Do I have a chance or Is it futile?

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Wounded Healer

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I have a question. I am a non-US IMG. I applied for psychiatry last year, got seven interview invitations, but didn't match. I carefully thought of my interviews retrospectively if I did something wrong, but couldn't find a significant mistake. I wonder if I blew them all or not. I haven't applied for a backup option this year and last year. Psychiatry is what I want to do. My scores are step1 23x, CK 24x, passed CS, Step3 22x. I have three letters from US psychiatrists; they said my letters are strong. I have many gaps in my CV which was not a thing I could control, and I don't have USCE, YoG 2015. I have some research and observer experience in Psychiatry within the US. From this forum, I understand it is getting more and more competitive. I don't know if it is futile for me trying to get into psychiatry residency or not. What do you think? Good luck everyone!

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Not futile, but what happens if you don't match again? You're putting all your eggs in the psych basket and if things don't work out matching IM or FM next year may be nearly impossible. Even more so becuase you only have psych LORs. I get psych is what you want to do and I'd encourage you to go for it again, but what's plan B?
 
Not futile, but what happens if you don't match again? You're putting all your eggs in the psych basket and if things don't work out matching IM or FM next year may be nearly impossible. Even more so becuase you only have psych LORs. I get psych is what you want to do and I'd encourage you to go for it again, but what's plan B?

You are right. But applying to other specialty does not make sense now, I dont have any letter, or anything but psychiatry in my cv. If I don’t match, probably i’d give up the US residency.
 
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Did you do a good job of explaining why you have the lapses in your application? What have you been doing in the interim? Has it been a long time since you've graduated?
Did you apply to more programs this year?

I'm applying right now as well, but I'd have to think that folks were interested if you got 7 interviews. Did you send interest letters to places you didn't hear back from?

I'm also not sure if this is done, but did you contact PD's at the places you interviewed at to see how you could be a stronger candidate?
 
I haven't contacted, but I am considering doing that. Last year I applied for residency from outside of States, I got three ii. But when I came to the US, I let programs that I was in the States and got four more in January. That makes me think I was not their favorite candidate, gave me an interview after someone canceled theirs. I believe Step3 will help, though. Still got no interviews, last year I got one these times.
 
The whole "non-US IMG" with no USCE is likely the most significant factor if you had 7 IIs and no obvious issues during interviews. What region of the world are you from? If you were an Irish IMG or Australian IMG, it would be hard to imagine you not matching with those stats so it would be reasonable to expect that non-Western background played a factor. The required ability to understand the cultural/language nuances of most of the US population is probably enough to keep many similar applicants from getting a spot. Combined with other issues that you seem aware of, it would make considering other specialties a good option.
 
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The whole "non-US IMG" with no USCE is likely the most significant factor if you had 7 IIs and no obvious issues during interviews. What region of the world are you from? If you were an Irish IMG or Australian IMG, it would be hard to imagine you not matching with those stats so it would be reasonable to expect that non-Western background played a factor. The required ability to understand the cultural/language nuances of most of the US population is probably enough to keep many similar applicants from getting a spot. Combined with other issues that you seem aware of, it would make considering other specialties a good option.

I am from Asia/Middle-Eastern Area. I got several US experience including research, and observerships but didn't have a chance to do a hands-on experience. I got pretty strong letters from US psychiatrists one is very well-known in the field. All of LoR providers are strongly supporting me, and sincerely believing in me. The problem for me to apply other specialties is that I built up my CV entirely for Psych, did nothing else, and all of my letters are from psychiatrists. I don't believe it is helpful in applying other specialties at this year's application. I feel discouraged for all this psych residency application competitiveness, and I feel like quitting if I don't match this year in my second attempt. Sorry for the whining and complaining, but these are my current feelings; I know I have chosen the USMLE path myslef, and would be tough.
 
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