What should be included in the ERAS Work Experience Section?

Include relevant professional experiences, such as internships, research, and volunteer work. Focus on achievements and use action-oriented language.

How do I quantify experiences in the ERAS Work Experience Section?

Use specific numbers and outcomes to illustrate your impact, such as improved patient outcomes or project completions.

Can I include non-medical work experience in ERAS?

Yes, if it demonstrates transferrable skills or leadership qualities relevant to the medical field.

How long should each entry be in the work experience section?

Each entry should be concise yet detailed enough to convey your role and impact, typically 2-5 bullet points per entry.

What is the most common mistake in the ERAS Work Experience Section?

The most common mistake is providing vague descriptions without highlighting specific achievements or outcomes.

ERAS experiences section guide (2026)

The Experiences section is where ERAS asks you to show who you are beyond grades and scores. The rules have changed in recent seasons, so ignore advice written before the current format. This guide was reviewed in September 2026 against AAMC's current Experiences guidance for the 2027 season.

What the section asks for

You may select and categorize up to 10 experiences. For each one you give basic details such as the organization, position, dates and hours, plus a description of up to 750 characters covering your activities, responsibilities and context. You can also tag an experience type, a primary focus area and a key characteristic. An experience does not have to be clinical: research, teaching, volunteering, employment and meaningful extracurricular commitments can all count.

Choose the set, not just the items

AAMC advises applicants to consider the experiences as a complete set that communicates what matters most to you. Before writing, list everything you might include, then pick the 10 that together show your clinical exposure, your interests outside medicine and the qualities you bring to a program. A long-standing hobby or community commitment can say more about you than a second similar shadowing entry.

Write the 750-character descriptions plainly

Say what you actually did and were responsible for, not what the program or lab is known for.
Use your normal vocabulary. Strong verbs help, but only if they are accurate.
Add context a reader would not know, such as the population you served or the constraints you worked under.
Do not inflate hours, titles or outcomes. Programs can and do verify, and interviewers may ask about any entry.

Make the most-meaningful descriptions reflective

From your 10, you can mark up to three as most meaningful and add a short 300-character reflection for each. AAMC says programs are looking for introspection here: why the experience mattered and how it influenced you, not a repeat of your duties. This is worth the effort — AAMC reports that more than 94% of respondents to its 2026 Program Director Survey used the most-meaningful experiences when deciding whom to invite to interview.

If you overcame major obstacles before or during medical school, you may also share them in the impactful experiences section, which is separate from the 10 selected experiences.

Coordinate with the rest of your application

Your experiences should complement, not duplicate, your personal statement and MSPE. Some overlap in topics is natural, but use each part to add something new. Check the current ERAS timeline so you have time to draft, get feedback and revise before submission. When interviews begin, every entry is fair game for questions; our interview-prep guide helps you turn your entries into clear spoken answers, and mock interviews let you practice under realistic pressure. See package options if you want structured feedback.

Reviewed September 2026. Sources: AAMC, Experiences and AAMC ERAS timeline.