Any chance to get any IM interviews this year? Please advise.

[alirocumab]

First off, let me just say that I don't feel entitled or deserving or anything of the sort. I am just asking if I have any chance of getting any interviews from IM programs this year without an ECFMG certificate. Would be great to hear from someone who was in the same boat and made it that year or has heard of anyone who applied with only step 1 score and still got interviews.

Here are my stats:

Female IMG
YOG: 2017
Medical school: from Eastern Europe
Some research without publications in my home country
US citizen
Step 1 - 264
No US clinical experience or even observership yet
Step 2 CK and CS - not taken

So, basically, except for a good step 1 score, I don't have any accomplishments here other than a job at the hospital (no direct patient contact). This job allowed me meet some physicians so getting LORs won't be a problem but like I said - nothing else for now.

Will any programs consider my application or will it be dumped in the trash because it is incomplete? Should I rather apply next year and use this year to do research, the rest of the steps, including step 3 and possibly get a USCE? Any input will be very much appreciated.

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[GoSpursGo]

What's your rush? You've ticked off the first box in crafting a successful application as an IMG by doing well on step 1, but you need to do CK and CS before you're even ECFMG eligible. While there may be a small group of IM programs that won't automatically screen your app due to not being ECFMG certified, that will put you in a major time crunch by trying to do CK and CS in the next few months while interviewing, hopefully getting some USCE, and of course doing your actual job. And even if you get a few interviews out of curiosity based on your step 1 score, they may still not take you without USCE.

Take your time, do well on step 2, get USCE, and you can feel much more confident going through this process next year.

 

[alirocumab]

What's your rush? You've ticked off the first box in crafting a successful application as an IMG by doing well on step 1, but you need to do CK and CS before you're even ECFMG eligible. While there may be a small group of IM programs that won't automatically screen your app due to not being ECFMG certified, that will put you in a major time crunch by trying to do CK and CS in the next few months while interviewing, hopefully getting some USCE, and of course doing your actual job. And even if you get a few interviews out of curiosity based on your step 1 score, they may still not take you without USCE.

Take your time, do well on step 2, get USCE, and you can feel much more confident going through this process next year.

Thank you. That makes a lot of sense and coincidentally, that's what my inner voice is telling me too. But I can't help but think how great it would be to match somewhere this year (not even that picky, honestly), so hence my question. But yeah, good point.