Chances of getting interviews/ What programs can I apply to?

[talldrwithdreads]

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Hi everyone! I am an IMG, graduated from med school in 2010, Step 1 - 210, Step 2 - 232, CS - passed on the 2nd attempt, need to be sponsored for a visa. Anyone know any programs where I have a good chance of getting interviews?

 

[gutonc]

Hi everyone! I am an IMG, graduated from med school in 2010, Step 1 - 210, Step 2 - 232, CS - passed on the 2nd attempt, need to be sponsored for a visa. Anyone know any programs where I have a good chance of getting interviews?

Specialty?

 

[rokshana]

Hi everyone! I am an IMG, graduated from med school in 2010, Step 1 - 210, Step 2 - 232, CS - passed on the 2nd attempt, need to be sponsored for a visa. Anyone know any programs where I have a good chance of getting interviews?

no not really...those scores are pretty low and the 2nd attempt on CS does not help, but the biggest thing is the YOG...

 

[BoardingDoc]

Hi everyone! I am an IMG, graduated from med school in 2010, Step 1 - 210, Step 2 - 232, CS - passed on the 2nd attempt, need to be sponsored for a visa. Anyone know any programs where I have a good chance of getting interviews?

Have you been practicing medicine somewhere over the past 8 years? If so, there is probably a small chance of matching into an uncompetitive specialty. If not, I would suspect your odds of getting an interview are abysmal.

 

[AdmiralChz]

If you haven’t been practicing medicine in a physician role the last 8 years, you’re chances are basically non-existent. Programs will assume your medical school knowledge is all but gone.

 

[CGB1078]

Need some advice for applying to this years 2019 match.
US-IMG Caribbean. STEP 1 220, STEP 2 218 both on 1st attempt.
however, failed CS twice. I have no problem with english or communicating with patients. actually got high performance on SEP and CIS both times. it's the ICE portion that got me. Graduation date will be either December 2018 or January 2019. Whenever i get passing CS results back. I applied to 180 programs last year, 130 psych and 50 EM. and got 1 IV in psych and that was through a contact. this was before i found out i failed CS for the 1st time.

I'm scheduled to take CS next week. took the mock kaplan exam and an online prep course and worked on the ICE section and feel a lot more confident with my notes. If i apply in September, programs will see my 2 failed CS attempts on the USMLE transcript as i wont get my CS score till some time in December.

Do i apply now and hope that 1 program will give me an interview or do I wait till December when i get my score back, which i think is a little late. I'm planning on applying to 100 programs in family medicine only. Money is also an issue. So really don't know what to do. Would really appreciate constructive advice.


Thank you

@aProgDirector Can you help?

 

[GoSpursGo]

Need some advice for applying to this years 2019 match.
US-IMG Caribbean. STEP 1 220, STEP 2 218 both on 1st attempt.
however, failed CS twice. I have no problem with english or communicating with patients. actually got high performance on SEP and CIS both times. it's the ICE portion that got me. Graduation date will be either December 2018 or January 2019. Whenever i get passing CS results back. I applied to 180 programs last year, 130 psych and 50 EM. and got 1 IV in psych and that was through a contact. this was before i found out i failed CS for the 1st time.

I'm scheduled to take CS next week. took the mock kaplan exam and an online prep course and worked on the ICE section and feel a lot more confident with my notes. If i apply in September, programs will see my 2 failed CS attempts on the USMLE transcript as i wont get my CS score till some time in December.

Do i apply now and hope that 1 program will give me an interview or do I wait till December when i get my score back, which i think is a little late. I'm planning on applying to 100 programs in family medicine only. Money is also an issue. So really don't know what to do. Would really appreciate constructive advice.


Thank you

@aProgDirector Can you help?

I wish I had better news for you, but if money is an issue then you need to strongly consider delaying your application until next year and find something to do in the spring that will bolster your application. Your scores are fine as long as you get a pass on CS, but I think a large number of programs will trash your application without looking at it with two fails at this point, and there's no point in applying in December--"a little late" is applying on 9/20, by December almost every program will have offered all of their interview spots for the year. Sure, there is a non-zero chance that a program could get a cancellation and bring you in for a last minute interview, but you will have a much better chance of applying only once if you apply next year on time with a pass on CS and having dedicated yourself to something meaningful in the spring beyond blocking out time for interviews that may never come.

One option you could consider is applying to just 10 very low competitive FM programs. Less expensive than applying to 100 programs, and even though you'd be very unlikely to match, you could at least then participate in the SOAP, which would honestly be your most likely chance to get a spot this year. Would still apply on 9/15 on the off chance that some program will take a flier on you before the CS score comes out. Chances of that are low, but if you're gonna play low chance odds then you may as well play all of them. You can still email programs when you get your updated score in December.

If you insist on applying to the match this year, then as above I would still apply on 9/15.

 

[CGB1078]

I wish I had better news for you, but if money is an issue then you need to strongly consider delaying your application until next year and find something to do in the spring that will bolster your application. Your scores are fine as long as you get a pass on CS, but I think a large number of programs will trash your application without looking at it with two fails at this point, and there's no point in applying in December--"a little late" is applying on 9/20, by December almost every program will have offered all of their interview spots for the year. Sure, there is a non-zero chance that a program could get a cancellation and bring you in for a last minute interview, but you will have a much better chance of applying only once if you apply next year on time with a pass on CS and having dedicated yourself to something meaningful in the spring beyond blocking out time for interviews that may never come.

One option you could consider is applying to just 10 very low competitive FM programs. Less expensive than applying to 100 programs, and even though you'd be very unlikely to match, you could at least then participate in the SOAP, which would honestly be your most likely chance to get a spot this year. Would still apply on 9/15 on the off chance that some program will take a flier on you before the CS score comes out. Chances of that are low, but if you're gonna play low chance odds then you may as well play all of them. You can still email programs when you get your updated score in December.

If you insist on applying to the match this year, then as above I would still apply on 9/15.

Thank you for your reply. I appreciate your advice.

 

[AdmiralChz]

Need some advice for applying to this years 2019 match.
US-IMG Caribbean. STEP 1 220, STEP 2 218 both on 1st attempt.
however, failed CS twice. I have no problem with english or communicating with patients. actually got high performance on SEP and CIS both times. it's the ICE portion that got me. Graduation date will be either December 2018 or January 2019. Whenever i get passing CS results back. I applied to 180 programs last year, 130 psych and 50 EM. and got 1 IV in psych and that was through a contact. this was before i found out i failed CS for the 1st time.

I'm scheduled to take CS next week. took the mock kaplan exam and an online prep course and worked on the ICE section and feel a lot more confident with my notes. If i apply in September, programs will see my 2 failed CS attempts on the USMLE transcript as i wont get my CS score till some time in December.

Do i apply now and hope that 1 program will give me an interview or do I wait till December when i get my score back, which i think is a little late. I'm planning on applying to 100 programs in family medicine only. Money is also an issue. So really don't know what to do. Would really appreciate constructive advice.


Thank you

@aProgDirector Can you help?

Your stats are too low for EM, so any applications there are almost guaranteed wasted. You have 3 strikes - Caribbean, marginal step scores and multiple CS failures. Sorry to be blunt, but this is a reality.

Psych is also somewhat competitive these days.

You should be focusing on FM and rural/new community IM.

 

[CGB1078]

Your stats are too low for EM, so any applications there are almost guaranteed wasted. You have 3 strikes - Caribbean, marginal step scores and multiple CS failures. Sorry to be blunt, but this is a reality.

Psych is also somewhat competitive these days.

You should be focusing on FM and rural/new community IM.

As I mentioned in my post, psych and EM was last year's match cycle. Which was before i found out i had failed CS.

This year I will solely be applying to FM and gen surg pre-lims.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I completely agree with the above advice. If "money is no object", then feel free to apply to as many programs as you want. If you don't have thousands of $ to blow, then you could apply to the "included" number of programs (which I think is 12?), or add to 20-30 if there were specific programs / areas of interest. But the main reason to do so is to have an application ready for SOAP, because I don't think you'll get any interviews. If money is really tight, then you can wait until you actually pass CS to apply and plan to try to get something in SOAP.

 

[CGB1078]

I completely agree with the above advice. If "money is no object", then feel free to apply to as many programs as you want. If you don't have thousands of $ to blow, then you could apply to the "included" number of programs (which I think is 12?), or add to 20-30 if there were specific programs / areas of interest. But the main reason to do so is to have an application ready for SOAP, because I don't think you'll get any interviews. If money is really tight, then you can wait until you actually pass CS to apply and plan to try to get something in SOAP.

ok thank you for taking the time to reply.
So even if it's IMG friendly FM programs in less desirable area's i wont get any interviews if i apply to 100 programs?
from my understanding and what i've read, SOAP is pless favorable for IMG's and more for US-MD's correct me if i'm wrong.

my family is loaning me the money, were are in sort of a financial predicament but they are willing to help me as long as i help pay them back. I just wanted to know if i should try going all out and cast a wide net, I sort of feel im not giving it my best shot if i just prepare for soap from the get go.

 

[ddjamb]

If I may. Many programs require ECFMG certificate to be considered for interview. You will only get it after you pass your CS.
You should delay your application until next year when you have a complete application.

 

[rokshana]

If I may. Many programs require ECFMG certificate to be considered for interview. You will only get it after you pass your CS.
You should delay your application until next year when you have a complete application.

this is a misconception....ECFMG certification is only available after you have graduated and have a diploma...generally people call passing all the steps (I, CK, CS) verification and you need to have this to be able to have an active ROL for the match.

 

[CGB1078]

this is a misconception....ECFMG certification is only available after you have graduated and have a diploma...generally people call passing all the steps (I, CK, CS) verification and you need to have this to be able to have an active ROL for the match.

yeah rok is right. you don't need ECFMG to apply, there are some programs that may want it but those are most likely going to be non-IMG friendly programs or big university programs. you do need all steps for an ROL tho and thats what matters to at least apply.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Some programs require ECFMG eligibility (completing all S1 and S2), some require the actual ECFMG cert (including graduation).

Your yield of interviews with two fails and no pass on CS will be very, very low. Probably zero.

SOAP is not fun, and your yield there may be zero also, but the cost of applying to SOAP is low.

Even if you pass CS this time, and then apply next year, your chances of getting a spot in the US are not great.

Keep all this in mind if you borrow money to pay for applications. I would have a plan to pay it back if you don't get a spot.

 

[ddjamb]

I Never said you you needed ECFMG to apply. you can apply with just step 1 if you want to. Yes, you receive the actual certificate after graduation (submitted the diploma), yet it is still called certification. anyway, does not matter. bottom line, have a complete application before you apply. I was at FM conference where a panel of PDs said that that it has been so competitive in the last 5 years that for IMGs they need to see at least step 1, 2 and CS results before offering any interview. Best of luck.

 

[GoSpursGo]

ok thank you for taking the time to reply.
So even if it's IMG friendly FM programs in less desirable area's i wont get any interviews if i apply to 100 programs?
from my understanding and what i've read, SOAP is pless favorable for IMG's and more for US-MD's correct me if i'm wrong.

my family is loaning me the money, were are in sort of a financial predicament but they are willing to help me as long as i help pay them back. I just wanted to know if i should try going all out and cast a wide net, I sort of feel im not giving it my best shot if i just prepare for soap from the get go.

Everything about the match and SOAP is favorable to US-MDs over IMGs. As aPD said, the reason we're giving you advice to focus on the SOAP is that it is cheaper and there is a faint hope that something might work out for you if you have a passing score on CS when you apply.

Two CS fails is very, very bad; you and I can argue all day about whether it's fair that at the end of the day your application all comes down to your performance on that day, but that's just how it goes and wishing it was different won't make it so. I think that a lot of people in a bad situation compound their problem by applying immediately anyways, blocking out all their time for interviews that may never come, and "hoping for the best." In reality, your one hope is that you can rectify the deficiency in your app and pick up some experience in the time between now and next year that will get a program to take note of your application. Marginal scores on step 1 and 2 and a 3rd attempt pass on CS and a bread and butter application MIGHT be enough, but it very likely might not.

Your "best shot" will be if you save your money and apply next year with a passing score on all three step exams and doing something in the spring that isn't sitting around hoping for a miracle in this year's match. As it stands, there almost certainly are enough IMGs who have passed steps 1, 2, and CS (maybe even step 3) to fill these programs that you would consider applying to, so yes, even if you apply to 100 programs you will probably get zero interviews. As applying to the SOAP is cheap, you would not be crazy in at least giving that a shot.

 

[CGB1078]

Everything about the match and SOAP is favorable to US-MDs over IMGs. As aPD said, the reason we're giving you advice to focus on the SOAP is that it is cheaper and there is a faint hope that something might work out for you if you have a passing score on CS when you apply.

Two CS fails is very, very bad; you and I can argue all day about whether it's fair that at the end of the day your application all comes down to your performance on that day, but that's just how it goes and wishing it was different won't make it so. I think that a lot of people in a bad situation compound their problem by applying immediately anyways, blocking out all their time for interviews that may never come, and "hoping for the best." In reality, your one hope is that you can rectify the deficiency in your app and pick up some experience in the time between now and next year that will get a program to take note of your application. Marginal scores on step 1 and 2 and a 3rd attempt pass on CS and a bread and butter application MIGHT be enough, but it very likely might not.

Your "best shot" will be if you save your money and apply next year with a passing score on all three step exams and doing something in the spring that isn't sitting around hoping for a miracle in this year's match. As it stands, there almost certainly are enough IMGs who have passed steps 1, 2, and CS (maybe even step 3) to fill these programs that you would consider applying to, so yes, even if you apply to 100 programs you will probably get zero interviews. As applying to the SOAP is cheap, you would not be crazy in at least giving that a shot.

Some programs require ECFMG eligibility (completing all S1 and S2), some require the actual ECFMG cert (including graduation).

Your yield of interviews with two fails and no pass on CS will be very, very low. Probably zero.

SOAP is not fun, and your yield there may be zero also, but the cost of applying to SOAP is low.

Even if you pass CS this time, and then apply next year, your chances of getting a spot in the US are not great.

Keep all this in mind if you borrow money to pay for applications. I would have a plan to pay it back if you don't get a spot.

Thank you for the advice.

 

[Tina Caleb]

Need some advice for applying to this years 2019 match.
US-IMG Caribbean. STEP 1 220, STEP 2 218 both on 1st attempt.
however, failed CS twice. I have no problem with english or communicating with patients. actually got high performance on SEP and CIS both times. it's the ICE portion that got me. Graduation date will be either December 2018 or January 2019. Whenever i get passing CS results back. I applied to 180 programs last year, 130 psych and 50 EM. and got 1 IV in psych and that was through a contact. this was before i found out i failed CS for the 1st time.

I'm scheduled to take CS next week. took the mock kaplan exam and an online prep course and worked on the ICE section and feel a lot more confident with my notes. If i apply in September, programs will see my 2 failed CS attempts on the USMLE transcript as i wont get my CS score till some time in December.

Do i apply now and hope that 1 program will give me an interview or do I wait till December when i get my score back, which i think is a little late. I'm planning on applying to 100 programs in family medicine only. Money is also an issue. So really don't know what to do. Would really appreciate constructive advice.


Thank you

@aProgDirector Can you help?

hope it goes well...I also failed CS, where did u take yours cs exams?