Electronic Residency Application Service Signaling Changes for the 2026-2027 Application Cycle: Child Neurology to Adopt a 2-tiered Signaling Strategy for Residency Applicants. Neurodevelopmental Disabilities to Adopt A Single-Tier Strategy with 2 Signals.
Since 2024, Child Neurology and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities has utilized program signaling through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS), allowing each applicant to signal interest in three programs. Across specialties, signaling has been associated with fewer applications per applicant, with the greatest reductions seen in specialties offering more signals.¹ While signaling has improved application efficiency, a single tier with a limited number of signals does not fully leverage its potential. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), specialties with fewer signals demonstrate higher signal concentration at a small number of programs. This pattern was evident in Child Neurology during the 2025-2026 ERAS cycle, when 6% of programs received over 50% of available signals.¹
Since 2022, several specialties (e.g., internal medicine, OB/GYN, and anesthesiology) have adopted two-tiered systems with a limited number of “gold” and a larger number of “silver” signals. This structure allows applicants to express a strong interest in select programs while maintaining broader flexibility and moderating application volume.
Discussion at Child Neurology Residency Consortium and Child Neurology Educators Committee meetings and subsequent survey of program directors found strong support for child neurology adopting a 2-tier signal system for the 2026-2027 ERAS cycle, using 3 gold and 6 silver signals. The adoption of tiered signaling for child neurology applicants is expected to result in improved ability for applicants to express interest in programs and for program directors to discern applicants with genuine interest in their programs, and improved efficiency and satisfaction for all participants in the Match process.
Based on the fewer number of programs and applicants to neurodevelopmental disabilities residency programs, NDD will decrease to 2 signals per applicant.
Individual residency programs may opt out of program signaling through AAMC/ERAS by Sept 2, 2026.
- Preliminary Program Signaling Data and Their Impact on Residency Selection | AAMC (AAMC.ORG)
- Holmes AV et al. Residency Program Signaling and Interview Scheduling: Time to Work Together for a Smoother UME-GME Transition. October 2025. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4300/JGME-D-25- 00018.1
Reviewed by the Child Neurology Educators Committee; approved by the CNS Executive Committee.