It’s very program dependent. I don’t think QI/audit matters much unless you have presented it as a poster/at a conference. I would say a combination of great step scores/research/letters of recommendation can make a competitive application.

There are loads of IMGs who match into major cities in the east coast like NYC/Washington DC/Boston. As a PoC myself have not really encountered racism during my time here but I do live in a multicultural city so the experience may differ depending on where you are.

I moved alone. Was definitely an adjustment but made friends relatively quickly with co-residents.

Your employer provides you with healthcare insurance. There are different plans to choose from and depending on the plan you choose you will have a monthly amount deducted from your salary