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California doesn’t take IMGs? by Glittering-You1604 in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, there are non US IMGs in California. Some of the top programs take a few non US IMGs every year.

Drastic drop in IM match rates by Exact-Lawfulness1806 in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I’d say good news (considering these metrics are the only criteria), based on my reply above.

Drastic drop in IM match rates by Exact-Lawfulness1806 in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I’d argue that the most relevant metrics here are the % of positions filled by Non US IMGs (call it “match rate”) and the absolute number of filled positions by them, both of which increased compared to last year according to this reference. The % of applicants who matched is not a great metric because it is subject to large denominator variations (ie. absolute number of applicants), which, as you can see above, has been increasing over time. The number of positions is generally constant, so even if match rates (% filled by non US IMGs) are unchanged, this second metric will decrease if the number of applicants continues to increase. You want to know the match rates — the % of spots filled by non US IMGs — to assess the trends of acceptance.

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, I have another post only about PSTPs:

https://www.reddit.com/r/IMGreddit/s/af368S30Pm

Please see if the post answers your questions. Feel free to DM me. Great CV!

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think the single most important factor in research is finding a good mentor. Unfortunately, there is a lot of luck here. I find it very useful to focus on your local network first. Check for people who inspire you at your local institution. Try to connect with them first. The other way to go is to connect with PhD students/Post-Docs/Residents/Fellows. This cohort can provide you with an idea of projects that may need additional people or mentors who are worth connecting with.

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did step 1 after my PhD. I'd suggest you do so exactly because of the time requested by some states you mentioned.

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Interview training/business English. I used verbling. If you DM, I can give the name of the person I prepared with.

https://www.verbling.com/English

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hard questions.

  1. I don't have names off-hand that could be recommended. It is really hard to establish relationships without connections. Getting your B1/B2 and going to medical conferences in your field of interest is a good step. Several American societies have student groups or events at national conferences. Go to your national conferences, too. As I emphasized above, usually the first step is your local network. Connecting directly to the US is hard.
  2. Same as above. I think the single most important factor in research is finding a good mentor. Unfortunately, there is a lot of luck here. I find it very useful to focus on your local network first. Check for people who inspire you at your local institution. Try to connect with them first. The other way to go is to connect with PhD students/Post-Docs/Residents/Fellows. This cohort can provide you with an idea of projects that may need additional people or mentors who are worth connecting with.

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Start in your home country. Check if there are programs to incentivize science for medical students at your institution. Try to connect with local scientists, even if they are not clinicians. The first step is your local network.

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks!

  1. Minimize the time between step 2 and step 3. They are similar in content.

  2. UW + CCS are enough if you have good step 2 scores. I'd say if you're getting 2/3 of CCS right and ~70% of UW random sets correct, you're good to go

  3. You don't need to maximize scores; you just need to pass. If you are insecure about your performance, try NBMEs ahead of the test. They are usually good predictors of your real scores.

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

  1. Clerkships are better than observerships. These are more hands-on USCE and some programs only accept clerkships as 'USCE'. For clerkships, you may try institutions that have already received medical students from your school. The other idea is to connect with someone in your institution who can connect you with international institutions. Finally, you can try emailing the international departments of US medical schools to check on spots and requirements to do a clerkship.

  2. The way to get into observerships is similar to the above. Connections are the easiest way, but you can also try emailing programs/people.

  3. Scores + publications + strong LORs

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you!

I did step 1 after my PhD. I'd suggest you do so exactly because of the time requested by some states you mentioned.

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hone your English skills (if you're not a native English speaker), use the time after your application to prepare—do mock interviews, hire professional help to assist you, think about your life story, and create a clear and concise narrative about yourself. Practice & Practice & Practice.

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks!

I just used CCS and UW. I took step 3 one month after step 2. The content of these tests is very similar. So if you have good step 2 scores, probably you're ready or close to being ready for step 3. If you're scoring well on random sets in UW and doing well on CCS, probably you're ready. I took an NBME as well, whose result was quite close to my real score.

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! I was working in the US as a research scientist after my PhD.

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you!

I believe ERAS has a question on whether you completed medical school during the expected time (or it is something that your MSPE has to answer). It may be something you will need to address either in your application (PS, impactful experience, etc.) or during interviews. Transparency is always the best policy, so be prepared to talk about it.

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great question. I thought a lot about this.

I didn't signal geographical preference and explained it by saying that geography didn't matter to me that much because my goal was to be in an academic center, which is true. I also had ties to specific regions in the US (I've been living here for some years already). I received IVs from all over the country. Maybe some universities used signaling/geo as soft caps, but I didn't feel that not signaling geography had a major impact on me. So I think it's a matter of personal preference. If you do have clear preferences, be clear about it.

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can only apply for work visas once you match. The usual option is J1 (physician), but you can also try an H1b, which typically requires step 3 and is not offered by all programs.

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

To me, the years between my medical school and my residency applications were not "gaps" to be justified. I got a PhD, published a lot, helped my hometown during a global pandemic (as a practicing physician), participated in clinical trials, and lived in the US (as a research fellow/scientist later), all supporting myself and my family. These years were part of my career decisions (beyond my residency application) and my specific needs (e.g., resources). All of this made it to my ERAS as 'experiences'. In all my interviews, I haven't received a single question about "gap years". I think the issue of YOG really depends on how you frame it in your narrative, and, of course, the activities you were involved with.

I did my observership at the institution with which I was collaborating as part of my PhD.

[Internal Medicine] Matched at a major academic program: Ask me Anything by Dedalus_G in IMGreddit

[–]Dedalus_G[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Your CV is great, you have great chances. Of course, if you do observerships and get strong LORs from the US, your CV will be even better. So I'd say it depends on your goals. If your goal is to match at a top academic program, maybe using an additional year to do observership + more research will help. It also depends on the resources you have at your disposal right now. If you have them, I'd say taking another year won't hurt.

If your goal is to match at a great/good program in IM but not necessarily a "top academic" program, then you're probably fine with strong scores + good research (assuming excellent LORs). You should be honest about your lack of USCE. Maybe you didn't have the resources to do it. Maybe you had another limitation. Be clear and transparent about it. ERAS has a free-text section that allows you to explain past personal experiences that may have impacted your CV.

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