hello friends need ur help urgent!!!!

[excellence]

i am a greencard img wid step 1 92/cs passed/taking step 2 on jan 16 i got 3 calls which are scheduled in the end of jan.what are my chances of matching in them ,as i am not prepared for my step 2 n in any case i wont have have my score ready for the interviews.so i am thinking of quitting n trying for next years match..i applied for preliminary medicine..please give ur valuable inputs n help me.

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[dc2md]

Unless you're going into PM&R, radiology, derm, etc., you don't need too (shouldn't do) a preliminary medicine year. They're MUCH harder to get into because you're competing with the brightest med students in the country. Go for a categorical IM or FM program. You'll get a he11 of a lot more interviews and maybe even a prematch (being an IMG and all). You'd better start today though. Good luck.

If money is an issue, I wouldn't even bother going on those prelim. med interviews. Save the money for categorical med (3-year) interviews. Or just wait til next year. Or, just plan to scramble.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

I just want to point out that taking Step 2 on Jan 16th could be a problem. In order to participate in the match as an IMG, you must be ECFMG certified by the Rank Order List Deadline which is Feb 21st. In order to be ECFMG certified, you must have passed Step 1 and Step 2 CS and CK. If you take Step 2 on Jan 16th, it is possible that your scores will not be reported to the ECFMG in time. If you are not ECFMG certified on Feb 21, you will automatically be withdrawn from the match by the NRMP.

None of this prevents you from signing outside the match.

 

[dc2md]

I know you're a program director "Sith Lord" but you're slightly off. You CAN match without being ECFMG certified. Many program choose not to rank individuals because they're basically taking a slight risk by maybe matching with an IMG that doesn't eventually get their certificate by July 1st. And just so y'all know, an ECFMG certificate is contigent on passing step 1, CK, CS, AND getting your medical school diploma. Since most IMGs (like AMGs) aren't going to get their diploma until late May to early June, they can't be ECFMG certified until then.
So, my advice remains: apply to categorical, not preliminary medicine. get ready to scramble.

 

[res-2007]

I know you're a program director "Sith Lord" but you're slightly off. You CAN match without being ECFMG certified. Many program choose not to rank individuals because they're basically taking a slight risk by maybe matching with an IMG that doesn't eventually get their certificate by July 1st. And just so y'all know, an ECFMG certificate is contigent on passing step 1, CK, CS, AND getting your medical school diploma. Since most IMGs (like AMGs) aren't going to get their diploma until late May to early June, they can't be ECFMG certified until then.
So, my advice remains: apply to categorical, not preliminary medicine. get ready to scramble.

You are totall wrong.
As an IMG you MUST be ECFMG certified by match day or NRMP automatically excludes you from participation in the match.
It's clearly listed on NRMP webpage.
The only options for an IMG who is not certified is to get a pre-match or participate in post match scramble.
If you get a pre-match, the program is free to give that person a deadline by which to be certified.
The program can give the person until July 1, at the latest, to be certified and if they are still not certified, they can't start residency and the pre-match is no longer valid.

 

[dc2md]

You are totall wrong.
As an IMG you MUST be ECFMG certified by match day or NRMP automatically excludes you from participation in the match.
It's clearly listed on NRMP webpage.
The only options for an IMG who is not certified is to get a pre-match or participate in post match scramble.
If you get a pre-match, the program is free to give that person a deadline by which to be certified.
The program can give the person until July 1, at the latest, to be certified and if they are still not certified, they can't start residency and the pre-match is no longer valid.

I appreciate your attempt to clear things up and make sure people aren't receiving false information, but you're mistaken. It's a common misconception.

Just to start: IMGs do NOT need to have an ECFMG certificate to participate in the match.

Instead of just making a claim of my knowledge of this, I'm going to prove it. This link from the ECFMG website (http://www.ecfmg.org/2007ib/ibgrad.html) and then clicking on "Entry into Graduate Medical Education in the United States" clearly states an ECFMG certificate is needed to start training at a program but NOT to participate in the match. I've pasted the excerpt from the website below and bolded the part of interest:
---------------------------
ECFMG Certification
You must hold a Standard ECFMG Certificate without expired examination dates, if applicable, before entering an ACGME-accredited residency program. (See Validity of Examinations for Entry into Graduate Medical Education.)

Although you must be ECFMG-certified by the program start date, you can apply to residency programs before you are certified by ECFMG. When you make preliminary inquiries with hospitals, you may use photocopies of your exam results. If you apply to residency programs using ERAS, ECFMG will automatically transmit an ECFMG Status Report to the programs to which you apply. (See Electronic Residency Application Service.)

You can also participate in the NRMP prior to becoming ECFMG-certified, provided you have passed the exams required by the NRMP, and the results of these exams are reported to the NRMP in time to participate. (See National Resident Matching Program.)

Prior to entering a program, you should provide the hospital with a copy of your Standard ECFMG Certificate. Additionally, the hospital should contact ECFMG to confirm your ECFMG certification status. (See Confirmation of ECFMG Certification Status.)
----------------------------------------------------

Clearly you must have taken and passed step 1, CS, and CK to participate in the match. But, you don't have to have the actual certificate.

I'm not meaning to prove I'm right or someone else is wrong, I just want to clarify so no one is given false information.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Thanks for the correction. I was typing faster than my brain was thinking and didn't review my post before submitting.

You do not have to have the ECFMG certificate to participate in the match.

However, you must take and pass the USMLE exams by the ROL deadline, so the OP's problem is still an issue. "Excellence" (the OP) can still apply to programs, categorical and prelim, although the application deadline for some programs is Dec 15th. If the Step 2 scores are not reported to the ECFMG by the February deadline, he/she will be withdrawn from the match but still can participate in the scramble.

My apologies for making a complex issue yet more complicated!

 

[Faebinder]

The following applies to IMG/FMGs only...

To be allowed to rank programs you must:

- pass step 1 and 2 CS+CK in time to rank..


To be allowed to start residency you must:

- be ECFMG certified..

To be allowed to become ECFMG certified.

- School must submit diploma and transcripts to ECFMG.
- You must pass step 1 and step 2 CK+CS.

 

[dc2md]

perfect summary Faebinder

 

[res-2007]

He/she will get the right answer on ROL day when he/she gets an email from NRMp stating that they have been withdrawn.

Here is from FAQs for Independent Aplicants:

http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/faq/ind_apps_faq.html#7
I am a foreign medical school graduate. If I have not received my ECFMG® Certification when the rank order list opens can I still enter my rank order list?

Yes, you can. If the NRMP receives notification from ECFMG® that you have completed your exam requirements for certification by the rank order list deadline, you will be included in the Match. If we have not received ECFMG® confirmation, NRMP will withdraw you from the match shortly after the rank order list deadline and your rank order list will NOT be used in the match. You will receive an e-mail notification from the NRMP if this occurs.
................................

Here is a page from NRMP for Independent applicants (including IMGs). Please look at paragraph : "Students or graduates of international medical schools who are not confirmed by ECFMG® as having passed all examinations necessary for ECFMG certification will be withdrawn automatically by the NRMP."

http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/special_part/ind_app/withdraw_new.html

Reasons Why NRMP May Withdraw Applicants from the NRMP

Applicants who participate in both the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) and the NRMP are expected to accept a position if matched into a Canadian program. Applicants may register for both the CaRMS and the NRMP. In those years in which CaRMS has an earlier schedule than the NRMP, individuals who match through CaRMS will automatically be ineligible to match to concurrent NRMP positions.
Applicants who participate in the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Match are prohibited from participating in the NRMP Match for concurrent NRMP positions. The earlier schedule of the AOA Match allows applicants to compete for an osteopathic position and, if unsuccessful, continue to participate in the NRMP. The AOA informs the NRMP of the dual participants who have matched into an osteopathic program, and those individuals are withdrawn automatically from the NRMP Match for concurrent year PGY-1 and PGY-2 positions.

Applicants receiving positions in the Military Match will be withdrawn from the NRMP Match based on information forwarded by their service to the NRMP.

Applicants who obtained advanced positions (PGY-2) to begin in the current Match year either in the NRMP Specialties Matching Service or the previous year's NRMP Match must receive a waiver of their match commitment in order to participate in the current year's Match. The applicant will be withdrawn automatically from the Match if a waiver is not granted by the NRMP.

Students or graduates of international medical schools who are not confirmed by ECFMG® as having passed all examinations necessary for ECFMG certification will be withdrawn automatically by the NRMP.

Fifth Pathway program students or graduates not confirmed by ECFMG as having passed the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 (or their equivalents) will be withdrawn automatically by the NRMP.

Applicants whose attendance or graduation from a Canadian, osteopathic, or Fifth Pathway program is not confirmed by their institutions will be withdrawn automatically by the NRMP.
Applicants whose graduation from a U.S. medical school is not verified by their institutions will be withdrawn automatically by the NRMP.

Applicants with unpaid fees for any services provided by the NRMP will be withdrawn automatically.
Updated 09/28/2006

 

[dc2md]

res-2007,
We're saying the same thing...sort of. What you just posted states that IMGs must have completed and passed all exams (step 1, CK, CS) AND the ECFMG must have notified the NRMP of this before rank-order day.
However, there is no need to have an "official" ECFMG certificate. The ECFMG will certify to the NRMP that we have completed and passed all exams but that is NOT equivocal to an ECFMG-certificate. A final medical school transcript is needed for that final ECFMG certificate.
Do you really believe every year thousands of IMGs are finishing their training in May and then waiting an entire year to start residency? That doesn't happen. Some may choose to do that.

 

[res-2007]

I never mentioned "Certificate", I said "Certified".

One poster said you can match without being certified and you can not because if ECFMG doesnt "certify" that you have passed, you'll be kicked out of the match.

 

[dc2md]

Good job res-2007. You're right. I wasn't aware of the semantics between "certified" and "certification" before this.

 

[Faebinder]

I never mentioned "Certificate", I said "Certified".

One poster said you can match without being certified and you can not because if ECFMG doesnt "certify" that you have passed, you'll be kicked out of the match.

You are mixing people up now look at what they say......

Yes, you can. If the NRMP receives notification from ECFMG® that you have completed your exam requirements for certification by the rank order list deadline, you will be included in the Match.

ECFMG doesn't certify for the ranking... it VERIFIES that you passed the exams required for the certification... which is required to be able to rank. Very critical difference because the certification process is started by you when you start requesting the certification and send in the diploma + transcripts. This difference is critical to IMGs who graduate in may, because they can rank without the certification process being started.

Go to NRMP... log on.. check your status... are you verified? (you wont see the word certified).

Anyway... we are knit picking... my summary above stands correct.

If you are ECFMG certified then you will be verified on NRMP by now.