Neurology Applicant Tips

[D3MAND_123]

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Aim to apply for 25/26


Good grades/centile rank
Step 1: Pass
Step 2 CK: 265


Would appreciate any tips on how to make my application more competitive for an academic stroke-based residency in the North East where my partner currently lives / advice on institutions

 

[DrStephenStrange]

First tip, you will likely need to apply to way more than 25/26 programs to have a good chance at matching. Even US applicants with great stats and from good schools apply to 30/35 programs average. As an IMG, if everything else on your app is great, you likely will need to apply at least 60/70 programs. However, depending on your circumstances you may need to apply to more. 3 years ago, knowing my situation at the time (DO, failed board #2 on first attempt, etc), I applied to over 100 programs and only got 13 interviews.

 

[CnsCrit]

Find other IMG neurology residents if you can, they'll be the best resource. The northeast programs are pretty friendly to top IMG applicants, the ones most successful have a really good record of academic interest and research, which it sounds like you do. For example, they can tell a story of a long interest in stroke and have a strong record of productive research in that area. You'll need to prove that a bit more than your average US grad who can get away with speaking about their interest in neurology more generally. Talk about any potential ties to the area you have, and try to be familiar with the faculty in your area of interest at each place you interview so you can talk intelligently about how you fit into the department.

 

[Aldertonghen]

I’m an IMG- and looking at your profile you have a good one. As a UK med school graduate you are looked at more favourably than some other countries, but still nowhere near as favoured as USMDs ofcourse.

By 25/26 I think you mean the year, and not the number of programs, because I applied to 140 programs and this was 3 years ago. You have to apply very broadly. I would include Midwest in addition to NE states- you can rank Midwest programs lower later but have them in your safety net.

The one thing you need is clinical experience in the US in neurology itself. You need letters from neurologists in the US. Since you graduated a while ago electives are not an option- but observerships work- don’t listen to people who say it’s useless because it’s not- an observership at the right place (like SUNY upstate in Syracuse for example) both nets you an interview in the NE region and they might rank you to match depending on how you present yourself.