How to List Research in ERAS: Complete Guide for Residency Applicants and IMGs (2026)

Introduction

Getting into residency is getting competitive, and research experience is one of the strongest ways to make your ERAS CV stand out. But it is also one of the most confusing sections to fill out. Should a poster go under publications? Where does an abstract belong? What if your study was never published?

These questions are asked by almost every residency applicant who struggles with filling this portion. A small formatting mistake can undersell months of genuine work. If you are wondering how to list research on ERAS, this guide will simplify the entire process, from understanding the difference between research experience and publications on ERAS to formatting abstracts and posters correctly.

Why Research Matters on ERAS

Research might not carry equal weight for every application. But it can be the difference between a screened-out application and an interview invite, particularly for IMGs aiming for competitive specialities like orthopaedic surgery, dermatology, and neurosurgery.

Program directors are not just counting publications. They are looking for evidence that you can think critically, contribute to the field, and commit to something beyond clinical rotations. A well-documented ERAS research experience, even a poster presentation or a submitted abstract, signals academic seriousness.

Clinical research and basic science research are both important to showcase your intellectual depth. 

Where to Add Research on ERAS

ERAS gives you more than one place to document research and using the right section matters more than most applicants realize.

Research Experiences Section

This is your dedicated space for research work that did not result in a formal publication. List the institution, your start and end dates, your mentor’s name, and, importantly, your actual role. “Research Assistant” tells a program director very little. But, when you mention your exact role such as “Conducted chart reviews and assisted with IRB submissions for a multicentre cardiology trial”, it tells them about your real contribution. 

Publications Section

This section is specifically for peer-reviewed, published work, ideally PubMed-indexed. But you can also list manuscripts that are submitted or under review. Just be honest about the status. Don’t list something as “published” when it’s still sitting in a journal queue.

Poster and Abstract Presentations

Conference posters, oral presentations, and even case reports can be listed here.If you presented at a regional or national conference, that absolutely counts and you should mention it.

One important tip: don’t enter the same work twice just to add volume to your application. If a project led to both a poster and a publication, list it where it is most relevant. Duplicate entries without clear justification can look like padding.

Step-by-Step Guide on How to List Research on ERAS

How to write your research experience in the ERAS application is as important as identifying the correct section to list those experiences.

Step 1. Choose the Correct Category

Before you type anything, ask yourself, ‘What did this project actually produce?’

• Research experience: Completed lab or clinical work with no publication 
• Publications: Peer-reviewed paper, submitted manuscript.
• Poster/abstract presentation: Presented at a conference
• Volunteer/research experiences: Helped with data entry as part of a volunteer role depending on your contribution

Getting this right prevents confusion and prevents reviewers from questioning your attention to detail.

Step 2. Write Clear Titles

Use the official title of the study or paper. Don’t paraphrase it, and don’t abbreviate without spelling it out first. Program directors sometimes search for your work, and a vague or altered title makes that harder.

Step 3. Describe Your Role

This is where most applicants undersell themselves. Be specific. There’s a big difference between “involved in research” and “performed statistical analysis using SPSS and contributed to the discussion section of the manuscript.”

Mention concrete tasks such as data collection, literature review, patient recruitment, IRB coordination, and manuscript drafting. Own what you actually did.

Step 4. Add Dates Correctly

Use the month and year format throughout. For example, June 2022 to March 2023. If the project is still ongoing, you can list it as such. Don’t leave dates vague or blank, it raises unnecessary questions about the timeline.

Step 5. Mention Outcomes

Always close with where the work stands. If it was published, include the journal’s name. If not, note that it was submitted or is under review. Name the conference if it was presented. Outcomes give your research entry a sense of completion and they show program directors that your work actually went somewhere.

Common Mistakes Applicants Make

Even strong applicants trip up on this section. Here are some common mistakes worth avoiding before you hit submit.

Exaggerating your involvement is risky territory. If you collected data for three months, don’t frame yourself as a co-investigator. Reviewers ask follow-up questions in interviews, and vague inflation falls apart fast.

Listing unpublished work incorrectly causes unnecessary confusion. If something isn’t published, say it’s submitted or in progress, but don’t imply otherwise.

Duplicate entries make your application look padded. One project, one entry, unless there’s a clear reason to separate them.

Poor formatting such as inconsistent dates, missing institutions, and unnamed mentors signals carelessness more than you’d think.

And the obvious one: never add research that didn’t happen. Fabricated work is a career-ending mistake, not a shortcut.

When it comes to residency application research tips, the single best piece of practical advice is this: ERAS reviewers genuinely prefer clarity over impressive-sounding language. Write like you’re explaining your work to a smart colleague, not performing for a committee.

How IMGs Should Highlight Research on ERAS

If your Step scores aren’t where you wanted them, or you have a gap year that needs context, a solid IMG research experience entry shifts attention toward what you’ve been doing productively. It shows initiative. It shows you didn’t wait around.

US-based research carries extra weight. If you’ve worked with an American institution, a faculty mentor, or a US-based clinical team, make that visible. Name the institution clearly. It matters to program directors reviewing an IMG ERAS application, especially for competitive specialties.

That said, don’t manufacture volume. Two well-documented, meaningful projects outperform six vague ones every time. Quality is what actually moves the needle.And don’t overlook case reports. They count too.They show clinical thinking, writing ability, and follow-through, which is exactly what programs want to see.

Sample ERAS Research Entry

Here’s what a clean, well-formatted entry actually looks like in practice:

Title: Association Between Sleep Deprivation and Postoperative Complications in General Surgery Patients

Institution: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD

Dates: July 2022 to March 2023

Responsibilities: Conducted retrospective chart review of 200+ patient records, performed data extraction, assisted with statistical analysis using SPSS, and contributed to manuscript drafting.

Outcome: Manuscript submitted to the Journal of Surgical Research and is currently under review.

Use this as your template. Straightforward, specific, and honest without any filler or exaggeration.

Conclusion

Listing research on ERAS is not about making your application look impressive, rather, it is about presenting what you’ve genuinely done in a way that’s clear, accurate, and easy for reviewers to evaluate quickly.

Use the right sections and be specific about your role. Get your dates right and do not  pad entries hoping nobody notices because program directors do notice.

Whether you have one poster or five publications, what matters is that your ERAS research section reflects real work, presented honestly and strategically. A well-organized ERAS research section can significantly strengthen your residency application but only if it’s built on clarity and accuracy, not volume.

At the American Academy of Research & Academics (AARA), we help IMGs and residency applicants build meaningful research experience, develop strong ERAS CVs, and learn the skills needed to contribute to impactful academic work.

If you want to learn research or be a part of meaningful research that gets noticed and that you can proudly mention in your ERAS CV, explore our research courses and be a part of our research modules. 

Good luck!