Medical Matching to Internal Medicine while you're a Surgery Resident outside US?

[TheBoneDoctah]

Good day Doctors!
I am wondering about my chances of matching into an Internal Medicine Program while being on a Surgery residency.
I am an Non-US IMG and currently doing a Surgery Residency in my Home country. The only reason why I went to medical school is to work in the field of Oncology. I have been swaying between IM-Heme/Onc and GenSurg/ SURGICAL_ONCOLOGY options and in the past few years I have built my CV MORE TOWARDS Surgical Oncology but my match strategy is to apply for 60% IM programs and 40% General Surgery Programs(Prelim and Categorical) I know its not wise doing both ... but I will try.
Honestly I would be glad if I get any of the two, even though I have delved a bit more in the Surg. Onc field. I know they are quite different but to me I am happy doing any of them.
Anyways given that I am a Surgical resident now, does this affect my chances of matching in IM? Has it happened before that people would match from a Surgical residency to an Internal Medicine residency?

Thank You all!!!

Let me clear things up...you want to get into an oncology residency in the US and you are currently a surgical resident outside the US?

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[TheBoneDoctah]

Yes I want to go into the field of Oncology.
Either Heme/ONC or Surgical Oncology.
I am outside the US and have done my Steps.
I am currently a Surgery Resident outside the USA

So basically you just quit your surgical residency then?

To gauge your chances in different specialties we would need to know your Step scores, grades, etc.

Regardless of your stats, you will have a better shot IM assuming you apply smart and broadly. 2216 non-US IMG matched into IM last year and only 80 into general surgery.

Now talking about switching from non-US surgery to US IM...residents switch between specialties all the time. I am not sure about going from outside the country and then switching to a different specialty.


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[TheBoneDoctah]

Yes I would quit. If I was given a chance of US training I would definitely go for it given that US Medical training is the strongest and would broaden my future chances.
My step scores are
STEP1 : 256
STEP2CS: Pass (1st attempt)
STEP2CK: 261
The only issue I am afraid of is whether or not my Surgical residency would cast my chances of an IM program.

I don’t think it would. If you have a story, the stats, etc you should be able to get into IM. You just gotta apply broadly and smart.


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[tantacles]

Your stats excellent for IM, and even as a non-US IMG, you may get positive responses from many internal medicine programs. My guess, based on what I see, is that your letters, your clinical experience in the US, and your research will play a large role in your successfully matching to a residency program. Your surgery program should not impede you if what you wish to do is elaborated in an appropriate way.