Free holistic residency application review platform will soon be available for residency programs that use ERAS

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and Thalamus have announced that Cortex will be offered to all medical residency and fellowship programs using the Electronic Residency Application Service® (ERAS) beginning in July 2025 for the 2026 ERAS season. This service will be offered for free.

An artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning-enabled platform, Cortex is designed to provide technology-assisted holistic review by streamlining application screening and review. Thus far, Cortex has reduced screening time by an average of 50%. This software uses natural language processing, optical character recognition and additional technologies. It aligns with the AAMC’s principles for responsible AI usage in residency and fellowship applications. Since its 2020 launch, Cortex has streamlined review of over three million applications throughout the United States.

“The AAMC is committed to advancing the transition to residency process through innovation. We are pleased to add Cortex into the ERAS program’s complimentary offerings as we expand and enhance resources for learners, programs and schools,” said David J. Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO. “We have received a great deal of positive feedback from the medical education community over the last 18 months, since forming our collaboration with Thalamus, and we are eager to expand our strategic partnership to further support learners and programs.”

Cortex is currently being implemented by three specialties for the 2025 ERAS season, including orthopedic surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), and urology. Following the early success of this pilot program, the software will be made available to all programs using the ERAS platform beginning in July 2025, which will mark the start of the 2026 ERAS recruitment season.

Over the next year, the AAMC and Thalamus will continue to build upon the integration between the ERAS program and Cortex, with a focus on additional AI/machine learning capabilities in an effort to enhance trainee selection and expanding data and research to benefit the broader physician workforce.

For more information, visit the AAMC-Thalamus Strategic Collaboration webpage, or read the full press release published by the AAMC.

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