Best Road to Surgery for IMG?

[Gunny]

I'm a medical student from Ireland and am looking into applying to an American surgical residency after my intern year here in Ireland. I;m wondering, if you could design the perfect resume or CV for such a graduate, what'd it be?

Number one of course would be knocking the USMLE Step I out of the park... I'd also try and get some research published in a big paper, as well as doing an elective in a hospital where I'd like to apply...

Anything else?

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[Winged Scapula]

That's pretty much the "conventional wisdom":

- do well on USMLE Step 1 AND 2
- some programs will want you to have your ECFMG certification before they will review your application; since you will be a year out from graduation, this shouldn't be a problem and will increase your application pool avalable
- visiting clerkships at as many places as you can manage; obviously you won't get to do them everywhere (bear in mind that most US programs will not allow you to do an elective unless you are a student, so you'll need to do them before your intern year)
- letters from US faculty
- having citizenship or PR (not needing a visa) helps

 

[Gunny]

Thanks, Dr. Cox.

Many of the residency sites I've been looking at don't allow IMGs to do an elective in their hospitals, even if the student has USMLE Step I. Do you know of any hospitals that do?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Thanks, Dr. Cox.

Many of the residency sites I've been looking at don't allow IMGs to do an elective in their hospitals, even if the student has USMLE Step I. Do you know of any hospitals that do?

I suggest checking the International Forums because they may have a list; I also know that valuemd used to have one as well. Does your school have a list of where previous students have rotated?

Personally, I was able to do rotations at: Baylor, UCSF (but probably because I used to work there), UVA, Hopkins, U of Louisville

 

[Blade28]

Usually you don't check through the residency websites.

I used this when I was an MS-IV (back in 2004):

http://services.aamc.org/eec/students/

Oh, and I applied early - around 6-9 months in advance, I think.