MD Are my goals realistic? If so, how do I optimize my chances?

[hopefulidiot]

I’m an incoming M1 student at University of Montreal in Canada. I would absolutely love to complete residency in a big US city, such as LA, SF, or NYC. More specifically, I’d love to get into a psychiatry or dermatology residency in NYC (potentially Columbia or NYU), but I’m wondering if this is even realistic at all, considering the school and country I’m coming from. What do you think? And if it is realistic, what can I do to optimize my chances?
Or should I focus my efforts on doing residency in Canada, and then maybe a fellowship in the US?

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[YCAGA]

Any residency in US: realistic

ANY residency in "tier 1" US city: more difficult but possible

Psych residency in "tier 1" US city: even more difficult but possible

Derm residency ANYWHERE: extremely difficult

Derm residency at Columbia or NYC:

 

[Dral]

I did Derm residency in NYC and I’ll tell you it’s a long shot coming from your background. You’d have to have great scores and something that sets you apart.

I can tell you that connections really matter there. If you end up putting all your eggs in that basket, make sure you have plenty of rotation time at more than one program. People know each other pretty well at all the NYC programs or at least to an extent that a good LoR from someone there holds a decent amount of weight to the other programs in the city.

 

[Redpancreas]

I’m an incoming M1 student at University of Montreal in Canada. I would absolutely love to complete residency in a big US city, such as LA, SF, or NYC. More specifically, I’d love to get into a psychiatry or dermatology residency in NYC (potentially Columbia or NYU), but I’m wondering if this is even realistic at all, considering the school and country I’m coming from. What do you think? And if it is realistic, what can I do to optimize my chances?
Or should I focus my efforts on doing residency in Canada, and then maybe a fellowship in the US?

Dermatology, won’t be a likely/easy thing but I’m sure people have done it so I won’t say it’s impossible. I don’t think Columbia/NYU are going to be particularly interested. Schools here look for particular things US students have (clerkships/grades from US institutions). You could have killed USMLE scores, etc. but the institutions you named have no shortage of US students to fill those spots.

For Canadians reading this interested in Derm at a competitive institution, the path to that is getting your greencard and applying to US medical schools.

Psychiatry shouldn’t be an issue. You’re going to have to clear the USMLE exams obviously and that shouldn’t be an issue. If you just want to practice in NYC I’m sure there’s some place that may scoop you up if you have a good profile and an interesting story.

 

[Phloston]

I’m an incoming M1 student at University of Montreal in Canada. I would absolutely love to complete residency in a big US city, such as LA, SF, or NYC. More specifically, I’d love to get into a psychiatry or dermatology residency in NYC (potentially Columbia or NYU), but I’m wondering if this is even realistic at all, considering the school and country I’m coming from. What do you think? And if it is realistic, what can I do to optimize my chances?
Or should I focus my efforts on doing residency in Canada, and then maybe a fellowship in the US?

Just smash USMLE 2CK. Then you'll be fine. Unfortunate you'll be taking Step 1 post-P/F change.

For derm you'll need papers if you want a competitive location.

 

[hopefulidiot]

Realistic for psych but not for derm

Any residency in US: realistic

ANY residency in "tier 1" US city: more difficult but possible

Psych residency in "tier 1" US city: even more difficult but possible

Derm residency ANYWHERE: extremely difficult

Derm residency at Columbia or NYC:

Dermatology, won’t be a likely/easy thing but I’m sure people have done it so I won’t say it’s impossible. I don’t think Columbia/NYU are going to be particularly interested. Schools here look for particular things US students have (clerkships/grades from US institutions). You could have killed USMLE scores, etc. but the institutions you named have no shortage of US students to fill those spots.

For Canadians reading this interested in Derm at a competitive institution, the path to that is getting your greencard and applying to US medical schools.

Psychiatry shouldn’t be an issue. You’re going to have to clear the USMLE exams obviously and that shouldn’t be an issue. If you just want to practice in NYC I’m sure there’s some place that may scoop you up if you have a good profile and an interesting story.

Just smash USMLE 2CK. Then you'll be fine. Unfortunate you'll be taking Step 1 post-P/F change.

For derm you'll need papers if you want a competitive location.

I did Derm residency in NYC and I’ll tell you it’s a long shot coming from your background. You’d have to have great scores and something that sets you apart.

I can tell you that connections really matter there. If you end up putting all your eggs in that basket, make sure you have plenty of rotation time at more than one program. People know each other pretty well at all the NYC programs or at least to an extent that a good LoR from someone there holds a decent amount of weight to the other programs in the city.

Thanks for your responses! I appreciate the insight. What about internal medicine at a program like Columbia’s, NYU’s or UCLA’s for example?
I’m also strongly considering IM, and was wondering if maybe this was more realistic for me. If it is, would research and a good USMLE 2 score be enough to make me competitive, or are connections/references important?

 

[YCAGA]

Thanks for your responses! I appreciate the insight. What about internal medicine at a program like Columbia’s, NYU’s or UCLA’s for example?
I’m also strongly considering IM, and was wondering if maybe this was more realistic for me. If it is, would research and a good USMLE 2 score be enough to make me competitive, or are connections/references important?

Why these ultra-top tier schools?

 

[hopefulidiot]

Why these ultra-top tier schools?

CLOUT

Lol I know it seems stupid. I wanna move to a big city (I’ve always loved nyc) but need a good reason to and these are good schools so why not aim high

 

[Lawpy]

Geez SDN and its prestige obsession

I don't know how being a Canadian grad will affect your chances but the usual strategy of excelling in everything applies

 

[YCAGA]

Lol I know it seems stupid. I wanna move to a big city (I’ve always loved nyc) but need a good reason to and these are good schools so why not aim high

There are plenty of cool cities other than NYC and LA, and plenty of excellent programs outside UCLA, NYU, and Columbia.

 

[hopefulidiot]

There are plenty of cool cities other than NYC and LA, and plenty of excellent programs outside UCLA, NYU, and Columbia.

I know, I was just stating specific examples to not ask vague questions. and those are the cities that interest me the most though I’ve heard chicago is a cool place too

 

[Kardio]

More specifically, I’d love to get into a psychiatry or dermatology residency in NYC (potentially Columbia or NYU), but I’m wondering if this is even realistic at all, considering the school and country I’m coming from.

There’s a huge difference between derm in manhattan and community psych in one of the other boroughs. Do the best you can and hone in once you have a clearer vision of what you want.

 

[bGMx]

Do you like psychiatry? If not, doing psychiatry (or any specialty for that matter) just to live in a big city is going to be not the best experience.

 

[Redpancreas]

Thanks for your responses! I appreciate the insight. What about internal medicine at a program like Columbia’s, NYU’s or UCLA’s for example?
I’m also strongly considering IM, and was wondering if maybe this was more realistic for me. If it is, would research and a good USMLE 2 score be enough to make me competitive, or are connections/references important?

I know Canadians who matched one of the programs listed for IM, however, they were from a US MD school. Doing your medical school in Canada and then coming to the US isn’t that common, and then your “need for prestige” is equally puzzling as you’d rather be at a NYC/LA place, but then be willing to switch fields entirely for it which has me scratching my head at your priorities.

1.) Find and do the field that interests you.
2.) Anything top would be difficult as a Canadian IMG. Top IM is quite competitive.

 

[Redpancreas]

I know, I was just stating specific examples to not ask vague questions. and those are the cities that interest me the most though I’ve heard chicago is a cool place too

LOL. NYC/LA...and “I’ve heard Chicago is a cool place too”? OP are you coming to the US to become an influencer or a doctor? As above find the field where you can do the most good.

Edit: I’m not saying what you want is impossible but to repeat what someone else said, being an IMG is tough as it is (albeit admission into Canadian medical school is tough which reduces stigma but with less metrics and virtual interviews on the horizon, IMGs moving forward are facing more scrutiny). Then, there’s going to a competitive program which to you seems more important than what you’re actually doing in medicine.

 

[hopefulidiot]

Do you like psychiatry? If not, doing psychiatry (or any specialty for that matter) just to live in a big city is going to be not the best experience.

To be clear I’m not doing anything just to live in a big city. I’m only mentioning specialties I’m interested in

 

[hopefulidiot]

LOL. NYC/LA...and “I’ve heard Chicago is a cool place too”? OP are you coming to the US to become an influencer or a doctor? As above find the field where you can do the most good.

Coming to the US to live a good life. What’s so wrong with that?

 

[hopefulidiot]

I know Canadians who matched one of the programs listed for IM, however, they were from a US MD school. Doing your medical school in Canada and then coming to the US isn’t that common, and then your “need for prestige” is equally puzzling as you’d rather be at a NYC/LA place, but then be willing to switch fields entirely for it which has me scratching my head at your priorities.

1.) Find and do the field that interests you.
2.) Anything top would be difficult as a Canadian IMG. Top IM is quite competitive.

I’m entering my first year so I think it’s normal to be considering multiple specialties I should probably come back to this question once I have a better idea of what my goals are.

 

[Redpancreas]

I’m entering my first year so I think it’s normal to be considering multiple specialties I should probably come back to this question once I have a better idea of what my goals are.

Coming to the US to live a good life. What’s so wrong with that?

The reason it’s stupid is because you prioritize it over more important factors like the actual field you’re applying to which is infinitely more important than where you decide to spend 3-5 years of residency. Its a very silly mentality to have that’s over represented on here. Simply looking at the chronology, you asked about Derm/Psych, got an answer you didn’t like then said “what about IM”. The “where” is what you should be thinking about when all’s said and done and you’re filling out your applications.

Ultimately neither decision is essential to be made as an incoming a M1, but the “what “is more important than the where.

Overall, I think you get my points even if we disagree on the semantics of what you meant to say. Good luck.

 

[YCAGA]

7 Canadian medical graduates applied to the US match in 2020 out of 20,000+ applicants. You really are going to dealing with a handful of anecdotes at best.

Also, for OP and others in this thread, Canadian graduates are specifically not included in statistical reports as IMG's because of the mutual recognition of training between Canada and the US. Canadian medical school is on par with US medical school quality (unlike the Caribbean and much of the developing world) and Canadian residencies are the only foreign residencies that are recognized in the US.

It is not correct to treat OP's situation like a non-US citizen IMG or even a US-citizen IMG. Canadian medical graduates really are their own thing. They will have visa issues like non-US IMG's but also get a better education and have less stigma compared to both US and non-US IMG's.