usmle step I

[Federcio]

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hi everyone, I have some questions to make... sorry for my english

im a medicine student in uruguay a little country in south america, now im at duke as an observer (shadow) because im on a break... im in 4th grade (medicine in uruguay is 8.5 years in total)
talking to dr. and people they told me to do the ecfmg after i graduate from medical school in uruguay.
i have been reading the ecfmg booklet for foreing drs and medical students... the first step for me right now is doing the usmle step 1... but my question is... after doing the part 1 (i hope i pass it) how much time do i have to perform the step 2 usmle??? im mean how much time do i have in between those two???

other question... what books u guys recomend for the usmle step 1???

thak u guys for everything!!! sorry about my english again!!!

 

[Tupac]

definitely get the FIRST AID for USMLE step 1. I think most people would agree on that one. 🙂

As for your other question, I'm not sure, hopefully somebody will respond to that. In the US we have to pass step 1 to move onto our 3rd year (usually taken in the summer between years 2 & 3). We have to pass step 2 to graduate. For the purpose of the score being on residency applications, it is often taken before the 4th year.

 

[Federcio]

thanks tupac!!! a lot!!
i have been reading some books... well... been serious... just looking at them... and i find those first aid... but they where only questions and answers. i saw algo some kaplands books but they where Q & A too.
I mean which books do I need to buy for preparing for the exam??
anatomy, phisiology, microbiology... those subjects??
these first aid that u mention, they are for the preparation and learning??? or only questions of the usmle as the ones that i saw???

thanks a lot again!!!!!!

 

[Pascal8]

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[Pascal8]

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[Lawliet2008]

I think that the reason the US probably didn't pass that law is that they would like to attract the best possible doctors from around the world to treat their citizens.

If you asked the citizens, they would probably say that they would rather that the spot (which is funded by their hard-earned cash) be given to the more qualified doctor so that they have a better chance of securing the best health-care in the world.

If you really want one of those spots, those citizens would probably tell you to just do whatever you could do to make sure that you were the best qualified doctor to secure a spot, rather than asking that the laws be changed.

 

[Panoramix]

Hi Federcio! As far as IMGs are concerned (international medical graduates, that is), there is no time limitation requested by the ECFMG other than completing the USMLE step process in 7-years-time. For US medical students, their universities usually ask them to sit for USMLE during their education.
Now, regarding books and experiences, you will find an excellent thread here
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=491845
However, FirstAid for Step 1 is a must and has a nice resources-ranking segment in the end, which u will find very useful.
Good luck!

 

[commander]

Us citizens studying in the us commit at least 150,000 each to the economy through school loans .Each us citizen studying in the caribbean commit at least $250,000 towards the US economy .

Contributing to US economy by taking loans from the country is absolutely ridiculous.
Loans are the root of current economic status in this country.
can't imagine being a patient to a highly inconsiderate individual. It not ok for a physician to alienate someone from a different culture. be more considerate.

 

[jackets5]

I tend to agree with Pascal's point. Its virtually impossible for a US citizen to go to say Italy, France etc and train. All spots should be filled by US citiznes first then if spots are left over give them to a Forgien citizen. So we are suppose to train a forgein citizen to have them then go back to their country and the US people get nothing from the training they received.

A huge problem the US has is we give WAY to much to forgien nations and their citizens. We should take care of Americans first then if we can worry about others.

I think that the reason the US probably didn't pass that law is that they would like to attract the best possible doctors from around the world to treat their citizens.

If you asked the citizens, they would probably say that they would rather that the spot (which is funded by their hard-earned cash) be given to the more qualified doctor so that they have a better chance of securing the best health-care in the world.

If you really want one of those spots, those citizens would probably tell you to just do whatever you could do to make sure that you were the best qualified doctor to secure a spot, rather than asking that the laws be changed.

 

[Lawliet2008]

I tend to agree with Pascal's point. Its virtually impossible for a US citizen to go to say Italy, France etc and train. All spots should be filled by US citiznes first then if spots are left over give them to a Forgien citizen. So we are suppose to train a forgein citizen to have them then go back to their country and the US people get nothing from the training they received.

A huge problem the US has is we give WAY to much to forgien nations and their citizens. We should take care of Americans first then if we can worry about others.

I was talking about the incidence of already trained IMGs coming to the U.S to become licensed as physicians who then practice in the U.S. Again, one of the reasons that the U.S has a reputation for employing many of the world's best doctors is that it accepts doctors from all over the world.

As far as having the problem of accepting and training international students into the U.S med schools, many of the med schools require this additional income to sustain their successful programs. Unless U.S citizens would be willing to pay the outrageous tuition fees of international students, then there will always be non-U.S students studying at your schools.

Again, if you don't want someone to take your spot, just study harder.

 

[ZonaRidicularis]

z

 

[Federcio]

hello... im so sorry this thread change from a simple question to a big debate.
i want to explain myself a little bit.
i dont plan to go back to my country, if i can i want to practice medicine here in the us.
my aunt and my uncle, they are from uruguay, they do the same thing that i want to do and they have been american citizens from over 30 years, she is a professor in georgetown and he investigates about sleep medicine, she is a psychiatrist and he is a specialist in lungs... other friend that i also consider her as my aunt, she is a neonatologist, she works at duke medical center... she is an american citizen for over 15 years... i have more friends that are doctors and they study and live here in the us, and they are american citizens... and im very sure that they pay all their taxes and send their childrens to the best universities US has... in fact, one of my cousins goes to harvard and the other to columbia.
i started the university when i was 17 years old... i learned english by watching tv, then i study a little bit and i pass the trinity exam, oxford exam and cambridge exam of english (it has been a long time that i dont write in english so i must apologize for my mistakes but i speak perfectly) and just to know i also speak portuguese, italian, french (a little ive just started) and of course spanish, im also a technician in computers and network, a technician in internet security so...... i think im a little bit smart! my only problem is that im lazy and i like to party... but despite that.. i think i would be a good doctor and if i work and live in US... well... better for US people. ja!
to pascal an jacket... if u feel bad about immigrants, by the way they talk, they look, etc... dont worry my family is from italy, france so... dont u guys worry. if u guys are worry about money!! please dont... thanks god im from a very good family and i dont need your money, so im not going to steal from u.
and i dont want to come here for money, i want to study here because i want to be the best dr. that i can be, i know US is one of the best places for medicine and the idea of living here is because i like the place!!! i like american girls jaj and i like your way of living!!!! and thats it!!!

so i must apologize again for this thread... it was a simple question for one exam. i must thanks tupac, Lawliet2008, Panoramix, commander and the others too for their comments.

thanks for the link!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

take care guys!!!

federico

 

[ZonaRidicularis]

z

 

[Pascal8]

I was talking about the incidence of already trained IMGs coming to the U.S to become licensed as physicians who then practice in the U.S. Again, one of the reasons that the U.S has a reputation for employing many of the world's best doctors is that it accepts doctors from all over the world.

As far as having the problem of accepting and training international students into the U.S med schools, many of the med schools require this additional income to sustain their successful programs. Unless U.S citizens would be willing to pay the outrageous tuition fees of international students, then there will always be non-U.S students studying at your schools.

Again, if you don't want someone to take your spot, just study harder.

I had deleted myt post since it was off topic , but you still quoted me ..anyway don't fool yourself about US being great because it accepts foreign docs . Foreign docs were meant to fill the shortage , not to take spots . After speaking to a doc about this issue , I was told that in practice US citizens ARE given priority ...so much for my concern

The high usmle score is just one aspect and doesn't mean one is a better doc potentially . US and caribbean students take the test with 2 yrs basic science while IMGS take the test with 6 yrs plus clinical experience , often taking years on end studying to kill this test .

Remember they are coming here to TRAIN . If they are so good , let them take care of their own population - its not fair to the foreign country either .

 

[Pascal8]

Frederiric0 or julio or whatever your name is , this is not meant as a slam on you - its just an issue ..and yes we gringos have free speech here so I am within my right to voice an opinion ..

you know your senoritas are not bad too either mi amigo - but lets face it , your country provided you with an opportunity to treat its citizens and improve dthier health services ...you are doing them a grande disservice

anyway good luck and sorry to hijack your thread ..

 

[Federcio]

ZonaRidicularis thanks man!! u are great jaja... sorry if I miss understood your post!!!

jajajajaj... oooo pascal my dear red neck.... u must be one of those dumbest guys that with a lot of luck enter to med school and with the lower scores.
I cant belive how ***** u are!!!! what??? ARE U AFRAID THAT I TAKE YOUR JOB??? THAT IM BETTER THAN U (WELL... THATS TRUE)???
and in argentina and uruguay we dont speak like that... yes.. u are one of those ignorants that dont know anything, that never travel around the world and learn about new cultures.
and u talk about treat my citizens??? i want to be a plastic surgeon... the only tratment for me are tits and bottoms!!

im so sorry that u think like that... but well... and just to know.. we also have freedom of speech!!!!!

and as ZonaRidicularis said i was just looking for an advise, nothing more!!!

so thank you anyway... bye bye

 

[Lawliet2008]

Frederiric0 or julio or whatever your name is , this is not meant as a slam on you - its just an issue ..and yes we gringos have free speech here so I am within my right to voice an opinion ..

you know your senoritas are not bad too either mi amigo - but lets face it , your country provided you with an opportunity to treat its citizens and improve dthier health services ...you are doing them a grande disservice

anyway good luck and sorry to hijack your thread ..

It is definitely not cool to use ethnicity-specific terms like you did whether or not you are of the same ethnicity. Being a potential doctor and well-educated human being, you should know better than that.

Also, whether or not individuals stay in the area in which they were trained or travel is none of our business. And, it is has to be said, it is pretty arrogant to tell a person(s) where they should stay or go.

It is up to the governing body of the region to increase recruitment or offer incentives to keep the professionals it feels it lacks if at all. This is what is happening here in rural Ontario, but the students from Toronto don't tell the ones from northern ontario "Hey, quit taking up our residency spots, and stay in rural Ontario b/c that's where they need you." Well, at least not the smart ones.

 

[lankysudanese]

It is definitely not cool to use ethnicity-specific terms like you did whether or not you are of the same ethnicity. Being a potential doctor and well-educated human being, you should know better than that.

Also, whether or not individuals stay in the area in which they were trained or travel is none of our business. And, it is has to be said, it is pretty arrogant to tell a person(s) where they should stay or go.

very eloquently put.

lets keep in mind that the main objective of the health care system in this country (and others) is to provide optimal care for the population in a cost-effective way. so good doctors (whether they were US, Caribbean or FMG) should be sought out and recruited. Providing jobs for US-graduates is another objective which has not really been an issue, since a large number of US MDs get jobs. US medical students only get annoyed when FMGs get jobs at top programs/specialties, which is a well-deserved 'pat on the shoulder' for the FMGs who came and excelled in a system (be it in research or Step 1/2) where they were at a disadvantage from the get-go. I have several FMG friends, and regardless of how many years of training they have under them, they face extreme difficulty with the USMLE exams because they trained in a system where there was not much emphasis on multiple-choice test taking skills, and where subjects like pathology and behavioral sciences are poorly taught.

So hats off to the FMGs who match in the US. And the US medical students just have to get off of their asses and work harder.

 

[hj0517]

great post lanky - just want to say a few of these types of threads pop up now and again, and I have to say I don't really care much for some of you guys' "liberal arts" education, I mean sometimes I wonder WTF you are talking about - do NOT make generalisations regarding IMG's. I hope to practice in the US and its purely because my partner is American and we would like to live there, not because I want to "drain" your countries resources - I mean, honestly!

Also, if you want to do your house job in Italy, learn Italian.

Astounding thread! The poor guy was only after some basic info.