Medical Student Performance Evaluation
for Residency Applicants 

Everyone has certain, unique abilities that represent their individuality. In this section, your evaluators/writers highlight up to three characteristics that perfectly describe you. This should be presented as a bulleted list.

The Noteworthy Characteristics may include hobbies or passions, previous work experience, roles not specific to academics, difficult experiences/hardships during medical school and pertinent research. However, this section is not intended for lengthy narratives. The AAMC guidelines, limit this section to two sentences, with some medical schools putting a specific cap on character count.

You might ask, why is this section so important? Well, many schools choose to give the student significant input in this section. While each school has its own process for drafting MSPEs, you will typically be asked to provide suggestions for these characteristics. Many schools will request that you submit a list of 3-4 traits for your evaluators to choose from and edit into the final MSPE. New guidelines also state that schools may provide a brief clarifying statement before the section that describes how they were created: by the student, the institution, or a combination of both.

Examples:

• “Ms. Tania Jacobs has demonstrated exceptional leadership as president of the student medical association, coordinating many successful events and initiatives during her tenure.”
• “Mr. Omar is deeply committed to community service, volunteering regularly at local health clinics and organizing health camps in underprivileged societies.”
• “Mr. James Brown has contributed significantly to medical research, with his work about microbial resistance published in reputable journals and presented at national conferences.”
• “Ms. Gomez has demonstrated a passion for mentorship through her roles in the Student Government Association and as a Student Ambassador. She planned leadership workshops for junior medical students and provided candid, professional advice to help them excel inside and outside the classroom.”
• “Mr. Ali has shown perseverance as a first generation physician despite socioeconomic hardship. He relocated for medical school and worked part-time to provide for his family, demonstrating his resilience and commitment to building a better life for his loved ones and his patients.”

Clarifying statement example (placed prior to Noteworthy Characteristics):

• “This section reflects information contributed by the learner and reviewed by the medical school for inclusion in the MSPE. Residency programs are encouraged to interpret the Noteworthy Characteristics section as contextual information that complements other components of the application and MSPE, recognizing that practices vary across institutions.”

This is another contextual section that provides definite performance/ evaluation metrics in three key areas:

• Professional Performance: Evaluators assess your professionalism based on criteria set by your school. This should also include a statement of how the school defines professionalism and the student’s attainment of these professional standards. This includes feedback from preceptors, faculty, officials, and administrators regarding your clinical rotations, scholarly activities, and personal conduct.

Example:

“During his academic tenure, Mr. Max consistently demonstrated exceptional professionalism, marked by a proactive approach and meticulous attention to detail. He actively engaged in collaborative settings, consistently fostering a positive and respectful environment among peers and faculty. His dedication to ethical standards and commitment to patient care exemplify the core values expected in the medical profession.”

“During her third year, Ms. Danny received a professionalism citation for consistently arriving late to morning rounds. She promptly addressed the issue by giving extra hours and improving her punctuality for the remaining days at the rotation. Since then, she has maintained an excellent attendance record and no further incidents have occurred.”

“During her clerkships, Ms. Rodriguez exhibited notable professionalism defined by her admirable work ethic, highly developed interpersonal skills, and attention to detail. She completed her work efficiently, fostered meaningful relationships with staff and patients, and demonstrated a knowledge base well beyond her level of training.”

• Preclinical Coursework: Notes your completion (pass/fail) of preclinical curriculum, including strengths and weaknesses demonstrated in each course.

Example: “Mr. Thompson has successfully completed the preclinical anatomy coursework, graded on a pass/fail basis. In his Anatomy course, instructors note Mr. Thompson’s exceptional grasp of anatomical concepts. He demonstrated keen attention to detail during dissections and effectively collaborated with peers in group study sessions, contributing to a deeper understanding of complex anatomical structures.”

“Ms. Knight has completed the preclinical physiology curriculum with a High Pass. In her Respiratory Physiology course, professors emphasized her active participation and thought-provoking questions during group discussions. She consistently made insightful connections between preclinical topics and real-life examples, displaying impressive critical thinking skills that will serve her well in his clinical rotations.

U.S. medical graduates have their MSPEs submitted by their respective medical schools. The schools prepare and upload the MSPE directly to ERAS on behalf of the students.