Questions from a Beginner !

[hadi]

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Hi all ..

This is Hadi, a fresh IMG, who got his MBBS certificate only 2 weeks ago.

I've been interested in Family Medicine since long time and now it is my ONLY choice!

I read the thread "Family Medicine FAQs", and now I have some of my questions that I'd appreciate seeing your replies on.

I'll start with one important question for me as an IMG:

Internationally, is there any better place for FM residency progrmas other than USA ?

And if USA was the top in this speciaity, what countries come after ?

Thank you for reading my topic.

Glad to join you in this great forum !


Hadi

 

[sophiejane]

You might have more luck in the international forums answering your questions about which countries are more IMG friendly.

Good luck.

 

[Doowai]

Good question. States which tend to be friendly to IMG's for residency include New York, West Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, DC. Other states include Virginia, South and North Carolina. But IMG's can be found in every state in every program.

When I was thinking of applying to residency programs I :
1) Went to the residency program website found either at ERAS or FRIEDA. All of them have a page with pictures of their residents, and some information on them (such as where they went to Medical school). Programs that had at least 1/3 of the residents were added to my list. It did not matter to me at all if they STATED on their webpage that they accepted applications from IMG's or FMG's, what mattered to me was if they had a significant number of IMG's in their program.
2) Then I looked at their USMLE score requirements. Those whose requirements I met were added to the list.
3) You probably have to determine if you need either a J1 of HB1 visa. It should be listed on the programs website if they provide visas.

I would start searching family medicine programs if you are truly interested at either FREIDA or ERAS, look for these criteria, write to the programs, and apply to those that seem interested and seems like a good option.

 

[hadi]

Thanks a lot for answering me!

Well, I told you I'm really FRESH graduate! I haven't even take my USMLEs yet..
In my country, the 'ministry of higher education' provides us with shcolarships to KAPLAN, as a first step in our residency plan into USA.
And that's why I'm asking, shall I choose USA or any other country to get scholarship in ?

Anyway, thanks for the list of IMG-friendly states, but does this only apply for FP or for every other speciality?


However, what about Family Practice internationally. How well is it known in other countries? Where is this speciaity well established?

I knew about USA, but what about it in Canada? What about Australia and NewZealand?
(I'm not asking about IMG-friendly countries, I'm asking about countries that have good residency programs in Family Practice)


Appreciate your cooperation !

 

[skypilot]

I talked with a French med student. In France Family Practice is called Internal Medicine! Physicans who graduate from their internal medicine practice can practice on kids, adults, and in the Emergency room.

Many countries have only one generalist specialty which comprises approximately 50% of their physicians. Therefore it might be tough to compare. I assume you want to return to your home country to practice so you want training that will be useful there.

 

[hadi]

Well..

Another important question:

What is my chance as an IMG of getting a Family Medicine position in USA?

I heard that IMGs are having great competition into getting residency positions in USA, I know a group of IMGs from my country who went to America for sometime, they failed to get a position and came back to their home country with nothing.

I read in FREIDA site that 42% of FM residents are from IMGs, but does anyone here has a some experience about this issue?

 

[voltron77]

Well..

Another important question:

What is my chance as an IMG of getting a Family Medicine position in USA?

I heard that IMGs are having great competition into getting residency positions in USA, I know a group of IMGs from my country who went to America for sometime, they failed to get a position and came back to their home country with nothing.

I read in FREIDA site that 42% of FM residents are from IMGs, but does anyone here has a some experience about this issue?

Hadi, have you looked at the International Forums here on the site? There may be threads on there that can help you. In researching Family Medicine as a US medical student, there are many programs that take IMGs.......it just depends on many factors, including how the ranked lists come out in a few months. Just try looking at websites of programs you are interested in. In answering your questions about Family Medicine, try the American Academy of Family Physicians website www.aafp.org
There is a lot of good information that you can read about on there. Best of luck to you. By the way, welcome to the US. Where are you from?

 

[skypilot]

Well..

Another important question:

What is my chance as an IMG of getting a Family Medicine position in USA?

I heard that IMGs are having great competition into getting residency positions in USA, I know a group of IMGs from my country who went to America for sometime, they failed to get a position and came back to their home country with nothing.

I read in FREIDA site that 42% of FM residents are from IMGs, but does anyone here has a some experience about this issue?

To answer this question we need to know what med school you went to? How did you do? What was your score on the USMLE? Have you done any rotations in the U.S.? What's your visa status?

For instance if the answers are Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, A + grades, 230, yes, permanent resident, your chances are excellent? 🙂

 

[hadi]

Hadi, have you looked at the International Forums here on the site? There may be threads on there that can help you. In researching Family Medicine as a US medical student, there are many programs that take IMGs.......it just depends on many factors, including how the ranked lists come out in a few months. Just try looking at websites of programs you are interested in. In answering your questions about Family Medicine, try the American Academy of Family Physicians website www.aafp.org
There is a lot of good information that you can read about on there. Best of luck to you. By the way, welcome to the US. Where are you from?

Dear Voltron ..

Thanks a lot.
But what did you mean by the "Ranked Lists" coming in few months ?

And regarding your question, I don't think you would guess it right !
I'm from Saudi Arabia ! 🙂
Did you expect it ?


Hadi

 

[hadi]

To answer this question we need to know what med school you went to? How did you do? What was your score on the USMLE? Have you done any rotations in the U.S.? What's your visa status?

For instance if the answers are Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, A + grades, 230, yes, permanent resident, your chances are excellent? 🙂

Well, I think we can call these "Student Factors"

Are there any other factors regarding the place I'm applying into, like a place where everyone wants to be in.
Are there places with lower competetion than some other places?

 

[voltron77]

Well, I think we can call these "Student Factors"

Are there any other factors regarding the place I'm applying into, like a place where everyone wants to be in.
Are there places with lower competetion than some other places?

What are your student factors? In terms of ranked lists, the residency process in the US is a match process. Programs and applicants rank their top choices and using some logarithmic formula, they come up with their residents who will be at their respective program.

 

[skypilot]

Well, I think we can call these "Student Factors"

Are there any other factors regarding the place I'm applying into, like a place where everyone wants to be in.
Are there places with lower competetion than some other places?

Absolutely, there are less desirable programs in less desirable locations that are easier to get into. But the most important factors are the ones I mentioned, the easier it is for the program to integrate you with the other students, the more likely they will be to hire you. That means experience with the U.S. medical system, excellent english language skills, a good score on the USMLE and no problems getting a visa to work here. Good luck, 1 out of 5 residents is trained outside the U.S. so I know it is a possibility! 🙂

 

[hadi]

Hi again ..

When I was checking the site of American Academy of Family Physicians, I came across some statistics regarding the positions of Family Medicine residency programs, and the results were as follows:

From the 2,621 positions offered last year, only 2,313 were filled, which is only 88.2%. And the numbers may change during the last 12 years but it does not reach higher than 90.5% of the offered positions.

What does this mean?

Is the number of positions offered higher than the number of applicants or what?

 

[voltron77]

Hi again ..

When I was checking the site of American Academy of Family Physicians, I came across some statistics regarding the positions of Family Medicine residency programs, and the results were as follows:

From the 2,621 positions offered last year, only 2,313 were filled, which is only 88.2%. And the numbers may change during the last 12 years but it does not reach higher than 90.5% of the offered positions.

What does this mean?

Is the number of positions offered higher than the number of applicants or what?

Not all programs fill their spots. Some residency spots in some programs go unfilled.

You can go to individual program websites for more information Hadi. Good luck.....

 

[hadi]

Sorry guys! I didn't know that you were asking about me!

Well, I told you I haven't taken my USMLEs yet. So the others would be like:

I graduated from a local school in my country: I'm from Saudi Arabia, my college was King Faisal University in Dammam ( I don't think that you've heard about it, and I would be glad if you did )

I didn't do very well, I got a GPA of 3.4 out of 5

I graduated on 2006 and I finished my Internship about 3 weeks ago

Unfortunately, I haven't done any rotation in USA, all were in my home country

Still, I don't have any visa !

So, I think this way, my chance is very poor, isn't it?

 

[voltron77]

Sorry guys! I didn't know that you were asking about me!

Well, I told you I haven't taken my USMLEs yet. So the others would be like:

I graduated from a local school in my country: I'm from Saudi Arabia, my college was King Faisal University in Dammam ( I don't think that you've heard about it, and I would be glad if you did )

I didn't do very well, I got a GPA of 3.4 out of 5

I graduated on 2006 and I finished my Internship about 3 weeks ago

Unfortunately, I haven't done any rotation in USA, all were in my home country

Still, I don't have any visa !

So, I think this way, my chance is very poor, isn't it?

Hadi: I do not think your chances are poor. I just think you are at the beginning of the process for a foreign medical graduate. There are certain things that you have to get done, such as studying and taking the USMLE Steps and looking into the process of coming to the US and getting your visa, which I am not sure of. Hang in there and best of luck to you.

 

[skypilot]

Here's a guy from your university at a prestigious residency in Boston. I would get in touch with someone who has experience making the jump and let them help you with the process.

http://www.bumc.bu.edu/Dept/Content.aspx?PageID=5958&DepartmentID=57

 

[hadi]

Hadi: I do not think your chances are poor. I just think you are at the beginning of the process for a foreign medical graduate. There are certain things that you have to get done, such as studying and taking the USMLE Steps and looking into the process of coming to the US and getting your visa, which I am not sure of. Hang in there and best of luck to you.

Thanks a lot dear .. I appreciate your support !

Here's a guy from your university at a prestigious residency in Boston. I would get in touch with someone who has experience making the jump and let them help you with the process.

http://www.bumc.bu.edu/Dept/Content.aspx?PageID=5958&DepartmentID=57

Well, first of all, Najla is not a guy, she is a girl 😀

A friend of mine knew this doctor, she is in that position as a sponsored scholarship from a 'prestigious' company in our country!

And yes that's what I'm doing, I'm in touch with a friend from my country, who is ahead of me and applying in ERAS this year.

Thanks again ..

 

[Doowai]

Canada is very good, but very hard for FMG's/IMG's to get into. Harder than the USA. UK and Australia are very good.