Summer internship/externship/observership for IMGs?

[Moosie]

hi everyone!

I've been looking for info on summer internships, externships and observerships in the US. I'm having a lot of trouble finding ones for IMGs though! I'm Canadian and I'll be a first year med student in Ireland in Sept.

Anyone have any relevant websites or other resources I can check out?

Can any IMGs who have done a summer internship/externship/observership in the US please post where you did yours, how you found out about it and any other programs you know of?

THANKS!!!

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[Unch]

There's no consolidated info that I know of but there are a reasonable number of programs in the US that will accept IMGs. Generally, programs in the East, Ohio, Chicago will have Ireland more on the radar than Western programs. Irish students regularly go to the Mayo, Hopkins, Harvard, Cleveland Clinic, Bay State (Mass) to name a few. Really, it's word of mouth on which programs to try or else just pan with emails of inquiry and see what you get. I know some have also worked around "rules" that bar IMGs by utilizing contacts within a given university and sort of ignoring/circumventing the official line with a well-placed endorsement.

As for Canada, it was a bit more grim until just recently. A majority of programs had barred IMGs (with the exception of some in MB, SK etc.) But I recently spoke to a clerkship director at UBC who told me that all the Canadian schools have just this spring agreed to generally open electives to "Canadian citizens in school in Ireland, UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa." I think many of us who qualify in this way have long felt that we deserved a bit of a boost and here, at last, is a small concession in the right direction.

Regardless of the program, apply VERY early and be respectfully assertive. Add extra CV-type material to your application and be prepared for a spot to materialize very late in the process (eg as late as May or even early June for a July elective). Also, some students have succeeded in getting electives after third year (of five year program) as well as before final med. I leave tomorrow for a 4 week emerg elective in Winnipeg that was technically only open to students "entering their final year". I don't know how, exactly, I snuck in (I'll be a fourth med this fall) but here I go. (I think, actually, that my extra/unsolicited "letter" detailing my sincere emerg interest/experience did the trick but who's asking?!)

Be confident and good luck.

 

[ekastron]

Hi.
I am interested in info on observerships in the US. I'm a final year medical student from Nigeria & will be done next summer.

Anyone have any relevant websites or other resources I can check out?
You can send me an email: [email protected]. Thanks

Can any IMGs who have done a summer internship/externship/observership in the US please post where you did yours, how you found out about it and any other programs you know of?

 

[med2UCC]

Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia is also very open to IMG's doing electives there, but only in final year med. They won't take you before that. Cheers,
M

 

[jnuts]

For per-clinical observerships I had good successes just emailing Docs I wanted to 'work' with.

 

[melch]

Hi jnuts,
I'm a little clueless about how this works... I hope you don't mind my questions
For observerships, how did you choose which doctors you wanted to shadow? Also, did you send a resume, or letters of recommendation, etc? And when should I send out emails if I want to do some shadowing next summer?
Thanks!

 

[jnuts]

No problem.

Observerships are VERY informally arranged. I never had problems getting them.

I chose doctors working in medical fields I was interested in and who were working where I'd like to end up.

I usually sent an email that I spent some time on, explaining who I was and why I wanted to shadow. I'd attach my CV only. A couple of times I started with program directors (email addresses can be found on the RCPSC site or Carms). I'd say something like:

1. I'm a pre-clinical student at X and I've had some early clinical exposure to Y and found it fascinating.
2. Y is something I could really see myself doing because A, B and C.
3. Y is something I could really see myself doing at location Z because...
3. Though I'm toojunior to be eligible for electives, is there anyway I could shadow you/ come for an observership for a few weeks to increase my knowledge/ exposure/ refine my clinical interests.
4. Here are a range of date and I'm VERY FLEXIBLE with when I could come.
5. If you are not available personally, is there another Staff member whom I might be able to shadow/ do an observership with.

If there was some reason for it I sometimes looked up the target Doc's recent research and mentioned that as well.

I'd send that first email out 3-6 months in advance. Worst they can say is no.

Hi jnuts,
I'm a little clueless about how this works... I hope you don't mind my questions
For observerships, how did you choose which doctors you wanted to shadow? Also, did you send a resume, or letters of recommendation, etc? And when should I send out emails if I want to do some shadowing next summer?
Thanks!

 

[cenparkian]

hey jnuts
I am a 2nd year student in Pakistan.I would like to know if i could get some observership/externship in USA in early 2011 as i ll be in 3rd year then hopefully.I have been searching net but in vain as i have not been successful at all.I have a short clinical experience and I have attended a flood relief camp recently.Pls help

 

[jnuts]

Other than the advice about Canada and the US above, I don't have anything to tell you. Sorry about that.