FMG friendly EM programs in TX? is it possible?

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Captainwada

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Hi, I'm a MSIV FMG with 4 more weeks of rotation (scheduled in DEC) untill I "unoffcially" graduate. I thought it would be helpful for upcomming FMG students to hear my recent delemia i encountered.
As you know, many ROSS students are applying for residencies now for 09 match,and to better my chances of obtaining residency at my home state TX, I applied to an "away elective" at ******* TX (my hometown)and am scheduled for it in DEC 08.
However, i recently recieved a letter of rejection from ******* EM residency program. I called the director to explain my situaton and he says that the "paperwork" will just take too long for FMGs to get done in time for residency and he does not want to risk not having all residents start on time.
The ironic part is that I have delayed my graduation from NOV 08 to March 09 to rotate at this program.
But what baffles me is that I have recieved an interview from ******* in TX, so it seems as though it shouldn't be a state liscencing issue...and if it is, how come texas tech still extended me an interview? Have others come across this issue as well?
The director said that they accept 2nd yr IMG's, but have a hard time in the past with IMGs straight out of school...
As you guys can see, my situation sucks, as I paid $300 application fee to rotate at this hospital, $25 to apply for residency here, and moved back home from NY to TX, and now they're telling me 1 month before i rotate there, that they can't even consider me for residency.

By the way, I've already accpeted my fate to just rotate here with a smile =) as it not be fesable to set up another rotation in time. Hope everyone is having a great interviewing season!
 
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Ironically, Last year texas tech sent out a letter stating that they had a new policy that they could not give out an interview to an IMG student until they are ECFMG certified. They stated they had problems in the past with IMGs not getting there license in time to start. I was shocked to hear you got an interview there. I know they changed PDs this year, so maybe they had a change in there policy. Texas is overall a very anti-IMG state. Good luck.
 
In order to practice as a resident in Texas, you have to have a "Preliminary License" from the Texas Medical Board. For American graduates this can take 1-2 months to get. FMGs have a difficult time, and on average it can take 6-9 months for them to get the official letter from the board. Residencies are reluctant to take on FMGs, as they may be stuck with a resident who can't work for half their first year.

My advice would be to forget Texas and apply to places with less strict licensing requirements.
 
In order to practice as a resident in Texas, you have to have a "Preliminary License" from the Texas Medical Board. For American graduates this can take 1-2 months to get. FMGs have a difficult time, and on average it can take 6-9 months for them to get the official letter from the board. Residencies are reluctant to take on FMGs, as they may be stuck with a resident who can't work for half their first year.

My advice would be to forget Texas and apply to places with less strict licensing requirements.


If I graduate in Jan, would this still be an issue?
 
If I graduate in Jan, would this still be an issue?

Well, I'll jump in. I'm the chair at Texas Tech, and I started our policy last year. It doesn't take 6-9 months to get a training permit, but you must have a ECFMG certificate. If you have one when matched in March and you get right on the application process, you'll probably have a training permit by July 1.

So, if an IMG is graduating after about Feb 15, we won't offer an interview. We even have had a couple of IMGs who had their certificates, but didn't heed our pleas to get to work on their documents. They didn't have their permit ready for July 1. I've heard of PDs who will simply cancel their appointment at that point and fill with somebody who is ready.

I haven't done that, but if the resident start a month or two late, they miss the orientation month and it shows.

I don't know what the policies are for other Texas programs.

BTW, I don't consider either the Texas medical Board or the EM programs IMG unfriendly. Rather the Board is very concientious about all it's duties. Many think that Texas is the second most difficult state to get a medical license from, whether USMG or IMG. It takes about two months to get the training permit if all the ducks are in a row. It can take up to 8 months to get a license (or never).
 
If I graduate in Jan, would this still be an issue?

It dosent really matter when you finish your rotations, the real question is when will you get your diploma? To be ECFMG certified you will need to send them a copy of your diploma. I finished a few months before our graduation, but my school only gives out diplomas 2 times a year. So i was not able to get ECFMG cert before applying to the texas programs. Will you be getting your diploma in Jan?
 
Well, I'll jump in. I'm the chair at Texas Tech, and I started our policy last year. It doesn't take 6-9 months to get a training permit, but you must have a ECFMG certificate. If you have one when matched in March and you get right on the application process, you'll probably have a training permit by July 1.

So, if an IMG is graduating after about Feb 15, we won't offer an interview. We even have had a couple of IMGs who had their certificates, but didn't heed our pleas to get to work on their documents. They didn't have their permit ready for July 1. I've heard of PDs who will simply cancel their appointment at that point and fill with somebody who is ready.

I haven't done that, but if the resident start a month or two late, they miss the orientation month and it shows.

I don't know what the policies are for other Texas programs.

BTW, I don't consider either the Texas medical Board or the EM programs IMG unfriendly. Rather the Board is very concientious about all it's duties. Many think that Texas is the second most difficult state to get a medical license from, whether USMG or IMG. It takes about two months to get the training permit if all the ducks are in a row. It can take up to 8 months to get a license (or never).
Thanks BKN!!! This info is greatly appreciated!

It dosent really matter when you finish your rotations, the real question is when will you get your diploma? To be ECFMG certified you will need to send them a copy of your diploma. I finished a few months before our graduation, but my school only gives out diplomas 2 times a year. So i was not able to get ECFMG cert before applying to the texas programs. Will you be getting your diploma in Jan?

Our school has 3 graduation dates (march being the earliest), however, I will call them about applying for "special" dates for official graduation in order to get my diploma earlier.
 
well its official...1/7 TX schools...kinda funny how i'm born & raised in TX, went to UT for college and now they dont want me back...
Too bad for them!
 
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