Canadian in USMD now considered IMG/ What now....

[canadian2us2222]

Hi there,

I got accepted into my top choice USMD program a few months back and am super excited to go. But I actually just found out that in 2022 they changed the rules for Canadian USMD graduating in 2026. We will be considered IMGs when applying for residency spots... In addition, Canada will also consider us IMGs...

This essentially means we are stuck in a suboptimal condition for both countries?

Honestly I'm super worried now and rethinking going if this means that I will be left unmatched in the US.

Any ideas about what this means for people like me, does this mean that we will have the same horror stories as people from the Caribbean (no hate).

Thanks

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Lawpy]

I don’t understand. If you’re going to a US MD school, you’re a US grad, not IMG

 

[gyngyn]

I don’t understand. If you’re going to a US MD school, you’re a US grad, not IMG

Residency has always depended upon visa status, not school of graduation.

 

[canadian2us2222]

I don’t understand. If you’re going to a US MD school, you’re a US grad, not IMG

Yeah thats what I thought too, but the rules literally just changed this year.

Canada in its infinite glory and medical wisdom decided to make USMD=IMG and i guess via reciprocity USMD who are Canadians will be IMGs for US as well...

Residency has always depended upon visa status, not school of graduation status.

Sorry so are you saying it was always like this? that Canadians graduating from USMD schools were always going to be considered IMGs (F1 Visa btw).

 

[KnightDoc]

Yeah thats what I thought too, but the rules literally just changed this year.

Canada in its infinite glory and medical wisdom decided to make USMD=IMG and i guess via reciprocity USMD who are Canadians will be IMGs for US as well...


Sorry so are you saying it was always like this? that Canadians graduating from USMD schools were always going to be considered IMGs (F1 Visa btw).

For US, yes. It sounds like Canada just changed its rules to give you another reason to stay home, or punish you for leaving.

If so, it's not changing your prospects in the US (you'll still be a US grad, and still won't be a citizen), but it seems as though it will make it more difficult for you to return to Canada. If that was your goal, why go to the US in the first place?

A Canadian attending medical school in the US was never in the same situation as a US citizen attending school in the Caribbean, since the US schools are respected while the Caribbean schools are not, so nothing has changed there either. Literally nothing has changed for you in the US.

 

[canadian2us2222]

For US, yes. It sounds like Canada just changed its rules to give you another reason to stay home, or punish you for leaving.

If so, it's not changing your prospects in the US (you'll still be a US grad, and still won't be a citizen), but it seems as though it will make it more difficult for you to return to Canada. If that was your goal, why go to the US in the first place?

A Canadian attending medical school in the US was never in the same situation as a US citizen attending school in the Caribbean, since the US schools are respected while the Caribbean schools are not, so nothing has changed there either. Literally nothing has changed for you in the US.

I want to stay in the US. I knew that Canada changed and wasn't concerned but the news about the US shook me

Thanks this helps a lot. I just did not want to be stuck being in a bad spot for either things.

 

[KnightDoc]

I want to stay in the US. I knew that Canada changed and wasn't concerned but the news about the US shook me

Thanks this helps a lot. I just did not want to be stuck being in a bad spot for either things.

Can you link to the news about the US, just to make sure we are not missing anything?

 

[gyngyn]

Sorry so are you saying it was always like this? that Canadians graduating from USMD schools were always going to be considered IMGs (F1 Visa btw).

Yes. It is the visa status that determines the category into which one falls (without regard to the country in which one has attended medical school). Some programs will not support any visa. Others support J1 (but not H1B visas)...

 

[canadian2us2222]

Can you link to the news about the US, just to make sure we are not missing anything?

US and Canada Remain Committed to Ensuring Medical Education Quality | AFMC

This is one and the rest were just comments on other forum sites.

"
Canadian medical students graduating in 2026 and beyond will be considered International Medical Graduates by the United States which would require them to apply for Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certification.

"

I guess this depends on if they mean Canadian medical students who went to school in Canada or Canadian medical students who went to school either in Canada or US.

 

[KnightDoc]

US and Canada Remain Committed to Ensuring Medical Education Quality | AFMC

This is one and the rest were just comments on other forum sites.

"
Canadian medical students graduating in 2026 and beyond will be considered International Medical Graduates by the United States which would require them to apply for Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certification.

"

I guess this depends on if they mean Canadian medical students who went to school in Canada or Canadian medical students who went to school either in Canada or US.

I thought you might be reading too much into it! Please read it again carefully. It is only referring to Canadian students in American medical schools applying to residencies in Canada, OR Canadians applying to American residencies from Canadian schools, which makes perfect sense since LCME will no longer be accrediting Canadian schools.

As I suspected, and as @gyngyn confirmed, it does not say anything about Canadians attending American medical schools applying to American residencies. There is no "reciprocity," and nothing has changed on that front. It's just that since LCME will be disentangling itself from Canadian schools, people applying to US or Canadian residencies from a medical school in the other country will naturally be applying as IMGs, since LCME will no longer have anything to do with Canadian schools.

 

[GadRads]

Try to avoid the clinical J1 visa, unless you are willing to do the 2 yr absence requirement or are able to get a J1 waiver. The waiver is not easily obtained in some specialties.