IMG CANADIAN RECONSIDERING EVERYTHING

[Keerio]

Hi
I'm new to SDN but I have been reading these forums for a few years now.
I'm an img which graduated from the Middle East on July 2014 and I'm also and Canadian citizen. I recently took step 1 and got a devastating score of 193. I really don't know what happened since I was scoring mid 230s on my nbmes and have been studying for 9 months.
I'm now preparing for my step 2ck and MCCEE which I'm planning to take around March. I'm planning on an internal medicine or paediatrics residency.
So my question is:
How are my chances in Canada in relation to the USA considering my siuation?
Is my step 1 score going to affect my chance in matching in Canada or do they only consider Canadian exams?
Please I'm at the worst situation I have ever been in my life and I need some guidance on what do!!!

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[torontopharm]

1. Chance is MUCH worse in Canada. USA is easier, even as an international.
2. Not sure. I think only Ontario considers the USMLE's.

 

[Keerio]

1. Chance is MUCH worse in Canada. USA is easier, even as an international.
2. Not sure. I think only Ontario considers the USMLE's.

But are my chances still better with a 193 on step 1?

 

[chronic32]

Just look at NRMP Charting Outcomes 2014 (http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Charting-Outcomes-2014-Final.pdf). Chances of an IMG (Independent applicant) matching to IM with a 193 step 1 is <20%. Your chance of matching in Canada is probably less that that. Your only option would be somehow dominating Step 2CK (>260), but even with that, your Step 1, IMG status, and citizenship will filter you out of 99% of programs before the PD even looks at your application. And without research publications or some other major booster to your ERAS application, there is no way he'd interview you over other USMD/DO seniors and Caribbean students. This is just the sad truth.

 

[Keerio]

Thank you for the reply it really meant a lot.

I'd also like to add that I do have 2 publications (one in an English journal and another in a German journal). I have also passed the mrcp uk part 1.

 

[Keerio]

Thank you for the reply it really meant a lot.

I'd also like to add that I do have 2 publications (one in an English journal and another in a German journal). I have also passed the mrcp uk part 1.

Would these bump up my chances by any means?
I've also been preparing for the step 2 CK and I'm getting very good scores on my nbmes (256, 259). If I do manage to get a good score with all these factors should I continue or just give up before it's too late?

 

[UBC2014]

Would these bump up my chances by any means?
I've also been preparing for the step 2 CK and I'm getting very good scores on my nbmes (256, 259). If I do manage to get a good score with all these factors should I continue or just give up before it's too late?

Put in the work and dominate Step 2 CK.

It can't hurt to not do it. Why would you give up now? What would you have to lose?

Put your head down, dominate CK and CS, and do Step 3 maybe if you have experience in the middle east or are doing some form of post-grad training there.

Whats the alternative?

You have 0% chance if you just give up and stop now.

 

[jnuts]

Canadian residency programs won't look at your USMLE score. You do not need to submit them with your CaRMS application.

The Canadian exams SOME programs will look at are the MCCEE, and NAC OSCE. These exams roughly cover the same material as the USMLE Step 2CK and CS respectively. If you have already graduated then you will also need to write the MCCQE1 exam which covers the same material as the MCCEE ( or Step 2 CK if you'd prefer) but is a longer exam. Large programs like FM and IM pay a lot of attention to the Canadian exam scores for IMGs; smaller programs do not.

Canadian medical students usually have no exam scores when they apply to residency (they do not write the MCCEE or NAC OSCE and only write the MCCQE1 after matching to their residency programs). Because they are not used to looking at scores, smaller residency programs tend not to use exam scores at all as it's impossible to compare an IMG applicant to a Canadian applicant using them. Larger programs that gets lots of IMG applicants will use the test scores to compare one IMG to another. FM and IM in particular often have VERY HIGH strict cut-off scores below which they will not consider an IMG application.

All that said, matching in Canada as an IMG is extremely difficult. The biggest issue you will face is not exam scores. You will have extreme difficulties getting high quality Canadian letters of reference as you will not be able to get any elective positions at academic centers if you have already finished medical school.

Sorry.

 

[LSP2000]

Canadian residency is harder to get into just by sheer numbers compared to the US. As others have posted, a weak step 1 score does hurt your chances, but you may as well try to do really well in Step 2 and hope to get an interview.

As for Canada, it is a clean slate so focus on that positive. A Pediatric residency may be a hard field to get into as an IMG within Canada, but IM has many spots in comparison to other specialties for IMGs. I'd also look into applying to Family Medicine in Canada because a lot of the programs offer a 2+1 scheme so you can add on an Internal Med/Hospitalist year to your training. If you get high scores in MCCEE (or if applying in 2019, MCCQE1) and do well on the NAC, you should get interviews and hopefully make a good impression to get a spot. Scores do matter as an IMG, unfortunately.

US has better stats with regards to board exam scores correlating to what programs that people get accepted into. Canada doesn't and seem to change their requirements each year. But rest assured that nearly all Canadian schools won't look at your application unless you satisfy their exam cut offs (which again change with every match year).

Good luck!!

 

[Keerio]

Hey, just stumbled on this post I wrote a few years back and was hoping to give some continuation to my situation.

So I basically gave up on the whole US thing for a while and went to the UK. Eventually I got the confidence to give it another shot. I ended up with a 256 on step 2 ck and a 239 on step 3. Got some research done and some strong LORs from US and UK physicians. I eventually ended up matching into IM and I’m now a 2nd year resident in a university program. It’s wasn’t easy as I really had to impress my attending during placements so they would call up places I would be interviewed so they would consider me a serious candidate. I got 6 interviews and matched at my 2nd pick. Currently, I’m preparing for GI fellowship applications. Just wanted to post this just so others can see that it really is never the end of the road regardless of how bleak everything looks now. In fact, interviewers seemed to be really impressed by my response to how I overcame a low score which my current program director told me it helped me stand out from other applicants. Try to use any weakness on your application as a strength and I believe one can prevail. While scores are probably the single most important factor in your residency application, PD do look at the whole picture, especially if you show a significant gap between step 1 and 2 ck scores.

Remember to never give up and good luck to those applying this year!!!

 

[Medstart108]

Congrats, great to hear

 

[SabaMD]

Hey, just stumbled on this post I wrote a few years back and was hoping to give some continuation to my situation.

So I basically gave up on the whole US thing for a while and went to the UK. Eventually I got the confidence to give it another shot. I ended up with a 256 on step 2 ck and a 239 on step 3. Got some research done and some strong LORs from US and UK physicians. I eventually ended up matching into IM and I’m now a 2nd year resident in a university program. It’s wasn’t easy as I really had to impress my attending during placements so they would call up places I would be interviewed so they would consider me a serious candidate. I got 6 interviews and matched at my 2nd pick. Currently, I’m preparing for GI fellowship applications. Just wanted to post this just so others can see that it really is never the end of the road regardless of how bleak everything looks now. In fact, interviewers seemed to be really impressed by my response to how I overcame a low score which my current program director told me it helped me stand out from other applicants. Try to use any weakness on your application as a strength and I believe one can prevail. While scores are probably the single most important factor in your residency application, PD do look at the whole picture, especially if you show a significant gap between step 1 and 2 ck scores.

Remember to never give up and good luck to those applying this year!!!

I loved this! Rarely do we get any continuum to the issues posted here. Good luck matching into a GI fellowship..

 

[Wesmosis]

Hey, just stumbled on this post I wrote a few years back and was hoping to give some continuation to my situation.

So I basically gave up on the whole US thing for a while and went to the UK. Eventually I got the confidence to give it another shot. I ended up with a 256 on step 2 ck and a 239 on step 3. Got some research done and some strong LORs from US and UK physicians. I eventually ended up matching into IM and I’m now a 2nd year resident in a university program. It’s wasn’t easy as I really had to impress my attending during placements so they would call up places I would be interviewed so they would consider me a serious candidate. I got 6 interviews and matched at my 2nd pick. Currently, I’m preparing for GI fellowship applications. Just wanted to post this just so others can see that it really is never the end of the road regardless of how bleak everything looks now. In fact, interviewers seemed to be really impressed by my response to how I overcame a low score which my current program director told me it helped me stand out from other applicants. Try to use any weakness on your application as a strength and I believe one can prevail. While scores are probably the single most important factor in your residency application, PD do look at the whole picture, especially if you show a significant gap between step 1 and 2 ck scores.

Remember to never give up and good luck to those applying this year!!!

Wow! congrats mate !

 

[Gos81238ia]

1. Chance is MUCH worse in Canada. USA is easier, even as an international.
2. Not sure. I think only Ontario considers the USMLE's.

No where in Canada considers the USMLEs.