Observership in USA

[Alberto89]

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Hi Everybody..
I m Alberto an Italian student of medicine at the 4th year..

This summer i had a beautiful experience in California with an english course and I am planning about try the USMLE in 2 years, my question is:

"Is possible doing one mounth of observership in an universitay hospital?"

"Do you know hospital that accept easily european student? What VISA i need?"

 

[211498]

You're in a 6 year program I assume. Why not wait until your final year and do electives with hands-on experience?

NYU, UCSD and UTSW come to my mind...

 

[Alberto89]

You're in a 6 year program I assume. Why not wait until your final year and do electives with hands-on experience?

NYU, UCSD and UTSW come to my mind...

I want to do this year because i want to see soon the american health sistem and decide what to do of my life, i have some difficult in traslate the word electives what do you mean?

 

[bambi]

I want to do this year because i want to see soon the american health sistem and decide what to do of my life, i have some difficult in traslate the word electives what do you mean?

I agree it is better to see early what it is like, medicine in the US has a different atmosphere to a lot of other countries and you may hate it. You can always do proper electives later. Electives are proper placements where you act like the home students basically and do hands on things rather than just observe.

 

[Alberto89]

I agree it is better to see early what it is like, medicine in the US has a different atmosphere to a lot of other countries and you may hate it. You can always do proper electives later. Electives are proper placements where you act like the home students basically and do hands on things rather than just observe.

Ok but if i do only an observership i don t need insurance right?
For the electives they want the USMLE right?

 

[bambi]

Ok but if i do only an observership i don t need insurance right?
For the electives they want the USMLE right?

I think you do still need insurance, it might depend on the place though. Not everywhere requires the USMLE for electives.

 

[Alberto89]

I think you do still need insurance, it might depend on the place though. Not everywhere requires the USMLE for electives.

Thank you Bambi...

 

[211498]

Ok but if i do only an observership i don t need insurance right?
For the electives they want the USMLE right?

The universities that I mentioned do not require the USMLEs, if you take Step 1 before you apply, there will be more possible places that you can apply to (like the Cleveland Clinic, UT San Antonio, UT Houston).

For an observership you (usually) won't need a malpractice insurance.

 

[Alberto89]

observerships are typically for doctors who have already graduated medical school, whilst electives are for medical students. You will thus find it more difficult to organise an observership as a student than you would an elective. You don't need insurance for observerships since you will only be observing.

I would suggest the best way round this is to see if you can arrange to spend a summer doing a research project, and using that as a platform to spend sometime in the hospital maybe once a week. Is much easier this way

You don't need to have done the USMLE for many places for electives though some require step 1. I went to UCLA for my electives - no USMLE required, no endless immunisation records, no insurance, no criminal record check, no charge except registration fee - I would recommend it in terms of simplicity to organise!

Thank you Splik..
Can I ask you something more about your experience in Ucla, i saw online that LA and San Diego are the easier for a stranger student, but what you did there? Research or only Hospital? How long do you stay there? I can spend all August 2012 because of my school commitents in Italy..

 

[bambi]

You don't need insurance for observerships since you will only be observing.

I would suggest the best way round this is to see if you can arrange to spend a summer doing a research project, and using that as a platform to spend sometime in the hospital maybe once a week. Is much easier this way

You don't need to have done the USMLE for many places for electives though some require step 1.

I know of at least one place where even observers need insurance, I don't know why but they do require it and I doubt they are the only place.

The majority of places ask for the USMLE for electives.

 

[IMK]

I am a first year international student. I wanted to know if it is possible for me to do observership in USA after my second year during my post semester leave? Can u please tell me the universities giving these opportunities because I cant find any particular site on this. What is the procedure etc etc?
I want to do this by next year because I plan on giving USMLE during my fourth year and 2 LORs are required from USA for residency. so I thought it is better to get LORs as soon as possible because international electives can be done only during 4th nd 5th years. So I thought that observership is better for a second year student.

 

[splik]

you need to do electives, not an observership, and they should be later in your training when you actually have some experience and know what you are doing? How useful do you think a letter of recommendation will be when you don't know anything, can't do anything, and the letter is from years ago? You are expected to have done electives and get your LoRs based on that experience, by which point you will hopefully know something, and you be able to be evaluated on your clinical skills, knowledge, professionalism, etc.