Getting into DERM as IMG

[hopeofglory87]

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Hi, I'm an IMG, grduated in 2006. Have no research experience or paper. I have done my internship in my home country since I was not thinking of going to US till then. AFter 1 yr internship (finished in 2007 Feb), I went to Hawaii and China for volunteer work. I have various volunteer experience since college. I only became more interested in DERM after my experience in Hawaii where I heard DERM can be a great asset as for Medical mission field. (I want to work in medical mission field after my residency or fellowship). I had interest in DERM since college but in our country, it's hard to get involved in any research experience. So I have none regarding research...

I graduated with honors from Medical association in our country and recieved 3 yrs of scholarship in my school which is ranked top 3 in my country. My USMLE score step 1 240, CK 266, CS pass 1st attempt. But I don't have any USCE and have not done DERM residency in my home country. I really would like to pursue DERM in US but more I search for programs and more I find out about the details about getting matched to DERM as IMG, I am getting more intimidated....
and I feel like I should give up on it...and just pursue an easier specialty.

Do you think I have a chance in getting into DERM??
I have visa issues as well. It seems like many programs only offer J1 or some don;t even sponser J1 let alone H1b.

I'm realizing now where I stand as an IMG applicant...🙁

I wanna know if I stand a chance...

 

[Renova]

The odds are by and large stacked against you.

Generally speaking, only handful of IMGs manage to match into derm each year...in 2009, a grand total of 8 matched. Those who do match generally have years of research experience and/or other graduate degress and/or have completed another US residency first. The fact that you have no research experience, visa issues, and a step I score that would be relatively mediocre for a American derm applicant, let alone an IMG, certainly won't help your chances. As it stands, you almost certainly would not match...if you really do want to do this, you should probably look into research positions, possibly at programs that have matched other IMGs in the past (I know UChicago has, but from what I understand, the IMGs they have accepted were already derm attendings in their home countries and had significant research experience).

 

[hopeofglory87]

Thanks renova for your honest reply
I needed to know for sure where I stood as an IMG applicant for Derm

What do you think will be the best next move for next year?

Which choice do you think is the best option? (from below)
1. Do residency program here in my home then apply after 4 years of traning here. (get ivolved in a lot of research and have many papers published during those 4 years)
2. Apply to IM program now and after 3 years of IM cat training, consider DERM research
3. Apply to IM program now and after 3 years of IM cat training, go ahead and apply for DERM. (would this work? I mean I don't think 3 years of IM will upgrade my profile for Derm)
4. Look for research position and do research next year.

(I wanted to do both IM and DERM so I'm leaning more toward doing IM then consider my next move)

what do you think will be the best option?
If you have any other ideas, please feel free to give suggestions.

Thanks

 

[deltamed]

Thanks renova for your honest reply
I needed to know for sure where I stood as an IMG applicant for Derm

What do you think will be the best next move for next year?

Which choice do you think is the best option? (from below)
1. Do residency program here in my home then apply after 4 years of traning here. (get ivolved in a lot of research and have many papers published during those 4 years)
2. Apply to IM program now and after 3 years of IM cat training, consider DERM research
3. Apply to IM program now and after 3 years of IM cat training, go ahead and apply for DERM. (would this work? I mean I don't think 3 years of IM will upgrade my profile for Derm)
4. Look for research position and do research next year.

(I wanted to do both IM and DERM so I'm leaning more toward doing IM then consider my next move)

what do you think will be the best option?
If you have any other ideas, please feel free to give suggestions.

Thanks

The real question is why do you want to do a derm residency in the US?

If, as you say, you want to do medical mission work then forget it. Family or IM are probably more useful for that. If you are interested in derm then just read about it while doing another residency. If you want formal training in derm to do medical mission stuff do derm in another country - it will save you a lot of headaches and lost years of your life.

If you didn't state your real purpose, and you want to PRACTICE dermatology in the USA... well then you need to get into residency here. But as stated above, it will be nearly impossible for you to match. I would have to pick option 2 - go for IM, cause at least after 3 years you will have something to show for it. Even then you probably won't have much chance to match into derm but you will have the ability to practice SOMETHING in the USA. Instead of zero chance you may have a slight chance then.

Just being honest. Best.

 

[dragonfly99]

If your object is just derm, then I vote for doing it in another country.

If your object is US training, then I vote for IM residency in the US, then consider your next move from there. You can then try applying for derm at beginning of your 3rd year of residency. If no luck, then could do a year or two of derm research and reapply.

Realistically, the US has way more qualified derm applicants than they/we can take, who are US citizens and US trained and have similarly high step scores to yours, and who have done dermatology research. They don't really have reason to go looking for people to fill up derm residency spots, especially one who doesn't plan to practice derm in the US ever.

If you just want to do medical missions, you would be better off doing ER or family practice residency. You could learn more than enough derm doing that...

 

[hopeofglory87]

Thanks guys for your honest replies, once again.

I wanna work in medical mission field both as an IM and Derm doc. I know it's much easier to get into a Derm residency here in my home country but my heart has been set for US for a long time and so I really wanna pursue that dream. That's one of the reasons why I thought of doing IM then consider my next move. I have been struggling to find out whether I should do IM or Derm for a long time and I had never thought of pursuing 2 specialties. But it struck me suddenly, why not both?

Considering what you guys have said and all the other small and big things into account, I think I should go for IM first. (Do you think I have a chance for this specialty?) I have not yet searched for IM programs and so I do not know whether my profile is good enough for that specialty.

Anyways, I really appreciate all your support and honest opinions. Thanks.