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Hi everyone!
I have no issues but a brief story about hope and perseverance which might help those who are in a similar situation either AMG or IMG.
I am a Non-US IMG who graduated in 2013. During a government required 1 year internship, I started to prep for my Step 1. I studied hard for it but ended up failing. I was depressed and angry at the results but determined. I started the process again, doubling the study hours, putting myself under more stress and completely isolating myself from everyone. I passed! But with a low score. By that time, I had already finished my government required internship and was working as a PA in a private practice.
It was either fate or extremely good luck, I fell in good graces with a patient and he put me in contact with an attending at a very prestigious institution in the US, who offered me a research fellow position due to an unforeseen circumstance there at the time. I accepted the offer and started my journey on a J1 visa. I started working as hard as I could including weekends (which I wasn’t supposed to) while simultaneously studying for my step 2 CK. I took the same approach as I did for step 1 and failed again. Depressed and angry again, I couldn’t understand why after so many hours of studying, I was still failing (I was doing good in uworld). I decided to take a different approach, I did a schedule which included free time for me to relax and socialize and instead of focusing 100% on studying everything again, I spent my time strengthening my test taking skills. I had good clinical skills so while I was studying I took the CS to win some time and passed it. I took the CK again and passed it, this time with a high score. I took advantage of my position and did a couple of months of USCE in different places. I also applied broadly for the Match that year but didn’t get a single Interview. 2 1/2 years had already passed and I was at the end of my fellowship. I had to go back to my home country due to the 2 year rule.
I got into a general surgery residency at my home country and started working that same year I had returned. It was brutal to say the least. The first 3 months I would only sleep 2-3 hrs on average with 24 hr calls every 3 days and no post-call day off. I was working 80+ hrs a week, at a hospital with massive patients influx and very little resources. This just wasn’t for me, I knew I could do way better than this and refused to settle. As a PGY3 I started studying for the step 3. I would study from 2:30 am till 5 am and at 6 am I would go about my day as a resident until 7-8 pm and do Uworld till 12 pm, rinse and repeat (as a PGY3 I had a more flexible schedule). I did this for 3 months. 2 years had passed so I was eligible to apply for a GC this time. I quit my residency and traveled to the US. I started the GC application and while studying for the Step 3, I started to shadow an attending who believed in me and gave me a chance (that was all I needed). I proved myself as a good clinician and soon enough I was helping residents with patient care (just giving some inputs about stuff I had already seen). I took step 3 and passed with an excellent score (using the same approach I did for the CK). I applied again and got 1 interview. After a grueling 3 months of waiting, I matched!! To the specialty I always wanted. I just couldn’t believe it, it took 3 days to finally sink in. My dream had come true. Needless to say, I partied for a whole month.
I hope this inspires someone who is in a similiar situation and just know that if I could do it, so can you! Believe in yourself and work harder than anyone. Best of luck to everyone.
I have no issues but a brief story about hope and perseverance which might help those who are in a similar situation either AMG or IMG.
I am a Non-US IMG who graduated in 2013. During a government required 1 year internship, I started to prep for my Step 1. I studied hard for it but ended up failing. I was depressed and angry at the results but determined. I started the process again, doubling the study hours, putting myself under more stress and completely isolating myself from everyone. I passed! But with a low score. By that time, I had already finished my government required internship and was working as a PA in a private practice.
It was either fate or extremely good luck, I fell in good graces with a patient and he put me in contact with an attending at a very prestigious institution in the US, who offered me a research fellow position due to an unforeseen circumstance there at the time. I accepted the offer and started my journey on a J1 visa. I started working as hard as I could including weekends (which I wasn’t supposed to) while simultaneously studying for my step 2 CK. I took the same approach as I did for step 1 and failed again. Depressed and angry again, I couldn’t understand why after so many hours of studying, I was still failing (I was doing good in uworld). I decided to take a different approach, I did a schedule which included free time for me to relax and socialize and instead of focusing 100% on studying everything again, I spent my time strengthening my test taking skills. I had good clinical skills so while I was studying I took the CS to win some time and passed it. I took the CK again and passed it, this time with a high score. I took advantage of my position and did a couple of months of USCE in different places. I also applied broadly for the Match that year but didn’t get a single Interview. 2 1/2 years had already passed and I was at the end of my fellowship. I had to go back to my home country due to the 2 year rule.
I got into a general surgery residency at my home country and started working that same year I had returned. It was brutal to say the least. The first 3 months I would only sleep 2-3 hrs on average with 24 hr calls every 3 days and no post-call day off. I was working 80+ hrs a week, at a hospital with massive patients influx and very little resources. This just wasn’t for me, I knew I could do way better than this and refused to settle. As a PGY3 I started studying for the step 3. I would study from 2:30 am till 5 am and at 6 am I would go about my day as a resident until 7-8 pm and do Uworld till 12 pm, rinse and repeat (as a PGY3 I had a more flexible schedule). I did this for 3 months. 2 years had passed so I was eligible to apply for a GC this time. I quit my residency and traveled to the US. I started the GC application and while studying for the Step 3, I started to shadow an attending who believed in me and gave me a chance (that was all I needed). I proved myself as a good clinician and soon enough I was helping residents with patient care (just giving some inputs about stuff I had already seen). I took step 3 and passed with an excellent score (using the same approach I did for the CK). I applied again and got 1 interview. After a grueling 3 months of waiting, I matched!! To the specialty I always wanted. I just couldn’t believe it, it took 3 days to finally sink in. My dream had come true. Needless to say, I partied for a whole month.
I hope this inspires someone who is in a similiar situation and just know that if I could do it, so can you! Believe in yourself and work harder than anyone. Best of luck to everyone.
