IMG again

[bubbleblui]

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Hi,

You have probably heard this question a hundred times. For those who are annoyed by this, just ignore this thread.

So, does anybody know how good or bad my chances are to match into IM or general surgery? I am IMG !!!, which is **** >

Step1: 213
3 months of US-experience
2 US LORS
PhD and M.Sc.
9 Publications in Cardiology

(Step2 not taken yet)

Thanks!

 

[Shikima]

Like everyone else I'd wager.... have to muddle through the mix and complete Step 2 and 3.

 

[Top Gun]

IM is possible. General surgery would probably be a reach.

 

[bubbleblui]

IM is possible. General surgery would probably be a reach.

how about preliminary gen. surgery?

 

[IMPD]

how about preliminary gen. surgery?

Prelim surgery is the "bridge to nowhere". If you look at the unfilled positions last year in the match, a large number were prelim surgery. Unless you have a plan for what comes next, or are just looking for the bare minimum,
I would not consider that a "plan" per se. However, I do understand that there are some options with a single year of PGY training, which might(?) be what you are considering.

 

[bubbleblui]

Prelim surgery is the "bridge to nowhere". If you look at the unfilled positions last year in the match, a large number were prelim surgery. Unless you have a plan for what comes next, or are just looking for the bare minimum,
I would not consider that a "plan" per se. However, I do understand that there are some options with a single year of PGY training, which might(?) be what you are considering.

i was thinking that one year prelim surgery would give me some surgery LOR and additional US surg. experience. with that i could apply for categorical general surgery a year later. otherwise doing a prelim year doesnt make much sense to me.

 

[Mad Jack]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/19887183/

Prelim surgery isn't the career death knell many make it out to be. General surgery has an 20% attrition rate, so some number (39% in the study above) of prelim surgery residents eventually start categorical surgery residencies. In the study noted, only 14% of residents failed to find a terminal PGY program of some sort after doing prelim surg. The majority of individuals in the study were also IMGs.

There are limitations in the data, however, as that was 2009 and things have gotten more competitive as of late. It also only sampled two programs, as nationally there is no tracked data on prelim surgery long term outcomes that I am aware of. Basically, if you go for prelim surgery, pick only the better of the prelim programs and rank them near the bottom of your list. They can get your foot in the door as a last resort, but it would be much better if you were all the way inside in the first place.

 

[bubbleblui]

thanks a lot guys !

 

[Shikima]

Also, with specialties being pretty much 99%+ filled at each match, there is an old saying which comes to mind - Any port in a storm.

 

[Top Gun]

how about preliminary gen. surgery?

Yeah, prelim surgery is one of the easier internships to get into. But make sure you have a plan for your PGY2 year. You mentioned that you were hoping to get categorical surgery afterward, which can happen. Work hard and impress the hell out of your attendings during your prelim year and, if any PGY 2 spots in the program open up for the following year, they may consider you. Make sure you have a backup plan for the PGY 2 year though.