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[urg2beSURG]

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First, I don't want to know what you think on my chances (although this might be necessary), and I couldn't find something this specific in other topics..

Background: I'm a Brazilian medical graduate (Dec-2009); top 15% of class (not that it matters for foreign universities..). Step 1 239; step 2 CK 256. One elective in GI-Hepatology in Charlottesville VA. One year of military service in Brazil. Unfortunately, not from the 2 only Brazilian cities that Americans seem to know (Rio and Sao Paulo). Since July, I'm a research fellow (surgical area) in a renowned hospital in Boston. Until now, one accepted manuscript (from here), one published article in a Brazilian surgical journal and one accepted manuscript (from research in medical school, in GI) in Archives of IM. Several ongoing studies here. Also a couple of published abstracts from liver meetings. Important to notice: I would only take a prelim position in a top-tier program or if my life changes a lot this year, otherwise, it's categorical or I'm going back to Brazil..

I will apply next year. My questions:

1. Do you think it would be worthwhile to do an observership in surgery next year? (why I ask: my mentor in Boston says it's not, since the "big guys" won't get to know me as well as they would while doing research; but everybody else says it's all about US clinical experience)

2. Should I use the LOR from UVA, granted it is from a hepatologist? I'm not familiar with the ERAS application... Can I send this LOR only to some specific programs and not to the other 100 for which I will probably apply? (e.g. UVA and surrounding areas where the writer may be known)

Thx

 

[Smurfette]

Since you are going to apply for surgery (according to your username), you need to have LORs from surgeons. You **could** use the extra LOR from the hepatologist as a 4th letter, but without LORs from surgeons you are not going to get interviews, and most surgery programs don't want to read a non-surgeon's letter assessing your ability to be a surgical resident.

You NEED to do rotations in the US to 1. get LORs from surgeons and 2. to have any chance at finding a position through the match. And, applying for the 2013 match as a 2009 FMG is going to hinder you, since both being an FMG and not being a new grad (i.e. 2013 grad) are going to make it very, very hard to even score an interview, let alone match.

 

[gutonc]

Your mentor is correct but not for the reason he states. You won't get anything out of an observership because nobody really cares about them. Lots of IMGs spend a lot of money and time doing them and still...nobody cares. The research will help you a little, but not a ton.

USCE is HUGE and is really the only thing people will care about. Since you can't get real USCE anymore, there's nothing you can do about it now. But since you have one letter from a real US rotation, you should use it for all of your apps. The other letters should be from your research supervisor and at least one surg letter from your med school. Not good, but better than nothing.

 

[Buzz Me]

Agree with the above two posts. You need USCE and strong US LORs (from surgeons) on your app. But your IMG status and your 2009 graduation date make this an uphill battle.

I would apply widely, but be prepared for the possibility of only being offered interviews for Prelim spots.

 

[urg2beSURG]

Yeah.. I lost the opportunity to apply this year.. But I would not have surgeons' LORs and would risk failing the CS (I don't think I was prepared English-wise - my English became rusty in the Army)
I may get 2 LORs from my current program, maybe 3 The thing is... would u use this hepatologist's letter just to prove I had clinical experience, even if it was in hepatology? (I actually spent 1 week in the transplant team, but could not get a letter from them)
Is it worthy getting a letter from someone at my Medical school at all?

Thank you again!