Importance of grades for IMG

[dordi2794]

Hi,
I have a very simple question:

I study medicine in Israel (at a local Hebrew program, although I have a dual Israeli/American citizenship).

In Israel grades have no importance for residency applications and thus the grading is quite random during rotation, on some rotations everyone gets the same grade. We also have local shelf exams which are not really graded on a curve, and the main motivation of most students is just to get a passing grade.

Do american residency programs look at international medical school grades at all? Or do they only look at USMLE grades for international students? I ask this because I got a low grade on my Psychiatry shelf exam and am considering retaking this exam, something I would never contemplate if I was aiming at an Israeli residency.

Thank you!

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[rokshana]

Hi,
I have a very simple question:

I study medicine in Israel (at a local Hebrew program, although I have a dual Israeli/American citizenship).

In Israel grades have no importance for residency applications and thus the grading is quite random during rotation, on some rotations everyone gets the same grade. We also have local shelf exams which are not really graded on a curve, and the main motivation of most students is just to get a passing grade.

Do american residency programs look at international medical school grades at all? Or do they only look at USMLE grades for international students? I ask this because I got a low grade on my Psychiatry shelf exam and am considering retaking this exam, something I would never contemplate if I was aiming at an Israeli residency.

Thank you!

For F/IMGs good grades really don't make much of a difference but bad grades will have an impact.

You should aim for having the highest grades possible.
You are probably stuck now for the most part but if there is anything you can do to fix your grades, you should do so...otherwise make sure you have incredible steps scores to make up for the low grades.

 

[Pathbusiness]

No one looks at the med school grades. USMLE scores and year of graduation are the deciding factors in interview auctions!