the minimum is always 1 day off a week.
How does the program teach quality improvement?
Quality Improvement (QI) is taught in a variety of activities and forums. All QI activities are supervised and evaluated by faculty with training and interest in quality and safety.
Residents are given the opportunity to participate in RQUEST, which is a structured QI program through the UAMS Little Rock campus
Are white coats available?
The Department provides long white coats to all our residents. We provide 2 white coats for new interns and one new coat each year, if needed. We also purchase UAMS jackets for new residents.
Does the program support professional society membership?
Yes. The program pays for a resident membership to the American College of Physicians.
Research
Are there opportunities for research?
Understanding research methodology is an essential component of Internal Medicine training. We require all categorical residents to complete and present a scholarly project during their residency. Projects can range from basic science research to clinical and translational research to curricular development and assessment to quality improvement projects.
Continuity Clinic Questions
Where is your Continuity Clinic experience located at in this training program?
Continuity Clinics are held at the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus, Butterfield Trail Village, and VHSO, all in Fayetteville. Residents are assigned to one site for the duration of residency. Residents provide ongoing continuity of care for their own panel of patients under the supervision of experienced academic general internists. This home base helps residents develop longitudinal relationships with the ambulatory faculty who train them and oversee the patients assigned to them.