Pathology residency for IMGs

[maminr]

HI to all. I am relatively new to this forum. I have been reading this forum for the past few days and have gathered lots of info and I would especially like to admire the views of yahh. I hope you have landed into a good programe by now, have you?

Can anyone have a say about chances of IMGs (non-US citizens) getting Pathology residency in USA? I am from an asian country and somehow I ended up coming to UK and at the moment shadowing( doing clinical obervership post) in histopathology and applying for a Senior House Officer (equiv to 1st year resident in USA) posts starting from August 2004. Pathology here is a bit different than USA. Here we dont get trained in combined AP and CP. AP itself is a complete and seperate specialty. Hamatology has its own route and so does CP.

I am very impressed by the wider scope and well structured training in USA and I would love to get my training there. Do all pathologists in USA trained to do FNAs? In UK its done by surgeons only.

Will a year expereince in AP here in UK be of any help in getting residency in USA? What about H1-B visa, is there anyone who was able to get H1-B in pathology? As I see it on Freida Online, it seems as if there is no programe who is ready to sponsor H1-B? Does age matters while applying for residency?

Hope to get some views from you guys.

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[yaah]

Hello, probably can't answer all your questions. Another FMG would probably be the best to answer but since no one has offered so far, I will try.

It sounds like you are on the track towards getting significant experience in the field, which is important for an FMG who wants to get a spot in the US. Although, I would say that experience within the US is often more important than experience elsewhere. Perhaps the UK is an exception to this, I don't know. But in general I think it is advised for a foreign applicant to a US residency to have some american experience, whether it is significant research or at least clinical electives/observerships. You can apply in the US, at many places anyway, to solely CP or AP. Many programs offer only combined programs, or perhaps AP/CP and AP only. There are only a few that have dedicated CP only training, perhaps because AP residents are required to do a lot of the work of the department, and a lot of time CP residents are fairly superfluous (in some of the areas anyway) and are just there to learn and help out.

I think all programs that I know of will train people in FNA. Most programs during AP training will require only 2-3 months of cytopathology, and often this does not include a lot of FNA. But many people use elective time for cytopathology, and of course if you do a fellowship this opportunity will present itself. Different residencies emphasize it differently. There are some that have FNA clinics that pathologists run, and see a lot of FNAs, and other programs where the medical staff does most of the FNAs themselves and it can be tough for residents to get enough experience.

I am not sure if age matters. If you are dedicated and willing, I don't think age matters. They might ask why you are pursuing a US pathology residency at such an advanced age, but I know of many path residents who are at least in their mid 40s.

I know absolutely nothing about Visas, except that this is often a huge issue for foreign graduates trying to practice or train here in the states, so I would pay attention to it. But I can't help you out any. Since 9/11 there has been a significant crackdown on leeway granted to foreigners who wish to come and train or work here. At least, there has been a crackdown on the educated ones who want to come here and contribute to society. Doesn't seem to be a crackdown on all aspects.

Yes, I got a good residency, U Michigan, my first choice. Starting in July.
good luck

 

[maminr]

Thank you very much yaah for the reply. Yes you are right in saying that some experience in USA either observership or research is beneficial before applying for residency. But I still hope that without that american experience there are FMGs who get into residency in US with good USMLE scores. Well again, it depends on the programes, right? The good ones would always require such an experience from FMGs.

I am glad that you got into the programe of your first choice.

May I ask any FMG who got into pathology residency this year or last year to share his/her experience in applying for patho residency, Please? Did you have any american experience? Did anyone get H1-B visa?