Carribbean IMG and Residency

[Temper888]

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I am currently a Carribbean Student at SGU. I took leave of absence during second year. Then now during my step prep, I realized I used too many resources and ended up hurting myself. I barely passed NBME. So, I decided to delay Step 1. How ever, I would have two gaps in my medical school. One leave of absence for four months. Second, long gap between finishing basic sciences and start of clinical rotations. Do I still have a chance of obtaining a residency if I do decent on my Step 1? I mean around 230. I want to into primary care( family practice or internal medicine). I am a naturalized U.S citizen.

I don't know it is wise idea to continue medical school education or drop-out and do something else. I am very confused about what should i do. Has anyone been in this situation ever? I know few people took one LOA, but don't know how two gaps in medical school would look.

 

[Sailor Senshi Dermystify]

Bump
Just because

 

[mymembernames]

Yes, you will be fine. Do well on step 1.


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[Law2Doc]

I am currently a Carribbean Student at SGU. I took leave of absence during second year. Then now during my step prep, I realized I used too many resources and ended up hurting myself. I barely passed NBME. So, I decided to delay Step 1. How ever, I would have two gaps in my medical school. One leave of absence for four months. Second, long gap between finishing basic sciences and start of clinical rotations. Do I still have a chance of obtaining a residency if I do decent on my Step 1? I mean around 230. I want to into primary care( family practice or internal medicine). I am a naturalized U.S citizen.

I don't know it is wise idea to continue medical school education or drop-out and do something else. I am very confused about what should i do. Has anyone been in this situation ever? I know few people took one LOA, but don't know how two gaps in medical school would look.

Coming from offshore already is a hurdle. Plenty of people end up taking more than four years on this route, but absolutely would need a story for why. You probably should reassess where you are AFTER you have done "decent" on Step 1, otherwise this whole thread sounds like you are trying to find an excuse to not take it.

 

[Temper888]

Thank you! People around me have been saying that I won't be able to match if I take time off twice.So, just wanted to know if there were people in my situation who can relate to me. I want to give my best and I enjoy learning about medicine. But, just wanted to know an honest opinion on my chances of matching.

 

[ACSurgeon]

Thank you! People around me have been saying that I won't be able to match if I take time off twice.So, just wanted to know if there were people in my situation who can relate to me. I want to give my best and I enjoy learning about medicine. But, just wanted to know an honest opinion on my chances of matching.

Failing you first attempt at step 1 would be way worse than a second LOA. If you barely passed your name, there's areal chance you might fail the real deal

 

[DrMidlife]

Be realistic about going from what, a 200? on the self-assessment to a 230 on the real thing. You have to do better than about 25,000 other highly motivated test takers to get that kind of improvement. (Really. 65k+ takers last year. See the score interpretations on usmle.org.)

Become familiar with the residencies that have unfilled positions in the NRMP match. These are the residencies where you have the most realistic chance. If you are willing to do such a residency, then continue, knowing that you'll still have to work crazy hard to match. Or cut your losses & walk away.

 

[Treebird]

You'll be fine. When you apply to programs, just explain the gaps. It's only a red flag if they don't know what the gaps were for.

 

[mymembernames]

You'll be fine. When you apply to programs, just explain the gaps. It's only a red flag if they don't know what the gaps were for.

Would it be a red flag if the gap was to study for step 1?


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[mymembernames]

^Wondering if any residents or attendings know from being on committees?


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[DetectiveAlonzo]

You should try to do better than just passing on your STEP....obviously.

FM and IM are not competitive at all, as those are pretty much some of the few specialties that are open to IMGs. Just know that you may be in the boonies somewhere but that is better than nothing.

 

[Mad Jack]

This is a big *if* at this point. If you've got two LOAs and your Step 1 score comes out subpar, you're really going to have very minimal chance of a match. If you do well with two LOAs, you are still going to be viewed as potential trouble to programs and will have limited your options in regard to which residencies you will be able to match into. Carib+2 LOAs is three red flags, minimum, with the potential of a fourth if you perform poorly on the NBME.

 

[mymembernames]

All my IMG friends took a year off for step 1 and they all matched IM (~3 people I knew) with below average step 1 scores at decent places/cities

 

[gyngyn]

I am currently a Carribbean Student at SGU. I took leave of absence during second year. Then now during my step prep, I realized I used too many resources and ended up hurting myself. I barely passed NBME. So, I decided to delay Step 1. How ever, I would have two gaps in my medical school. One leave of absence for four months. Second, long gap between finishing basic sciences and start of clinical rotations. Do I still have a chance of obtaining a residency if I do decent on my Step 1? I mean around 230. I want to into primary care( family practice or internal medicine). I am a naturalized U.S citizen.

I don't know it is wise idea to continue medical school education or drop-out and do something else. I am very confused about what should i do. Has anyone been in this situation ever? I know few people took one LOA, but don't know how two gaps in medical school would look.

Gaps in training are red flags. Gaps in training from Caribbean grads are redder flags. Still, it is better to take the time you need to get a strong Step score (since you have the luxury), because a low one (or a flunk) with this many breaks is the reddest flag of all.