Alex Rowan

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CRNA school requirements: what the accreditor actually requires

Sep 19, 2026

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4 min read

CRNA school requirements: what the accreditor actually requires

The three things every accredited nurse anesthesia program must require, what "critical care" means on paper, and where the rest of the list comes from.

Alex Rowan

What is the difference between AACOMAS and AMCAS?

Sep 9, 2026

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5 min read

What is the difference between AACOMAS and AMCAS?

AMCAS counts math inside its science GPA and AACOMAS files it under non-science, and both services count every attempt of a repeated course.

Alex Rowan

How does the Match algorithm actually work?

Sep 9, 2026

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5 min read

How does the Match algorithm actually work?

NRMP's algorithm is applicant proposing: your rank order list, not the program's, initiates placement, and no match is final until every applicant's list has been considered.

Alex Rowan

How much does it cost to apply to medical school?

Sep 9, 2026

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5 min read

How much does it cost to apply to medical school?

AMCAS charges $180 for the first school and $48 for each one after, and the AAMC waiver that covers up to 20 schools only counts if it was approved before you submitted.

Alex Rowan

How much does it cost to apply to residency?

Sep 9, 2026

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5 min read

How much does it cost to apply to residency?

ERAS charges $11 per program for the first 30 in a specialty and $30 for every one after, and the count resets with each new specialty.

Alex Rowan

What is ECFMG certification and what are the steps?

Sep 9, 2026

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5 min read

What is ECFMG certification and what are the steps?

ECFMG says you do not need to be certified to participate in the Match, but you must hold a valid, unexpired certificate to enter an ACGME program, and a 2027 Pathways certificate expires December 31, 2029.

Alex Rowan

Sep 9, 2026

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2 min read

Ten minutes on Tuesday

NRMP registration opens September 15 at noon Eastern. Here is the whole week in one plan.

Alex Rowan

CASPA: "complete" is not "verified," and the gap is up to ten business days

Sep 6, 2026

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3 min read

CASPA: "complete" is not "verified," and the gap is up to ten business days

The status ladder in plain English, what actually makes an application complete, and how to count backwards from your program's deadline.

Alex Rowan

ERAS and NRMP are two different systems. Here is what each one actually does.

Sep 6, 2026

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3 min read

ERAS and NRMP are two different systems. Here is what each one actually does.

One carries your application. The other decides where you end up. Registration for the second opens September 15, and it is a separate thing you have to go do.

Alex Rowan