Need some advice? IMG from St. George's

[PELE#10]

Hi,
I'm just looking for some good advice. I'm an IMG from St. George's University. My concern is that I have heard that IMG's need to score really high on step 1 to match in IM.

Is it possible to match even if your score is less than 200.
If you are an IMG or know of anyone who was in this situation I would love to hear about it.

Thanks

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[Tigerz_Fan]

First, I think that what is important to programs is to show that you greatly improved from below a 200 on step 1 to a competitive score on Step 2. Second, the important thing to do when applying to programs is pick several that you think you have no chance in hell of getting an interview. Pick several that you are pretty sure you'd get an interview, and then pick several that you know for sure they would call you for an interview, maybe even a prematch. The point is to make sure your butt is covered since you are an IMG, and the competitive programs don't look at IMG's unless they think they won't fill. But, if you get that interview, you can dazzle them with your charm! Besure that your CV is beautiful, have research if possible. They seemed to also love my volunteer work the last 3 interviews I went on. I got this advice from another IMG, and he just got Brigham for Anesthesia. So, go figure.

 

[Tigerz_Fan]

First, I think that what is important to programs is to show that you greatly improved from below a 200 on step 1 to a competitive score on Step 2. Second, the important thing to do when applying to programs is pick several that you think you have no chance in hell of getting an interview. Pick several that you are pretty sure you'd get an interview, and then pick several that you know for sure they would call you for an interview, maybe even a prematch. The point is to make sure your butt is covered since you are an IMG, and the competitive programs don't look at IMG's unless they think they won't fill. But, if you get that interview, you can dazzle them with your charm! Besure that your CV is beautiful, have research if possible. They seemed to also love my volunteer work the last 3 interviews I went on. I got this advice from another IMG, and he just got Brigham for Anesthesia. So, go figure.

 

[Trifling Jester]

Yes you will get plenty of IM interviews, especially if you passed on the first try. You'll probably get a couple from the lower universities, and will definately get many community program interviews in IM. So don't worry about it.

-The Trifling Jester

 

[inositide]

even as an IMG you certainy dont need to have stellar step 1 scores for IM. the higher the step 1 score, the more doors that will be open for you. however, you can still match at a university program if you have average step 1 and step 2 ck scores. it might be a state university, but it would still be a university program.

try to do as well as possible on step 1, but stay calm. do not build up these fears about needing a stellar step 1 score or step 2 score because it will impair your studying. for now just do the best you can and take the exams. worry about the scores when they come. be certain that you can match into IM.

 

[PELE#10]

even as an IMG you certainy dont need to have stellar step 1 scores for IM. the higher the step 1 score, the more doors that will be open for you. however, you can still match at a university program if you have average step 1 and step 2 ck scores. it might be a state university, but it would still be a university program.

try to do as well as possible on step 1, but stay calm. do not build up these fears about needing a stellar step 1 score or step 2 score because it will impair your studying. for now just do the best you can and take the exams. worry about the scores when they come. be certain that you can match into IM.

Thanks so much for the advice guys. I am actually taking 4 months to study for step 1. Pretty much studying, kaplan, q bank, goljan, fisrt aid. Let me know if you think I should do anything else.

Thanks

 

[irlandesa]

no problem, one of my friends who is a USIMG (med school in Europe) actually FAILED Step 1 the first time he took it b/c he failed to study (oops), but blew Step 1 out of the park on the second try and aced Step 2. He got IM interviews at a # of great university programs, including BU, UMASS, Cedars-Sinai, etc., and matched at one as well. He is really smart and planning to go into cards. As long as the rest of your application is great, one mediocre score won't kill you in IM. Several programs known to be very welcoming as of late to SGU applicants, just FYI, include UMASS (yay), Dartmouth-Hitchcock (must have passed both steps on the first try), UCONN, UF, Louisville, Kentucky, USC, UMDNJ-NJMS, Lahey Clinic, Albany, Temple, Jefferson, and just about every community hospital program in NYC and Northern NJ.