Deadlines for Final Diploma with Residency Match Offer

[system1c]

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This may not be the right forum to ask this but here it goes. I'm an IMG attending a 6-year program in Europe. The earliest possible graduation for me would be mid-July ( this is entirely normal in this area as this would be the time to complete any remaining exams and the submittal of a thesis). My question is, when you match, not only when do most residencies begin, but when do most schools require the necessary diploma? I want to make sure that I'm planning the right way and not having to skip a cycle to match the following year. I am an American citizen by the way.

 

[sunshinefl]

Aside from the diploma, don’t all residencies officially start July 1st, with orientation start as early as mid-June? How would you miss a month?

 

[gutonc]

You are not eligible for the Match in the year that you graduate. As part of the Match agreement, you have to certify that you are eligible to start work on July 1. Since you won't have graduated by July 1, you won't be eligible to start then. Ipso facto, you are not eligible for the Match this year.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Realistically, as an IMG you'll need to graduate by the end of May to actually start in July in many states. You'll need your diploma to get your ECFMG cert, and you'll need your ECFMG to get a training license, and you'll need that to onboard to the program. And most programs start in mid June, and you often need all your paperwork complete before they will consider starting you. There are a few states where you don't need a training license, but one of them is Cali and you'll need a PTAL there which also requires a diploma (I think?). Anyway, bottom line is that if you plan to start in July, you'll need to finish by end of May or perhaps even earlier. Else, as mentioned above, plan to start the next year.

 

[system1c]

Realistically, as an IMG you'll need to graduate by the end of May to actually start in July in many states. You'll need your diploma to get your ECFMG cert, and you'll need your ECFMG to get a training license, and you'll need that to onboard to the program. And most programs start in mid June, and you often need all your paperwork complete before they will consider starting you. There are a few states where you don't need a training license, but one of them is Cali and you'll need a PTAL there which also requires a diploma (I think?). Anyway, bottom line is that if you plan to start in July, you'll need to finish by end of May or perhaps even earlier. Else, as mentioned above, plan to start the next year.

Thanks for the info, it helps. Yes, Italian bureaucracy will make turning in all paperwork in time extremely difficult, but I thought I may have had a shot. After all, reading all the suggestions of matching outside of your graduation year lessens your chances has me a little worried

 

[system1c]

I cant see any program letting you shuffle in late, might have to get into 2020 match.

Maybe your school will let you accelerate somehow, a month doesn't seam like all that much time.

What country? I've heard of a lot of Americans going to Poland for whatever reason.

I'm in Italy.

 

[sunshinefl]

I don’t know anything about Medical school in Italy. Is there any way to graduate earlier? Cut an elective? Or later, and do research as a student?

 

[system1c]

I don’t know anything about Medical school in Italy. Is there any way to graduate earlier? Cut an elective? Or later, and do research as a student?

So real quick synopsis is its a six-year program with oral exams, with a smattering of written exams in the first few years. ITs cool but more theory than practical skills. What I pay for yearly tuition is probably the biggest advantage, ~2500 euro, though this is one of the state schools, the private institutions charge waay more. Oh, and yeah, you have to navigate post-graduate options on your own without assistance

Next week I'll talk to the rector of our program and explain my situation. There are not many Americans where I'm at(most are in Rome or "posh" Milano), but maybe they can make an exception.

 

[system1c]

Ya dude but you are a US citizen, at a credible international school (not carib), you will be fine even if you've gotta delay to a different match cycle.

I hope so. That was my thinking as well. I have an MPH, too, so I hope that will help, but now I'm thinking of doing a foundation year in the UK if possible to get some clinical experience since applying may fall in line with my graduation and try the match the following year. Or maybe it's better doing externships in the US for those LOR's. Either way, I'm just trying to get back home.

 

[system1c]

What are you trying to match into?

You take your steps yet?

So, I started my 5 year this is not my graduation year taking step 1 early next year. I'm interested in anesthesiology.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

You will want US clinical experience, which you must get in your final year. You will (very likely) need the steps to get US clinical experience, since many schools won't consider you without them. Hence, you should seriously consider taking the steps this year (5th), doing US clinical rotations next year (6th). Then you can figure out whether you can graduate in time to match immediately after graduation, or will have a gap year (and then determine what you'll do to fill the gap).

 

[system1c]

You will want US clinical experience, which you must get in your final year. You will (very likely) need the steps to get US clinical experience since many schools won't consider you without them. Hence, you should seriously consider taking the steps this year (5th), doing US clinical rotations next year (6th). Then you can figure out whether you can graduate in time to match immediately after graduation, or will have a gap year (and then determine what you'll do to fill the gap).

Yes, that was the plan but, I'm not so sure about the internships in my 6th year. In this school, core clinicals are completed in the 6th year, and some of the medical school sites that I've looked at require that these need to be completed before you can apply for any clinical electives, so I was thinking my alternative would be observerships or externships for the experience and letters of recommendations. But I just want to be clear that you don't think do a foundation year in the UK medical postgraduate system would help?

 

[NotAProgDirector]

A foundation year is fine, but not as helpful as US experience.