Old Graduate IMG in Radiology

[Stendhal]

Hi guys,

I have heard many times that being old graduate is just a handicap or a "redflag" because program directors do not want to import foreign doctors with pre-established habits and protocols. I think this could be true almost in every speciality in medicine except in those where the knowledge is invariant: Radiology or Pathology.

I mean, images are the same no matter where you have worked before. Would not a program director prefer a guy who already was a radiologist or pathologist (and hence knows all the necessary) in his home country instead that a fresh IMG with no idea at all about the speciality? Data of last Match says that the mean years after graduation for matched non-US IMG are 9.4 (Pathology) and 6.2 (Radiology), much more than any other speciality. Does that support my theory?

I am going to start Radiology in my home country (Spain) because I need to earn some money for all the process. I am already done with Step 1 (231) and YoG 2013. I am thinking now about completing the whole residency in Spain (4 years) and then try to match in 2019 with Step 2 CK + CS + Step 3 + finished residency in Radiology + Publications + USCE (during Residency we have a free 6-month exchange with some hospitals in US)

I would appreciate your opinion since this is a very important decision. I am spending a lot of efforts and money on learning English, passing the exams, etc. Please advice me, what would you do on my shoes?

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[gonogo]

If you finish your residency in Spain you don't need to repeat residency here in the US. You can go on and apply for fellowship. Radiology is one of the few, if not the only specialty, which allows you to do that. In fact, there are plenty of IMGs in radiology who didn't do residency in the US and went straight into fellowship. It's a much better deal since you don't have to do internship, which means a lot of call, ICU, etc.... and also, from what I hear, radiology call as a resident in most countries is not as tough as in the US. So you can skip all of that assuming you finish your residency in Spain. See the ABR website for more information: http://www.theabr.org/ic-img-dr

Good luck.

 

[Stendhal]

Thank you so much, man! You really made my day

I did not even realize about this possibility, I thought Residency in the US was unskippable but now I know there are another options. I could not be more gratefull, really.

 

[FranzLO]

If you finish your residency in Spain you don't need to repeat residency here in the US. You can go on and apply for fellowship. Radiology is one of the few, if not the only specialty, which allows you to do that. In fact, there are plenty of IMGs in radiology who didn't do residency in the US and went straight into fellowship. It's a much better deal since you don't have to do internship, which means a lot of call, ICU, etc.... and also, from what I hear, radiology call as a resident in most countries is not as tough as in the US. So you can skip all of that assuming you finish your residency in Spain. See the ABR website for more information: http://www.theabr.org/ic-img-dr

Good luck.

This pathway should not even exist. Is there any word, at all, of getting rid of it?

 

[preDoGuy24]

This pathway should not even exist. Is there any word, at all, of getting rid of it?

The last ABR statement I saw had no plans of changing there stance on it. Pretty ridiculous IMO more so when radiology has an admittedly tough job market.