How important are US LORs?

[Elupi1994]

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Hi,

I’m a non US img applying for radiology
My step scores are 254 step 1 and 269 2ck
I have no research publications or US LORs
Do I have a realistic chance at matching or should I apply next year

 

[knosway14]

I was a non US img applicant.
I applied a few years back (maybe 2017-2018) with lower scores than yours (243/238/pass/234) including step 3, by the time I applied i was 2 or 3 years after my medical school, i had a few letters from US attendings (one american and the others were foreigners doctors who enden up working in the US), I applied to over 150 rad programs and over 100 prelim and only got 4 IV (1 rad, 3 prelim). Didnt match ended up doing radiology in europe.

My advice is try to get US LORs from US attending (better if they are native americans), you got to impress them (i dk how) so the letter is sincere.
If you get good letters you have a shot.

If you CANT get a letter for whatever reason try to find program who took NON us img in the past, although i think would be hard without an US LOR.

Best wishes.