What do American residents/interns think about non-US IMGs?

[dasvira]

Hello everyone! I am a 24 yo Brazilian physician graduated December 2018 on the University of Campinas (best medical school in Latin America in 2018 and top 3 since at least 10 years according to the New York Times).

After working one year as general physician in São Paulo (in Brazil when we graduate we may work as general physicians in family med and low complexity emergency medicine, in order to make money to survive 5 years of residency in Brazil, which are very badly paid because of a trust established by the government), I made my mind to leave Brazil because of its HUGE, corrupt and oppressive government and its society completely against liberal reforms. Seriously guys I'm paying over 60% percent of my income in taxes right now and I used basically nothing from the government (besides my entire medical graduation which was paid with tax money).

I Have always LOVED the USA and it's freedom ideals, so decided to take my shot to go and try to live the American dream! I want to be no burden to American society but to give it my honest hard work and toil, while being a member of a society I can proudly contribute to. I am already studying for step 1 and studying opportunities of observerships/ research programs using the money I saved this year.



I would like to ask American citizens about what they think about immigrants (specially Latin Americans) working as residents in the USA. Are they good doctors? Are they nice people to work with? Do you see them as "stealing" your jobs?
And to non-US IMG living in the USA how is your relationship with the US-citizens residents? Do they have any prejudice against you?

Thanks everyone for reading my post!

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[Ironheme]

You need to hurry up on those step exams and do well. Every year out of graduation hurts you, though working in clinical work helps.

The answers are going to be person dependent. Are there some who feel that IMGs 'steal' jobs? Sure.

It only benefits the U.S. to have the best and brightest from other countries come and work here and contribute. In the current political climate, we seem to have lost some of that shine. Personally, I evaluate residents on the quality of their work and character, not their pedigree or their background.

I've met a couple of Latin American docs - they're fine. Usually IMGs work in areas that american grads don't want to (mostly rural), and they fill a need. Best of luck.

 

[Dave1980]

Does the NYT rank medical schools? I'm interested now...please provide a link.

 

[GoSpursGo]

As long as the physicians are good, I have no problem. There is some substantial advantage built into the system in favor of US grads anyways, so if someone "loses" a spot to an IMG it's simply because they aimed for a specialty that was too competitive or because they have so many red flags that nothing could save their application.

 

[dasvira]

Does the NYT rank medical schools? I'm interested now...please provide a link.

Sorry it seems like I made a mistake. I am pretty sure that I read the rank in the New York Times; but they are elaborated by The Times Higher Education.
--- Last four years rank link:

Latin America Rankings

The Times Higher Education Latin America University Rankings lists the best universities in the Latin America and Caribbean region.

www.timeshighereducation.com

....
I've met a couple of Latin American docs - they're fine. Usually IMGs work in areas that american grads don't want to (mostly rural), and they fill a need. Best of luck.

Thank you for your answer! Indeed I pretend to try my luck on Internal Medicine, I know the more competitive specialties are unfriendly to IMG (and I would also go for Internal Medicine in Brazil btw). I would be fine to go to small cities; actually I would not like to live in a huge city like NYC or LA.

 

[LatinDoctor]

Sorry it seems like I made a mistake. I am pretty sure that I read the rank in the New York Times; but they are elaborated by The Times Higher Education.
--- Last four years rank link:

Latin America Rankings

The Times Higher Education Latin America University Rankings lists the best universities in the Latin America and Caribbean region.

www.timeshighereducation.com

Thank you for your answer! Indeed I pretend to try my luck on Internal Medicine, I know the more competitive specialties are unfriendly to IMG (and I would also go for Internal Medicine in Brazil btw). I would be fine to go to small cities; actually I would not like to live in a huge city like NYC or LA.

The Times Higher Education ranks the Universities as a whole, not the medical schools.

 

[dasvira]

The Times Higher Education ranks the Universities as a whole, not the medical schools.

You are correct. I searched for USA data based ranking only Latin American Medical schools but found none.
Anyway, On Brazilian national exam and evaluation about medical Schools the Uni of Campinas rivals the Uni of São Paulo for top 1 every year (being top 2 traditionally, but top 1 on most recent years). I could give you my references, but they are at Portuguese.

Not only The Times Higher Education but also on QS World University ranking ( QS Latin American University Rankings 2019 ) rank mine on the top 3 Uni in Latin America for five years (together with Uni of São Paulo and Catholic Uni of Chile). Just trying to point out that it is a good institution despite being on a developing country.

 

[Dave1980]

Good luck OP. Your ability to get a residency in the US won't hinge on whether you went to a good or a bad medical school in Brazil. You will need good USMLE scores, fluent English, and have completed a few observerships.

I wouldn't mention how highly your school is ranked...it comes across as bragging and frankly no one in America is going to care.

 

[rokshana]

You are correct. I searched for USA data based ranking only Latin American Medical schools but found none.
Anyway, On Brazilian national exam and evaluation about medical Schools the Uni of Campinas rivals the Uni of São Paulo for top 1 every year (being top 2 traditionally, but top 1 on most recent years). I could give you my references, but they are at Portuguese.

Not only The Times Higher Education but also on QS World University ranking ( QS Latin American University Rankings 2019 ) rank mine on the top 3 Uni in Latin America for five years (together with Uni of São Paulo and Catholic Uni of Chile). Just trying to point out that it is a good institution despite being on a developing country.

For the US match, no one is really going to care...

 

[evilbooyaa]

You have to kill Step 1 and 2 to have a chance, and quickly, and get US clinical experience.

As a US MD, I have no issues with foreign-born IMGs getting residencies in the US. If they did they did it by being wayyyyyyyyy better at the book-learning capabilities of the US MD working alongside them. One will likely be hard pressed to differentiate you from the indigenous latin/hispanic population present within the community (assuming you end up in or near a big city).

Good luck!

 

[the argus]

I would like to ask American citizens about what they think about immigrants (specially Latin Americans) working as residents in the USA. Are they good doctors? Are they nice people to work with? Do you see them as "stealing" your jobs?
And to non-US IMG living in the USA how is your relationship with the US-citizens residents? Do they have any prejudice against you?

In my experience, being a good doctor has very little to do with where someone went to medical school and more about the individual person. I know great IMG physicians. I also know physicians who went to top US medical schools who I wouldn't let treat my dog.

Anyone who sees non-US IMGs as "stealing jobs" is just painfully uninformed. The US residency system requires ~7,000 more physicians yearly than the US medical education system produces. Not only should IMGs be welcomed, they are essential to maintain the US medical system.

There's always going to be some people in the US that don't like foreigners (like you would find in any country in the world). But overall, the US is extremely welcoming to foreigners.

 

[deleted480308]

If you get a residency here I assume you were upper tier overseas. Be an honest, competent and hard working coworker and almost none of your residents will care where you went to school

I don’t know where my coresidents went to school. I know which ones call out suspiciously, dump end of shift stuff on the incoming resident, and who can be trusted to pull extra weight in a crunch

 

[dasvira]

Thank everyone for your responses. I appreciate the fact the most American physicians seem welcoming to foreigners! I am already studying hard for the steps and try my luck on a match 2020 or 2021.
Kind regards!

 

[deleted367183]

I'm just a first-year resident, but I enjoy working with IMGs (as I did in med school) because a lot of them come with clinical experience and can teach me lots of stuff! If you went to a great med school, which it seems you did, your natural abilities will shine through and people will enjoy working with you. Good luck!

 

[UnderservedPC]

A faculty member here. We have a lot of IMGs in our program, and they're great. Mostly what makes them great is the fact that it is extraordinarily competitive for IMGs to get into residencies in the US, so the cream of the crop comes through (and everything that goes with that in terms of achievement on paper). What makes most programs nervous is whether English proficiency is an issue, or if that person has enough familiarity with the US medical system, which is demonstrated by clinical experience in the US. It also helps if you will be able to work in the US after graduation.