carribean grads

[dWiz]

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I have a question about carribean grad. MDs in U.S. . It seems that about 95% of them end up getting residencies in primary care (IM, peds). How hard is it for them to get fellowships? Is it harder for them because they are looked down upon by programs here being IMG(i think thats what they are called). Just curious, i'm not a med student, my friend graduated from a university there; Ross. He's also going in IM.

 

[wolfvgang22]

This is one of the eternally debated questions on forums like this.

Many US grads around here will snobbishly say you can't do anything as an IMG, because you're inferior from the start.
Many IMGs themselves feel inferior for whatever reason and preach doom and gloom. Still others are too idealistic and say the sky is the limit for everyone. Realistically, none of those viewpoints are correct all the time.

Mostly what you get depends on your USMLE step 1 scores. If you do really well on the USMLE, and manage to network well in the specialty you want during clinicals, and apply to a program that does not have a bias against IMG's you can get a competitive residency. It's possible, some have done it.
It takes some combination of hard work and a little luck. As an IMG, you would need more luck than a US grad.

It is hard to be more specific than this, because every program director has his or her own biases, schools offer different clinicals, people have varying work ethics, etc.

So the standard advice is to go to a US school if you can first, as the path is much easier overall. Students should work hard in med school, ace the step 1, and work hard in clinicals, and do their best no matter where you go. If you go off-shore, pick a school that has a good record of students doing well on the Step 1 and getting residencies similiar to the one you would want if possible.

Well, here come the flamers, so I'm out of here. Adios, amoeba!

 

[snaklee]

Only doctors with two faces (speaks of their courage) or more think that they are inferior physicians.

IMGs are mostly very competent physicians and have contributed a great deal to our society.

Afterall, it is our DOMESTIC medical schools (along with some lawyers) that have intentionally let medicine get to the point where some areas would be without medical care without FMGs.

The US medical education system from today in my opinion will historically be viewed as backwards and incompetent as a whole with regards to producing an appropriate number of graduates.

Many already believe this to be true.

Imagine if GM and the other automakers wouldn't pump enough cars out to fill the demand of society. Imagine if a chevy metro(if still made) cost 100,000 us dollars simply because the auto industry wanted as much money as they could suck out of each buyer.

Well, that is the way that the medical school industry is domestically.
The demand is huge, but the supply is limited by the schools.

Medical educaiton is demanding, but it isn't that difficult. The US medical screwls pretend that they know a type of medicine that isn't practiced in the rest of the free world...

 

[snaklee]

By the way, are you a real friend. That seems like a strange questioin to be asking from a friend.

Maybe you just want a reason to dis his degree?

To the face, "Wow, buddy, that's great that your medical degree, I'm really happy for you dude."

Secretly, the knives come out from the sheath and aim for the back!

" Is it harder for them because they are looked down upon by programs here being IMG(i think thats what they are called)."

For all you med students, listen up,

BUDDY IS ONLY HALF OF THE WORD.

 

[Dr Who]

I have a question about carribean grad. MDs in U.S. . It seems that about 95% of them end up getting residencies in primary care (IM, peds). How hard is it for them to get fellowships? Is it harder for them because they are looked down upon by programs here being IMG(i think thats what they are called). Just curious, i'm not a med student, my friend graduated from a university there; Ross. He's also going in IM.

The truth of the matter is yes, it is more difficult to get into many competitive residencies, but not imposible. I have a friend who is EXTREMELY intelligent, and has the grades to back it up, but he bombed the MCAT (girlfriend left him the week of the exam). So basically he now has two choices, either go the IMG route or wait till next year and retake the MCAT. It is my opinion that the MCAT only measures how good you are at taking standardized exams.
Lets say he decides on to go to a caribbean med school, does that take away his value as a future physician? Hell no!!!
I can tell you that he is probably more intelligent and dedicated than half of the self rightous, arrogant jerks that believe that they are the masters of the medical profession because they were accepted to a US school. I sometimes read some of these threads and cant help but laugh at some of the comments that these posters make (one or two come to mind). Who are they to say who is qualified to be a physician or not! Arrogant @$$holes.
I can tell you that John (my friend) will make a better physicain than most of these people who think that being self centered and elitist is a necessary quality for physicians.