Question from a future IMG

[don_Genaro_27]

Hey all! I am posting this for a friend who is going to be finishing up his MBBS in India
very soon and would like to come to the US for a residency. What exactly is the process
like? please be as detailed as possible. i have heard that it would be a good idea to apply
for a master's in public health or some other degree here in the US in order to secure a
visa, and then take the Boards in the ensuing years. AS of now, my friend is getting ready
to take his GREs so that he can apply to graduate schools DOes this sound like a viable
option? What other routes exist?

If there are any of you who have a medical degree from INdia (or a foreign country
with a similar system) and were not US citizens, please post your experiences and
advice.

Thanks for your time,

arun ivaturi

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[ApacheIndian]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by don_Genaro_27:
•I am posting this for a friend who is going to be finishing up his MBBS in India
very soon and would like to come to the US for a residency. What exactly is the process
like? please be as detailed as possible. •••••lol detailed as possible... yeah right <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> ... check it out my friend...

<a href="http://www.ecfmg.org/" target="_blank">http://www.ecfmg.org/</a>

Good luck!

 

[Stormreaver]

Good one Cuts <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> That site is just as about as detailed as you can get.

Why don't you throw in the ERAS and NRMP websites for good measure!

Seriously, there is a wealth of information on <a href="http://www.ecfmg.org" target="_blank">www.ecfmg.org</a> which pretty much covers all the bases. Post here if you're confused about any of the details.
(in YODA tone)
and you WILL BE <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

 

[ApacheIndian]

Hey Stormreaver! Hope you're getting some quality R&R my friend. I'm studying for Step 2 now (slated for early August) and then CSA in early Sept. I was looking at the ECFMG-ERAS sites last night and <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> ... uhhh <img border="0" alt="[Wowie]" title="" src="graemlins/wowie.gif" /> ... it looks like I'm gonna need some help. If you're not too busy I'll drop you an e-mail with some specific questions sometime... I'd appreciate your advise. Thanks and take care!

 

[Stormreaver]

Sure pal, any time. I've got a whole MONTH of relaxation left, and I'd be happy to help clear up any problems...

 

[docronmd1]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by don_Genaro_27:
•Hey all! I am posting this for a friend who is going to be finishing up his MBBS in India
very soon and would like to come to the US for a residency. What exactly is the process
like? please be as detailed as possible. i have heard that it would be a good idea to apply
for a master's in public health or some other degree here in the US in order to secure a
visa, and then take the Boards in the ensuing years. AS of now, my friend is getting ready
to take his GREs so that he can apply to graduate schools DOes this sound like a viable
option? What other routes exist?

If there are any of you who have a medical degree from INdia (or a foreign country
with a similar system) and were not US citizens, please post your experiences and
advice.

Thanks for your time,

arun ivaturi •••••Arun,

I am an IMG...out of the med grads from my batch in med school, approx half tried the direct route to residency, i.e. finish internship, take the USMLEs, and apply for residency. The other half tried the other route, i.e. grad school and plan on entering residency later. Now, which is the route one should take, really depends on indiv circumstances. If residency is what your friend really wants to do, then s/he should take into consideration that its not just time, effort, and the headache of going thru applications and a yr or too of grad school, but also the signi cost of tuition and living in the US will studying for the grad degree. I would suggest taking the step 1 and trying one's best to get a 90+ score. If one succeeds, go for the rest of the process. If the score is poor, go for the grad school option. Having a medicine-assoc degree like the mph, does make a candidate more attractive to resident review committee. For details about the procedure however, i suggest u take the advice of the above posts

 

[docronmd1]

There is something that i felt i did not convey- if you have perused the ecfmg site, you will have realized the process to start residency training in the US is long and tedious. It requires careful plannig and a lot of comittment. It requires you to plan months and yrs in advance and then carefully execute those plans, whatever they are...GRE and grad school followed by residency, or residency directly.

 

[don_Genaro_27]

Thanks docronmd1! This is exactly what I was hoping to find out. So you suggest taking the Step I and then go from there. Sounds like a good idea. I have looked at the ECFMG site before realized that this was a tedious process. However, this is a good friend, so I'm obliged to sort it all out. I'll post again if i need more questions asnwered. Thanks for the help. Since I'm here....Can you tell me anything about the possibilities of getting financial aid for MPH? I appreciate the time,

arun