If I don't match this year, what can I do

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22nekorb22

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Here's my situation:
I am a foreign born medical graduate who went to an off shore medical school.
I took step 1 and failed twice but passed on my 3rd attempt.
I passed my step 2 exams all on the first attempt and also passed Step 3 on the first attempt.
I need a visa for residency (either J1 or H1b)
I completed all of my clinical training in the US.

My question is if I don't match this year (even though I'm hoping I will) what can I do? I want a career in medicine and I do well with patients. The attending physicians I worked with in the US were all impressed by my work in the clinical setting. I am afraid my step 1 experience and my scores ( just over passing) may not get me a match position. So if that happens what are my options for practicing medicine or doing anything remotely clinical?

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
I wouldn't worry about it until after you do not match; no use in worrying about something if it has not happened yet.

This forum is toxic,
 
Doctor Bob said:
Nah, they both start with M.
Although... one was part of the Louisiana Purchase and the other wasn't.
Click to expand...
And one was part of the Confederacy and one wasn't. And one has a university that has racial incidents that make national news and one doesn't, etc.
 
johndoe44 said:
I wouldn't worry about it until after you do not match; no use in worrying about something if it has not happened yet.

This forum is toxic,
Click to expand...


Thanks Johndoe44. I'm glad you posted this. I think I need to stop getting ahead of myself and just see what happens.
 
evilbooyaa said:
Yeah but Missouri has Ferguson in it, so I think that last point is a wash.
Click to expand...

LOL. Mississippi has racial tensions but it has found a way to find an equilibrium. Missouri on the other hand is a powder-keg about to explode. You couldn't pay me a million a year to bring my family there...not a chance.
 
Can you start doing observorship in psychiatry or pathology?
This two specialties are more tolerant about a step 1 failure and are IMG friendly....
 
As a person who might be in the same boat as the OP after the match (though I'm an AMG), I wish medical school was good enough to get a job, like most other professions. I think it's kind of crazy that you can go through medical school, rack up debt, and then not be able to do anything at all medically related until you get into a residency program. Granted, it doesn't happen to 95% of people or so, but it's still a scary prospect for the few that it does happen to. I wish we could integrate at least the intern year into medical school, so that you'd be licensed by the time you graduate. By removing a lot of the fluff we could keep it at 4 years. Then we could go back to the old system where you could be a GP with just an intern year. I mean, if an NP is good enough to function independently as a GP in several states, why not an MD grad with an intern year?
 
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tpn89 said:
As a person who might be in the same boat as the OP after the match (though I'm an AMG), I wish medical school was good enough to get a job, like most other professions. I think it's kind of crazy that you can go through medical school, rack up debt, and then not be able to do anything at all medically related until you get into a residency program. Granted, it doesn't happen to 95% of people or so, but it's still a scary prospect for the few that it does happen to. I wish we could integrate at least the intern year into medical school, so that you'd be licensed by the time you graduate. By removing a lot of the fluff we could keep it at 4 years. Then we could go back to the old system where you could be a GP with just an intern year. I mean, if an NP is good enough to function independently as a GP in several states, why not an MD grad with an intern year?
Click to expand...

I think that point I bolded is debatable when the NP is fresh out and yet untrained by whoever his/her overseeing physician
 
Beacopp665 said:
I think that point I bolded is debatable when the NP is fresh out and yet untrained by whoever his/her overseeing physician
Click to expand...

That's true, but in many states, including mine, a DNP can be fresh out and practice primary care without an overseeing physician. I'm pretty sure the vast majority of DNPs wouldn't be comfortable doing that, but it is allowed by law as far as I know.

The problem with the MD is that, fresh out, we can't do anything. We can't get any sort of job, even in the capacity of a midlevel supervised by a licensed physician. I think we should change the system so that the minimum experience required to get a job is built into the MD curriculum. That way the MD degree by itself wouldn't be useless, and then people who graduate and pass all their boards but haven't matched into residency wouldn't be left completely unemployable. It's probably not a huge issue right now for american grads, but it's just bad design of the schooling.

I'd also be interested in seeing an option to go back to the apprenticeship model for post-med school training instead of it all being hospital based only.
 
I certainly hope things work out for you this year. If things don't work out, know that there have been others in your position who have gotten in, and it can happen for you too.

As competition for residency positions has increased in recent years, applicants in your situation are finding it more difficult to overcome failed attempts. You may have to network to find other IMG applicants (having the same red flag and also needing visa) who have been able to match . Once you find out where they have matched, you could consider becoming a "known commodity" at one or more of these programs. These programs may be more willing to overlook failed attempts. Basically, you need people to believe you are far better than the numbers on your Step 1 exam suggest. Your attending physicians believed that, and you have to convince programs of the same. If you can do that, it will net you more interviews.
 
j4pac said:
LOL. Mississippi has racial tensions but it has found a way to find an equilibrium. Missouri on the other hand is a powder-keg about to explode. You couldn't pay me a million a year to bring my family there...not a chance.
Click to expand...

What?

Missouri is no different than most other states. A few larger cities (St. Louis and Kansas City), some suburbs, and rural areas, with its own demographics. What happened in Ferguson could have happened in any state in the country with a similar breakdown.
 
Last edited:
j4pac said:
LOL. Mississippi has racial tensions but it has found a way to find an equilibrium. Missouri on the other hand is a powder-keg about to explode. You couldn't pay me a million a year to bring my family there...not a chance.
Click to expand...
...I'll take a million... lol
 
royal blue said:
What?

Missouri is no different than most other states. A few larger cities (St. Louis and Kansas City), some suburbs, and rural areas, with its own demographics. What happened in Ferguson could have happened in any state in the country with a similar breakdown.
Click to expand...

I think the Eric Garner case proves exactly this point
 
22nekorb22 said:
Here's my situation:
I am a foreign born medical graduate who went to an off shore medical school.
I took step 1 and failed twice but passed on my 3rd attempt.
I passed my step 2 exams all on the first attempt and also passed Step 3 on the first attempt.
I need a visa for residency (either J1 or H1b)
I completed all of my clinical training in the US.

My question is if I don't match this year (even though I'm hoping I will) what can I do? I want a career in medicine and I do well with patients. The attending physicians I worked with in the US were all impressed by my work in the clinical setting. I am afraid my step 1 experience and my scores ( just over passing) may not get me a match position. So if that happens what are my options for practicing medicine or doing anything remotely clinical?

Any advice would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

In my program there was someone who was hired to do research for a year. He would come to the morning report for the residents every single morning. Through this he was able to make connections with the attendings and program director. He was granted the chance to interview. We'll see if his successful in matching somewhere.
 
Try for a shi- path program in NY state like Albany or RWJ. They'll take anyone provided they have at least one hand.
 
LOL, why is there two separate conversations occurring on this thread? I guess its never a bad time for some good ol' American history.
 
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