DO student + IMG girlfriend

[Texasmedins]

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Hey guys,

Sort of an interesting dilemma. My girlfriend is a junior doctor in the UK. She graduated last year from Czech republic. I have been accepted to a DO school this cycle, and will be graduating 2022. We plan on getting married within the next two years, with her moving here by 2020. She will be preparing for her steps meanwhile. She is interested in FM. We would like to utilize the couples match, and possibly land in Texas or NY. I am trying for EM. Given our steps are adequate or above average for the programs we are applying to, does the YOG negatively impact her? Does her work experience in the UK help her any? She will not be working immediately after moving here, and she still will be taking her steps. What do you guys advise:
She does while she's in the UK working as a FY2 junior doctor,
and once she moves to the US?

Also, realistically, is the EM/FM combination hard in the couples match, given the DO/IMG situation?
Also if the age matters, We're both 23<x<26

Thanks!

 

[BorntobeDO?]

Others will have more specific, but this sounds very difficult to me. I don't know the specifics of the British system, but junior doc is a med school grad, correct? If so, I think she should try and apply to residency here immediately while your in med school and just be done with it by the time you graduate. You are obviously willing to deal with being in different places for years as she will be out of country, and I think it will be easier for her to match now than in 5 years.

Our residencies are getting increasingly non-IMG friendly, and every year the extra slots decrease. If she was able to get a residency within a couple hours of you that would be phenomenally closer than being overseas. And it would be much easier than you trying a couples match for a competitive specialty like EM with the extra weight of having to place her also (your making your own already somewhat difficult match even harder with this plan.)

 

[Lexdiamondz]

Any DO/IMG couples match combo is going to be risky, seeing as 50% of IMGs don't match and you specifically are seeking to match into a field that has gotten significantly more competitive in the last 10 years.

 

[libertyyne]

both of you should know that you may be living apart for the duration of residency. your best options are to maximize the possibility of both of you matching. Unless both of you plan on couples matching in FP at a location that is not very desirable, north dakota, etc.

 

[Texasmedins]

Thank you for your replies. We did talk about her possibly applying earlier for her residency- that’s on the table as well. All fair points

 

[hallowmann]

Thank you for your replies. We did talk about her possibly applying earlier for her residency- that’s on the table as well. All fair points

She should apply first. Its just what needs to happen. She is at higher risk of failing to match or secure a residency. You're going to be limited by where she goes. She should prepare, take the steps, and apply for the first cycle that opens after she has ECFMG certification. I'd strongly recommend that she ranks programs in cities that have multiple residency programs that you can also apply to.

There's a lot of benefits to this. For one YOG is important for IMGs, so the sooner she's able to apply, the better her chances are for matching. For two, neither of you want to be limited and potentially not match because of it. Three, she could potentially be finished with 2 yrs of residency by the time you match, which would make it easier for her to relocate after another year to wherever you are. Four, her actually being in an institution already carries more weight in terms of bringing you there than if you were both applicants. Programs will work harder for their residents and staff than they would for potential residents or staff. Five, you might completely change the field you want considering you haven't even started med school yet, so who knows how risky a couples match would be in that situation.

 

[Texasmedins]

She should apply first. Its just what needs to happen. She is at higher risk of failing to match or secure a residency. You're going to be limited by where she goes. She should prepare, take the steps, and apply for the first cycle that opens after she has ECFMG certification. I'd strongly recommend that she ranks programs in cities that have multiple residency programs that you can also apply to.

There's a lot of benefits to this. For one YOG is important for IMGs, so the sooner she's able to apply, the better her chances are for matching. For two, neither of you want to be limited and potentially not match because of it. Three, she could potentially be finished with 2 yrs of residency by the time you match, which would make it easier for her to relocate after another year to wherever you are. Four, her actually being in an institution already carries more weight in terms of bringing you there than if you were both applicants. Programs will work harder for their residents and staff than they would for potential residents or staff. Five, you might completely change the field you want considering you haven't even started med school yet, so who knows how risky a couples match would be in that situation.

Thanks! Great points. I will start researching into a potential location once I finalize and put the deposit down on the school I wish to attend. Do you think it’s harder for IMGs to land residencies in the Gulf south, let’s say Houston/surrounding areas?