Does citizenship status matter when applying for residency?

[nejikon]

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I was wondering this as I have been accepted to DO schools, but I have an undocumented DACA citizenship status. Since I am mostly interested in surgical specialties, I was thinking of taking a gap year to raise my MCAT (all else is fine) to reapply for MD. DO's usually have lower chances at these, so I was thinking about raises my chances as high as I can. So, do IMG's or international people have a harder time getting spots at residency?

 

[Giovanotto]

Oh. I noticed most schools do not accept DACA students. That might be a problem later down the road OP... Most schools wants to see documentation of citizenship status or visa documents from international students. What's your story like? Where are you originally from, what's going on?

 

[nejikon]

Oh. I noticed most schools do not accept DACA students. That might be a problem later down the road OP... Most schools wants to see documentation of citizenship status or visa documents from international students. What's your story like? Where are you originally from, what's going on?

There are a handful that do and I may have a good chance at my state schools, some of which equally consider DACA among normal applicants. I was just worried about residency matching, if my citizenship status played a substantial role. My parents brought me to NY as a kid. Now, I am trying to decide whether or not I should just go to DO or take a gap year for an MD to raise my residency match chances. IF the chances of an international/IMG US medical student are the same as a citizen US medical student, then I will just go for the DO. If citizenship matters significantly, I'll take the gap year. What do you think?

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Just FYI, an IMG=International Medical Graduate, as in you attended an international med school in the Caribbean, Israel, etc.

You're not an IMG, (they get boned during the match), but a US student who isnt a citizen. I don't really know how citizenship plays into the match, but a surgical subspecialty is easier to get into from MD regardless.

Be wary though, if you turn down this acceptance, but are unsuccessful at MD next cycle, that DO school will never take you back.

 

[chronicidal]

Some programs will filter through ERAS by US citizens. Some filter through ERAS by degree. So being a non-citizen and non-MD is a double whammy.

That said, there are fewer reasons to reject DACA candidates than other non-citizens because you don't require visa sponsorship. Googled DACA and residency and found this: http://bit.ly/20pgBd4 Looks like there will be restrictions on rotating at the VA or doing federally-funding research programs, so there's that reason for PDs to filter out DACA applicants.