Residency Data for Irish Med Schools

[raney]

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I've been trolling this forum for quite a while and finally have a question that I can't find an answer to. Thus, forcing me to finally sign up and post the question.

I know this topic has been covered ad nauseum. However, after searching, all I seem to find is conjecture instead of actual facts. I'm hoping that someone on here can point me in the right direction.

I'm a US citizen considering applying to the Atlantic Bridge program. I want to know what the actual data is concerning matching to US residencies. I've seen the NRMP report that says that only 40% of IMGs match to US residencies, but that includes all IMGs. I assume (and hope) that someone graduating from a third-world country medical school that is unrecognized by most US states is looked at differently than an IMG from Ireland for matching purposes. However, I've seen no data that corroborate my assumption.

So, to that end, if any of you know where to find some real data please let me know.

Thanks

 

[Lbgem]

I've been trolling this forum for quite a while and finally have a question that I can't find an answer to. Thus, forcing me to finally sign up and post the question.

I know this topic has been covered ad nauseum. However, after searching, all I seem to find is conjecture instead of actual facts. I'm hoping that someone on here can point me in the right direction.

I'm a US citizen considering applying to the Atlantic Bridge program. I want to know what the actual data is concerning matching to US residencies. I've seen the NRMP report that says that only 40% of IMGs match to US residencies, but that includes all IMGs. I assume (and hope) that someone graduating from a third-world country medical school that is unrecognized by most US states is looked at differently than an IMG from Ireland for matching purposes. However, I've seen no data that corroborates my assumption.

So, to that end, if any of you know where to find some real data please let me know.

Thanks

ABP as far as I've found doesn't put out the match data for whatever reason. That's also why other posters in this forum have started the 'where we are now' thread. Probably the closest thing I've found is the Canadian's website of matching from Irish schools. http://www.cimsa.ie/wwwroot/

They have a 2010 match map on there. Last year's match map had a few more US matches iirc.

I've seen that 40% match data too, but keep in mind it depends on the specialty, and I do think the Irish schools match rate is higher than that. Though yes, I am basing it off of what other more experienced posters have said on here and where they are now. My favorite match story is probably Leorl's, who is now in EM.

I apped and am going to Ireland for a few reasons - one was Celtic Studies in undergrad and always wanted to go to Ireland (though I didn't think it'd be for four years 😛), two - I felt well known Irish school would give me a better education than a not so great state med school and I was also tired of being put through the AMCAS cycles. Three - I also thought that have a disadvantage as an IMG (cause no matter how good the school you're going to outside the U.S. you'll be an IMG) would push me to work harder and therefore do better and be a better physician. I am also a big fan of the having more diagnostic skills without the heavy dependency on the myriad of tests that U.S. seems to focus on. And lastly, I felt that if I worked hard, did really well that I *could* come back to the states to match in a specialty I wanted to. I hope that I won't fall in love with one of the ROAD specialties, cause that's even hard for U.S. students to get into, but I'll face that problem when I get there. I'll let you know how it works out in a few years.

 

[raney]

Thanks Lbgem.

I don't understand why a profession as scientific as medicine is has such a lack of publicly available data. All that we seem to have to go off of is a bunch of goofballs mixed in with a few people who actually know what they're talking about on these forums.

I read a little bit more of the NRMP report and it has a slightly better number for US citizen IMGs (not sure if you are a US citizen):

"The number of active U.S. citizen IMGs continued to grow,
and at 3,769 was 40 percent more than in 2007. The match
rate for this group was 50.0 percent."
​

I've started my app for the Atlantic Bridge program. One LOR is in and I have few more in progress. Now I'm just mulling over the essay. I don't really get the topic: "Why I would be an asset to the medical school." Seems kind of funny to me that it's an asset to the school itself as opposed to the medical profession as whole. Especially considering that you write one essay regardless of the number of schools applied to.

Anyhow, good luck to you.

 

[Lbgem]

Thanks Lbgem.

I don't understand why a profession as scientific as medicine is has such a lack of publicly available data. All that we seem to have to go off of is a bunch of goofballs mixed in with a few people who actually know what they're talking about on these forums.

I read a little bit more of the NRMP report and it has a slightly better number for US citizen IMGs (not sure if you are a US citizen):

"The number of active U.S. citizen IMGs continued to grow,
and at 3,769 was 40 percent more than in 2007. The match
rate for this group was 50.0 percent."
​

I've started my app for the Atlantic Bridge program. One LOR is in and I have few more in progress. Now I'm just mulling over the essay. I don't really get the topic: "Why I would be an asset to the medical school." Seems kind of funny to me that it's an asset to the school itself as opposed to the medical profession as whole. Especially considering that you write one essay regardless of the number of schools applied to.

Anyhow, good luck to you.

Hm Are you sure that question is to "the" medical school, or no "the" in there? I interpreted that prompt to mean characteristics you had rather than answering a 'why this medical school' question. And yes I'm familiar with that percentage of US IMGs as well.

I answered that prompt with characteristics in mind. The way I look at it the same traits that make you an asset to medical school will carry through to you being a good physician. Determination/smarts/etc. I talked about 'failing' my MCAT actually and then tied in traits from there. Rather than making it a boring old list of 'I am great for medical school because I am smart, hard working ...etc.' Show rather than tell makes for more compelling essays.

Good luck to you as well.

 

[medisforme]

Hm Are you sure that question is to "the" medical school, or no "the" in there? I interpreted that prompt to mean characteristics you had rather than answering a 'why this medical school' question.

I answered that prompt with characteristics in mind. The way I look at it the same traits that make you an asset to medical school will carry through to you being a good physician. Determination/smarts/etc. I talked about 'failing' my MCAT actually and then tied in traits from there. Rather than making it a boring old list of 'I am great for medical school because I am smart, hard working ...etc.' Show rather than tell makes for more compelling essays.

I intepreted the prompt similar to raney; by focusing the essay on the medical school experience/training/learning etc...

To me, the prompt is just something different for applicants to think and write about as opposed to the same old essay "why do you want to be a physician" or "why would you make a good physician" which are the topics that most North American med schools want applicants to focus on.
In the faq section; it mentions that essays won't be considered if they are off topic or have obviously previously been written for other medical schools but then molded/edited to fit the topic. That was the clue to me that they were looking for something different.

 

[Lbgem]

I intepreted the prompt similar to raney; by focusing the essay on the medical school experience/training/learning etc...

To me, the prompt is just something different for applicants to think and write about as opposed to the same old essay "why do you want to be a physician" or "why would you make a good physician" which are the topics that most North American med schools want applicants to focus on.
In the faq section; it mentions that essays won't be considered if they are off topic or have obviously previously been written for other medical schools but then molded/edited to fit the topic. That was the clue to me that they were looking for something different.

I dug out the email ABP sent to me and the essay: "A personal essay on why you would be an asset to medical school"

and I think my interpretation was similar to yours. If I'm reading Raney correctly, she/he is interpreting it as to THE medical school, i.e. Why would you be an asset to OUR school which some people would write about how they love Trinity's [insert specific school trait here]. That's what I'm trying to distinguish. Characteristics that make you great for any med school sure, that's how I would go about it. But not I would be a great fit for Trinity because of Trinity's X research project. It's jut the last part of her/his statement that makes me think they'd answer it that way:

Seems kind of funny to me that it's an asset to the school itself as opposed to the medical profession as whole. Especially considering that you write one essay regardless of the number of schools applied to.

 

[medisforme]

I dug out the email ABP sent to me and the essay: "A personal essay on why you would be an asset to medical school"

and I think my interpretation was similar to yours. If I'm reading Raney correctly, she/he is interpreting it as to THE medical school, i.e. Why would you be an asset to OUR school which some people would write about how they love Trinity's [insert specific school trait here]. That's what I'm trying to distinguish. Characteristics that make you great for any med school sure, that's how I would go about it. But not I would be a great fit for Trinity because of Trinity's X research project. It's jut the last part of her/his statement that makes me think they'd answer it that way:

Agreed.

 

[atran017]

It's similar to a few secondary statements for US schools. If I recall, a few asked "what will you bring to the student body...", "how will you contribute to ______ school of med," etc.

Honestly, I only applied to two schools and my essay was one page, double spaced. I figured that the schools have my CV on hand, better to be direct with statement. I remember them stating (either on the ABP website or app docs) to be concise, to the point, on topic...Long and wordy essays won't help anyone's case.


Best of luck,

A.