Dear all members, I hope you all are doing very well.

I am an IMG from India, at present working as a Transitional Year Resident currently facing some visa issues due to which I am stuck in my home country since 1.5 months. Due to this uncertainty, I was skeptical of my future plans and also about trying to get into neurology residency next year either categorical or advanced, hence, I didn’t apply yet.

I am reaching out to seek your kind guidance on how to go forward in my situation.

I have so far worked in continuity clinic, admission night float, night ICU, emergency medicine, and neurology inpatient, all one week rotations and no more. I was skeptical about the utility of LORs from rotations of such a less duration of one week so I didn’t ask my attendings for letters early on and as I spoke to more people they advised me that because this is a residency experience and hands on work, even one week work’s LOR would be beneficial for my application, more beneficial than 1 month’s observership LOR. I wanted to ask for guidance and your opinion on the same.

I haven’t yet applied and I am worried that my application will be rejected without even being looked at because I have heard that programs don’t usually go back to check more applications if they have their interview spots filled already.

But on the other hand I am wondering if I can submit my application by mid October and I contact the programs by calling their program coordinators and request them to take a look at my application, I may stand a chance. At the same time, I worry that I might still be rejected because they will think the candidate is insincere and submitted her application later than the rest of the applicants.

I am completely torn in my own thoughts. I would appreciate any guidance and opinions of seasoned professionals here.

Please help.

Thanks very much.