Gulp, the match

[FreakinOutMD]

So, I'm an US IMG, not from the Caribbean but over seas.

Step 1 205
Step 2 234
CS Passed

All on first attempt

I got one interview in Internal Medicine (I intend to rank 1st, letter of intent was emailed), and another in Prelim Surg.

The IM program is a new program so I fancy my chances... but lets say, I don't match this season..

The soap comes up and I know my chances are ultra low there anyway...

Would applying next season be worth it at all? Considering I only got two interviews, I mean I did apply a week late but I doubt that has to do with me barely getting interviews.

I might have a publication or two under my belt by then... maybe not depending on the journals.

Looking at statistics, US IMGs that get matched into internal medicine have an average of 5/6 interviews. So it does look real bad for me.

Its just a shame that the step 1 filters are there.

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[rokshana]

So, I'm an US IMG, not from the Caribbean but over seas.

Step 1 205
Step 2 234
CS Passed

All on first attempt

I got one interview in Internal Medicine (I intend to rank 1st, letter of intent was emailed), and another in Prelim Surg.

The IM program is a new program so I fancy my chances... but lets say, I don't match this season..

The soap comes up and I know my chances are ultra low there anyway...

Would applying next season be worth it at all? Considering I only got two interviews, I mean I did apply a week late but I doubt that has to do with me barely getting interviews.

I might have a publication or two under my belt by then... maybe not depending on the journals.

Looking at statistics, US IMGs that get matched into internal medicine have an average of 5/6 interviews. So it does look real bad for me.

Its just a shame that the step 1 filters are there.

they are there for a reason...shame you didn't perform better on them (though the 1st pass on these is helpful)

however, what specialties did you apply to? Family? Peds? Path? Or just IM and GS?

hopefully you match...know to happen, but best to be prepared to SOAP...

so how much USCE did you get?...you seemingly poo poo the Caribbean route, but they get upwards to 2 years of USCE and the LoRs that come out of that can help. Realize that most programs lump the IMGs together, really doesn't matter overall, though some PDs will have more experience and know the good schools vs the crappy ones or have a preference for a certain school because they have experience with grads from said school. If you are still in school, can you schedule some rotation in the US to help with LoRs and making contacts.

Is there a aPD or PD that you can make an appointment with to sit down and discuss your application and what you can do to improve your app and what type of programs would give you a chance. Would ;however, wait til a month or so after Match since they are probably quite busy right now.

if you are sitting out the year, then try to get as many publications as you can to help with your CV, but also to help make contacts at a program that you may then be able to match to next year. Heck, do some posters and go to some national meetings...will give you a chance to network with people....there are plenty of regional ACP meetings coming up as well as ACP in April, AAFP in June/July? etc...usually med students can register for free.

 

[FreakinOutMD]

I'm not a med student, I graduated from the middle east last summer. Eh, I'm kind of screwed

 

[deleted480308]

I'm not a med student, I graduated from the middle east last summer. Eh, I'm kind of screwed

A ton of new traditionally DO fm or IM programs have acgme paperwork in now and can take foreign MDs. Your odds of being an american doctor are a lot better this year than 2 yrs ago.

 

[the argus]

You didn't mention how many total programs you applied to and in which specialties, but I would guess you are suffering from ignorance, unrealistic expectations, and poor application planning.

1. The first step for you is to become very familiar with this document,
http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Charting-Outcomes-IMGs-2016.pdf

2. You are not competitive for internal medicine. You are way outside the step 1 interquartile range for matched US-IMGs. Hopefully you match at the one program that interviewed you, but if not, when applying next year I would forget about IM.

3. The only specialty you are realistically competitive for is family medicine. You can do lots of different things after a FM residency (sports medicine, EM, hospitalist in right setting, etc), don't write it off just because you don't want to do outpatient family clinic.

4. If I were you, I would definitely apply again next year. You need to apply to >100 FM programs. You need to maximize your chances of matching next year. The farther out from med school you are the harder it will be to match. Look at the match lists for the Caribbean schools and concentrate on the FM programs on those lists. Also concentrate on previous AOA (DO) programs that are now in the ACGME match as the above poster said.

You really only have 3 options. Apply as above, don't be a doctor, or go back to the country you got your degree in. Decide what you want to do.

Good luck!

 

[W19]

You should have applied to FM and/or Path. Follow exactly what @the argus says in his/her above post, and you will have great chance to match next year if you don't match this cycle.

 

[deleted480308]

You didn't mention how many total programs you applied to and in which specialties, but I would guess you are suffering from ignorance, unrealistic expectations, and poor application planning.

1. The first step for you is to become very familiar with this document,
http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Charting-Outcomes-IMGs-2016.pdf

2. You are not competitive for internal medicine. You are way outside the step 1 interquartile range for matched US-IMGs. Hopefully you match at the one program that interviewed you, but if not, when applying next year I would forget about IM.

3. The only specialty you are realistically competitive for is family medicine. You can do lots of different things after a FM residency (sports medicine, EM, hospitalist in right setting, etc), don't write it off just because you don't want to do outpatient family clinic.

4. If I were you, I would definitely apply again next year. You need to apply to >100 FM programs. You need to maximize your chances of matching next year. The farther out from med school you are the harder it will be to match. Look at the match lists for the Caribbean schools and concentrate on the FM programs on those lists. Also concentrate on previous AOA (DO) programs that are now in the ACGME match as the above poster said.

You really only have 3 options. Apply as above, don't be a doctor, or go back to the country you got your degree in. Decide what you want to do.

Good luck!

100% agree with the exception that I say you should also scramble/soap to FM if you can get in

 

[the argus]

100% agree with the exception that I say you should also scramble/soap to FM if you can get in

definitely

 

[FreakinOutMD]

You didn't mention how many total programs you applied to and in which specialties, but I would guess you are suffering from ignorance, unrealistic expectations, and poor application planning.

1. The first step for you is to become very familiar with this document,
http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Charting-Outcomes-IMGs-2016.pdf

2. You are not competitive for internal medicine. You are way outside the step 1 interquartile range for matched US-IMGs. Hopefully you match at the one program that interviewed you, but if not, when applying next year I would forget about IM.

3. The only specialty you are realistically competitive for is family medicine. You can do lots of different things after a FM residency (sports medicine, EM, hospitalist in right setting, etc), don't write it off just because you don't want to do outpatient family clinic.

4. If I were you, I would definitely apply again next year. You need to apply to >100 FM programs. You need to maximize your chances of matching next year. The farther out from med school you are the harder it will be to match. Look at the match lists for the Caribbean schools and concentrate on the FM programs on those lists. Also concentrate on previous AOA (DO) programs that are now in the ACGME match as the above poster said.

You really only have 3 options. Apply as above, don't be a doctor, or go back to the country you got your degree in. Decide what you want to do.

Good luck!

I applied to around 100 programs, strictly iM, i think i was suffering from all 3 that you have said. I'll take your advice for next season I guess!

Only problem with FM is that I'm not really passionate about it, If I take the step 3 before next season would it better my chances for next match for IM? Or would it still be the same?

 

[the argus]

I applied to around 100 programs, strictly iM, i think i was suffering from all 3 that you have said. I'll take your advice for next season I guess!

Only problem with FM is that I'm not really passionate about it, If I take the step 3 before next season would it better my chances for next match for IM? Or would it still be the same?

I don't know how much step 3 would help, my guess would be not much but who knows. Regardless of the score it won't get your app past step 1 filters which is still going to be the major hurdle.

Take some time and really read about the possibilities after FM. Unless you're only passionate about a very specific IM subspecialty (i.e. cardiac catheterization), you'd be surprised how much you could focus your practice toward your interests as an FM doc.

Hopefully you match this year and it's all a moot point. If not, you can still apply to IM programs next year if you want. I would just make sure you are maximizing your chances in FM first. The number of programs you apply to is only limited by the amount of money you're willing to spend.

 

[deleted480308]

I applied to around 100 programs, strictly iM, i think i was suffering from all 3 that you have said. I'll take your advice for next season I guess!

Only problem with FM is that I'm not really passionate about it, If I take the step 3 before next season would it better my chances for next match for IM? Or would it still be the same?

Passion about specialties is a luxury you only have once you know you can get into more than one specialty. Get passionate about getting in somewhere for something first

 

[Crayola227]

taking step 3 and doing well can't hurt you, even if it's unclear how much it might help

of course not doing well won't do you any favors

next year is NOT going to be a better year for you to apply IM, or anywhere really, no matter what you do, accept that!

if you want to have a clinical career at all you need to do at least an intern year in certain specialties (as I understand it not all intern years in all specialties are accepted in some states that license this way), and FM is one of them

if you want a clinical career you need to SUCK IT UP and apply to wherever you can get a spot, NO MATTER WHAT it is

something getting into residency or completing one can be a foot in the door to movement in your career, but that will never happen if you don't match

 

[dpmd]

I applied to around 100 programs, strictly iM, i think i was suffering from all 3 that you have said. I'll take your advice for next season I guess!

Only problem with FM is that I'm not really passionate about it, If I take the step 3 before next season would it better my chances for next match for IM? Or would it still be the same?

Are you passionate about being able to work as a doctor? If so then branching out to FM (you can still apply to IM if you can afford that many programs and the system allows that many) is reasonable even if you may not love it. Step 3 isn't going to get you past any places who filter for step 1. Most people pass step 3 so I don't think it will be any help but at least then it is out of the way (unless you bomb it in which case it will hurt). I would advise being very open to options in soap/scramble because anything even if you don't love it will be better than not matching if your ultimate goal is working as a doctor in the US. Holding out for the possibility of IM next year would be a bad idea if the alternative is a categorical FM or whatever other specialty spot (and any prelim spot will let you still apply next year).

 

[Mad Jack]

I applied to around 100 programs, strictly iM, i think i was suffering from all 3 that you have said. I'll take your advice for next season I guess!

Only problem with FM is that I'm not really passionate about it, If I take the step 3 before next season would it better my chances for next match for IM? Or would it still be the same?

Are you more passionate about being a physician or never practicing medicine?

You can do many of the same things coming out of a FM residency that you could from IM- hospitalist work, outpatient adult work, etc. FM actually offers some opportunities that IM doesn't- you're more likely to get ER and urgent care positions, for instance. The downside is fellowship opportunities and less inpatient training, but realistically your shot at fellowships is going to be very, very low coming out of the sort of IM program that would take you. So next time, give FM a good, strong shot, pass Step 3 and throw some lower tier IM programs on there as well but don't count on them.

 

[FreakinOutMD]

Well just to update people who probably are in my shoes,

I got matched into a community prelim surgical program. They've got a high rate of matching prelims into categorical the year after if you're a hard working and do well on your ABSITE, and I guess thats what I got to do.

I guess for this season, I'll be applying to Family med, some categorical surgical programs, and look for available PGY-2 Cat surg programs.

Thanks everyone for your input

 

[Mehd School]

Don't waste your time with anything surgical. Any program you send out that isn't family is hurting your chances. Go 100% family. You were very lucky to even get a surgery prelim. I know american grads with way better stats than you that didn't get one.

 

[W19]

I agree with @Mehd School. You will be wasting your time, money and energy in something surgical except your own program... Concentrate in getting a FM spot next year. You are getting a lot of good advice in this thread.