Why can't foreign students do plastic surgery residency?

[Pandalover123]

''Foreign Medical Graduates must have full training in general surgery, i.e., Board Eligible, as determined by the American Board of Surgery, before starting training in Plastic Surgery. ''

Why is that? Does it mean that the only option is to do GS and then plastics in Usa, GS in my homecountry and then plastics fellowship Usa, can't FMG's take the intergrated route?

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[Apollyon]

"...as determined by the American Board of Surgery".

That's the way it is. There are enough applicants that any protests can just be ignored, as they will have enough left from which to choose.

If a place doesn't want to open their integrated track to foreign grads, they are under NO requirement to do so. Likewise, if they don't want to take a foreign trained surgeon for plastics fellowship, they don't have to do so. That's the way it is.

 

[Sir Gillies]

Could you kindly include the link of this document.

I remember reading on SDN about a FMG getting into a integrated program but it was a few years ago. Is this a new rule and are we 100%?

Thanks.

 

[igap]

Foreign medical graduates are eligible for matching to integrated or combined plastic surgery residencies. THey must have ECFMG cert, visas, etc...

If you are a FMG and wish to go the independent route, then you must complete an ACGME approved general surgery residency (or neurosurg, vasc surg, ENT, ortho, urology, OMFS). If you have completed a pre-requisite residency in another country at a program that is not approved by the ACGME, then you are out of luck and are not eligible to enter plastic surgery training in the United States.

For details, check here.