IMG Internal Medicine Applicants - Match 2019

[NK9]

Matched within top 3! Couldn’t have asked for more.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[purkinje1224!]

I am sure this thread will be referred to a million times by future applicants. Here goes:

Step 1: 23x
Step 2: 25x
Step 2 CS: Pass first attempt
Step 3: pending
YOG: 2016 (IMG)
EC activities: I made sure I didn't sit idle since grad and worked towards beefing up my CV doing all sorts of volunteer work, research ...etc
Visa: Permanent resident
Interviews: First time applicant. Applied to around 160 programs. Got 13 interviews. Attended 12 interviews and all pre-interview dinners. Ranked them all. DID NOT send out thank you e-mails.
Matched to my first choice (university program). Didn't think I'd match there. It is probably true that the match algorithm favors applicants. Rank programs where you want to match as opposed to where you think you'd match.

Happy to answer any questions

Good luck to all!

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!

 

[IMreshopeful]

I personally have no problem going to that program at all, even glad, but somehow my SO and family members got so frustrated and trying to persuade me not to go, try again next year, or rather stay at my home country. I don’t know why I should feel this way when I should be celebrating. It’s frustrating

It’s a match violation if you do not spend at least some time at the program and you are guaranteed not to match ever again if you do break it. Your family members and SO should be VERY happy that you matched period

 

[Aj_doc]

Congrats everyone!

anyone here going to EIRMC Internal Medicine??

 

[depolarize45]

Cook county also!!!!! See you guys!

 

[gutonc]

I personally have no problem going to that program at all, even glad, but somehow my SO and family members got so frustrated and trying to persuade me not to go, try again next year, or rather stay at my home country. I don’t know why I should feel this way when I should be celebrating. It’s frustrating

1. Congratulations on your Match!
2. There is no next year. It's now or never. You can in fact walk away from your Matched position. But you will never train, or practice, in the US if you do so. Your family and SO need to understand this.
3. If I'm honest, these people who claim to love you kind of suck.

 

[Simplyaroy]

I personally have no problem going to that program at all, even glad, but somehow my SO and family members got so frustrated and trying to persuade me not to go, try again next year, or rather stay at my home country. I don’t know why I should feel this way when I should be celebrating. It’s frustrating

Would you trust a PD who promises to rank you first then doesn't rank you at all? Switch tables and ask why nrmp should let you participate another time if you refuse to stick to a binding agreement the first time round? Please don't make life altering decisions based on emotions alone. SO forgive, NRMP won't .

 

[Dr. Opout]

Matched at Geisinger!! Totally above my station, but somehow I made it. Congrats to everyone!!

 

[Enzymaticdegradation]

I got an email from my PD immediately, welcoming the new interns. Felt great! Congratulations again everyone. It was all worth it!

 

[il pani]

Very happy to have matched at my top choice! Boston University Medical Center!! So excited about this new phase!!!

 

[Sherlock Holmes123]

Matched at Rosalind Franklin University MS-CMS Northwestern Medicine Mchenry Hospital, Mchenry, Illinois.

 

[DoctorInTheMaking14]

matched at Oakhill Internal Med!

 

[rokshana]

What happens if I choose not to go into the program that I matched? Will there be no chance to reapply next year?

You don’t get that choice...match is a legally binding contract.

 

[rokshana]

For those of you that actually posted where you match, strong work! Congratulations
For those of you being vague and saying I matched my 1st choice , 3rd, whatever...shame on you...you posted where you got interviews and asked for all sorts of info on the people in this thread and now? Not transparent at all...congratulations but why are
You not trying to be as helpful as you wanted others to be for you.

 

[yurtboat]

I’ve had a good few PMs asking about advice for next years match.

Delighted to answer them all. Here’s an idea, how about we create a mentorship circle.

I’m a low step 1 - high YOG successful applicant, I can give my lessons learned from this point of view. Drop me an PM and I’ll see what I can put together.

Anyone else want to see if their match profile corresponds with someone who’s seeking advice??

 

[Shlez]

Did anyone NOT get a welcome letter from their match? I still haven’t gotten any communication asides from the NRMP email. Are others in this boat too?

 

[tatuktukta]

Matched at UPMC!

 

[Eyre]

For those of you that actually posted where you match, strong work! Congratulations
For those of you being vague and saying I matched my 1st choice , 3rd, whatever...shame on you...you posted where you got interviews and asked for all sorts of info on the people in this thread and now? Not transparent at all...congratulations but why are
You not trying to be as helpful as you wanted others to be for you.

Rokshana, thank you very much for all your help and time! I really appreciate it! )
Well, I matched at program where I am most probably the only IMG in my class and one of few IMGs in the program. Writing my program’s name is equal to writing my real name. Are you ready to tell your real name here?

 

[Eyre]

Guys, congratulations on this great achievement! Well deserved!!!

For those who didn’t match - keep your head up! Work on your CV, application & interview skills. And you will be the one who celebrates! Best of luck to you!

 

[rokshana]

Rokshana, thank you very much for all your help and time! I really appreciate it! )
Well, I matched at program where I am most probably the only IMG in my class and one of few IMGs in the program. Writing my program’s name is equal to writing my real name. Are you ready to tell your real name here?

Uh...rokshana IS my real name...and there is enough info on SDN that it's not that hard to figure out who I am irl...so yes, I’ve already done that.

There have been matches here...Yale BMC, UPMC that are very prestigious programs that have few imgs...one they don’t post matches up on their websites immediately and by the time they do no one is going to think about it .

You don’t think that knowing that a non img program is achievable for someone in the future is important and helpful?

 

[Beastkiller]

I think it’s only fair to respect privacy. You have a similar stats and want to find out what you chance is. Go ahead and PM Eyre, I am sure he will be more than happy to tell you that. Chill guys.

 

[Copenhagen]

USMLE Step 1: 259
USMLE Step 2: 264
USMLE Step 2 CS: Passed (first attempt)
USMLE Step 3: Not yet
YOG: 2010 (IMG)
Other activities: Ph.D., >60 indexed publications, >100 abstracts and presentations, etc.
Visa: Probably J1
Interviews: First time applicant. Applied to 81 programs; 12 invitations, attended 10 (one PSTP), and ranked all 10
Matched: Yale-New Haven Hospital (#3 on rank order list)

 

[TheHardWorker]

guys what are the pros vs cons of h1 vs j1 visa in regards to fellowship applications

 

[hope_to_match]

I got an email from my PD immediately, welcoming the new interns. Felt great! Congratulations again everyone. It was all worth it!

No email or call from my program Can’t wait to hear from them!

 

[hope_to_match]

Did anyone NOT get a welcome letter from their match? I still haven’t gotten any communication asides from the NRMP email. Are others in this boat too?

I didn’t get anything yet I am not worried though

 

[CX2014]

guys what are the pros vs cons of h1 vs j1 visa in regards to fellowship applications

I’ve heard it’s much easier to find fellowship programs that accept J1, compared to H1B.

 

[CX2014]

Did anyone NOT get a welcome letter from their match? I still haven’t gotten any communication asides from the NRMP email. Are others in this boat too?

No email yet for me too. I’m sure they will contact us at some point next week

 

[Animalcules]

I’ve heard it’s much easier to find fellowship programs that accept J1, compared to H1B.

No. Worst case scenario, your fellowship of choice will not sponsor another H1B and you have to switch to J1 at that time. I would always go H1B if you have the option. If you want to stay in academia, this is probably most important because you avoid the 2 year rule and can apply to grants.

 

[rhomboid]

USMLE Step 1: 259
USMLE Step 2: 264
USMLE Step 2 CS: Passed (first attempt)
USMLE Step 3: Not yet
YOG: 2010 (IMG)
Other activities: Ph.D., >60 indexed publications, >100 abstracts and presentations, etc.
Visa: Probably J1
Interviews: First time applicant. Applied to 81 programs; 12 invitations, attended 10 (one PSTP), and ranked all 10
Matched: Yale-New Haven Hospital (#3 on rank order list)

Hey, congratulations on your achievements!
I think it will be your best interest and Yale's best interest to support you an H1 or O1 visa. Getting a J1 will be a big problem particularly when you're starting to apply for your own K and R grants. Try to convince them to support your H1 or O1, and at the same time apply for a EB1 green card by yourself!

 

[qPCR]

To future applicants: List your sdn membership on MyERAS may help you match to Cook County

btw I'm going to The Danbury

 

[Idlysambar]

Matched #2 at Cook county!!

 

[Idlysambar]

Cook county here #2!

Tried to start a conversation, but wasn't able to.

 

[Enzymaticdegradation]

To future applicants: List your sdn membership on MyERAS may help you match to Cook County

btw I'm going to The Danbury

Congrats man! Danbury was pretty popular in this thread.

 

[man777]

Guys anyone matched into morehouse school of medicine!

 

[ashar008]

matched brigham and women's!!

 

[Copenhagen]

Hey, congratulations on your achievements!
I think it will be your best interest and Yale's best interest to support you an H1 or O1 visa. Getting a J1 will be a big problem particularly when you're starting to apply for your own K and R grants. Try to convince them to support your H1 or O1, and at the same time apply for a EB1 green card by yourself!

Thank you for the kind words and for the advice!

 

[Copenhagen]

Dude chill lol..... I matched with not even a 1/4 of your credentials. I'm surprised you didn't go derm.

My biggest problem was having been out of medical school for so long. Programs were simply afraid I would be rusty in general internal medicine. In addition, I have no formal U.S. clinical experience which was a concern for some programs. I did 19 months of research there, with ad hoc rounds, etc. I was filtered out by almost every program and most of my good interviews came from mentors calling/e-mailing programs directly. Yale came after having been rejected and then waitlisted. I am shooting for interventional cardiology (already a fellow in my home country).

 

[Animalcules]

matched brigham and women's!!

Mmmm.

Which US-IMG/Carib on the BWH match list are you?

There are none

 

[sss2g2]

My biggest problem was having been out of medical school for so long. Programs were simply afraid I would be rusty in general internal medicine. In addition, I have no formal U.S. clinical experience which was a concern for some programs. I did 19 months of research there, with ad hoc rounds, etc. I was filtered out by almost every program and most of my good interviews came from mentors calling/e-mailing programs directly. Yale came after having been rejected and then waitlisted. I am shooting for interventional cardiology (already a fellow in my home country).

Congrats

 

[rddn_jk]

Mmmm.

Which US-IMG/Carib on the BWH match list are you?

There are none

FAKE NEWS

 

[medgirl333]

Hey guys! Congrats to everyone! Anyone here match at Yale-Waterbury or is going to be living around the Waterbury area?

 

[DocPassion]

matched brigham and women's!!

Congrats! Was it your first choice and what program did you match into?

 

[Mymatch2019]

Anyone matched in HealthQuest, NY

 

[Matched2019]

Anyone matched in HealthQuest, NY

I matched at Health Quest as well!!

Thank you to everyone for posting information this year. I have been a long time lurker. Congratulations to everyone who matched!! What a great achievement.

I am a non-us IMG. I had 12 invites and my heart went with a new program instead of university programs. I felt so happy where I matched when I went for IV and love this rare opportunity.

 

[Animalcules]

Wow. Hats off

He is trolling. His Step scores keep changing. As far as I can tell, no US-IMG matched at BWH in either IM or rads this year.

 

[hope_to_match]

No welcome email from the lrogram yet I am ready for it ! When do they start sending these?

 

[IMreshopeful]

Hi everyone, first of all congrats to everyone that matched! super excited for all of you and for those of us who didn't match good luck and keep grinding! I am very interested in IM and was wondering if anyone had some feedback to give...my stats are:
US-IMG
step 1 - 205
step 2 - 222 with 1 attempt - had actual medical reason
YOG - 2018 from top 4 Carib school, all clinical rotations and LOR from the states (3 IM and 1 FM)
During this downtime I am planning to take step 3, look for a research opportunity to publish and possible observership somewhere ( I am located in Los Angeles). Anyone have any other tips? thanks in advance!

edit: I had to apply late in Nov as well but was able to get 3 interviews somehow, they were at new programs (<3 years)

A step 2 failure is going to screw you out of a lot of programs. A below average step 1 for a US-IMG and a match failure is also bad.

Doing observerships and PRODUCTIVE research is good - it will help.

I would apply to nearly every community program in the country and also apply every FM program. Even then your chances are low.

Hope that’s wasn’t too harsh. Can also consider another specialty like peds or path

 

[IMreshopeful]

Congrats! Was it your first choice and what program did you match into?

This was a joke/lie

 

[Ehch18142]

1. I don't think the affiliation between Bridgeport Hospital and Yale is weak, and especially for GI you get to do hepatology rotations at Klatskin service of Yale. Usually, when merges occur it becomes only an affiliation which doesn't really mean much when it comes to fellowship. Unless St. Barnabas residents are going to transfer to NJMS, I wouldn't rank St. Barnabas above Yale/Bridgeport. Yale/Bridgeport has a sweet fellowship match.

2- Ochsner > SLR > Cook.

Thanks for the response
1. St barnabas and njms were merging at every level(combined residency prptram and you do floors at njms) njms is going to take 13 lesser residents next yr to accommodate barnabas residents. So i ended up ranking it higher than yale bridgeport(the enviroment at bridgeport I felt was very school like in terms of flexibility)
2. I did rank them the opposite based on location preference cook>slr>ochsner
But fortunately (may be!) Ended up matching at Ochsner. After seeing your response right now, I am glad now that I did match at Ochsner

 

[yurtboat]

So far welcome email from co-ordinator and PD, personal welcome from PD, email from chiefs about scheduling, email asking if I prefer a J1 or H1B. Warm glow building.