What to do with year after graduation

[OlderStudent]

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If I were to graduate at a time that would be just a little to late for the match and residency what could I do with that extra year to keep my clinical skills up? What clinical or research opportunities could I get involved with?

 

[Winged Scapula]

If I were to graduate at a time that would be just a little to late for the match and residency what could I do with that extra year to keep my clinical skills up? What clinical or research opportunities could I get involved with?

Will you really have a WHOLE year off, or just a few months (ie, graduating in December)?

At any rate, without being licensed, its a little difficult to get any clinical work as a physician.

There are always research options - either at a national institute or your program. Most universities have job listings which you could check out.

Another option is to ask your uni to keep you on student status (might require you to pay tuition) and take a couple of extra courses; you would of course graduate later.

Doing physical examinations for insurance companies is a popular idea in the US; not sure if its available in Oz. Medical transcription is an idea if you can type well and fast. Academic tutor or just working at The Gap are options as well.

 

[mmu]

Doing physical examinations for insurance companies is a popular idea in the US; not sure if its available in Oz.

Kimberli Cox:
What is this position called? Would it be considered as US clinical experience?
Olderstudent:
I think research is your bottom line. Search big universities like Harvard and their teaching hospitals. There are plenty of research jobs. Working for GAP does not help you much. I actually removed my 2 month pizza delivery experience from my resume. It's OK to do it as a undergrad, but definitely looks weird when you are MD.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Kimberli Cox:
What is this position called? Would it be considered as US clinical experience?

Don't really know what the job title is. It could loosely be described as US clinical experience. But I would have a hard time justifying that, as most US faculty are looking for experience in US hospitals under supervision of US physicians.

The OP did not specifically state he was looking to get US experience but rather just something to do between graduation and starting residency. Hence, that is why I mentioned working at The Gap - its a nice break from medicine, but you are right - if he's looking to bolster his application, it will do little.

 

[ROBINHO]

Int.

I am in a similar situation. I will graduate in december 2009. and would like to enter the 2010 match.
I think i require ECFMG certification to apply for residency right?
and that could only be granted after verification of my Med School diploma My Diploma would probably be available to ECFMG in January and despite having written all USMLE exams it would havebeen too late to apply for residency...right?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Int.

I am in a similar situation. I will graduate in december 2009. and would like to enter the 2010 match.
I think i require ECFMG certification to apply for residency right?

You do not require an ECFMG certificate to apply for residency. You must:

1) have all requirements toward the issue of the ECFMG certificate with the exception of your final diploma, completed by the date of your rank order list (usually mid February)

2) you must have your ECFMG certificate to START residency

However, your chances to match are enhanced by having the certificate. Or at least all your exams completed by the time you apply. Therefore, you should have taken Steps 1 and 2, and any other exams by the fall of 2009 so that all you have left to do to get ECFMG certification would be to graduate. That somewhat ensures programs that you would be eligible to work.

 

[ROBINHO]

Ok...mabe it depends on the Institution. Most of the website I went to state that an IMG requires his/her Medcal School diploma and ECGMG certification.

Example...today I checked out 2 websites so far and they all insisted
http://www.usc.edu/schools/medicine/education/residencies/app_procedure.html

http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/smd/gme/prospective/surgery/applicant_information/international.cfm

Just last week..I check out 5 Residency Programs and they all stated that one of the requirements to apply was ECFMG certification.
So it makes me wonder cos that would mean even IMG's who graduate in May would only be able to make it to residency the next year

Kimberli...could u clarify it anu further?
If my Step scores are in place...would i be allowed to apply, attend inteviews pending my Graduating diploma???

Thanks

 

[mmed]

If you have ECFMG number without sitting even to any exam, you can apply and participate in the match. But, ECFMG certifcate is required to be active in the match, without which you will be withdrawn from the match by Feb, 21 or so. I am not 100% sure

 

[mmu]

Cox is right, you have to have diploma and ECFMG certificate by the start of residency.
But it is a gamble for a program to wait for your graduation/ecfmg certificate till May. Last year I had no interviews and no scramble invitations because I was waiting for last exam report and did not have ECFMG certificate in March. Be realistic and try to spend this year visely. If you earn one letter from US clinical academic physician, your year is not lost.

 

[Winged Scapula]

To clarify:

the NRMP does not require you to have an ECFMG certificate to apply to the match, only to have:

1) all your exams and paperwork (with the exception of the final diploma) completed by the time that the rank order list is due

the RRC requires you to have your ECFMG certificate to START residency.

HOWEVER, individual programs can make up whatever rules they like. If they want you to have your ECFMG certificate to apply, they can make that a rule. As noted above, the program takes a chance ranking and potentially matching you if you don't have your certificate - after all, it might not be awarded, you can't start residency and they have an open spot on July 1.

This is not common however, and should not prevent you from finding programs that will accept your application without the certificate. Better safe than sorry, if you can get it before the match, great...but it is not required by NRMP or most residency programs.

FYI - california has its own rules (including the infamous California letter and USC is a big name school, so they can afford to be picky).

 

[Winged Scapula]

Cox is right, you have to have diploma and ECFMG certificate by the start of residency.
But it is a gamble for a program to wait for your graduation/ecfmg certificate till May. Last year I had no interviews and no scramble invitations because I was waiting for last exam report and did not have ECFMG certificate in March. Be realistic and try to spend this year visely. If you earn one letter from US clinical academic physician, your year is not lost.

Can you partipate in the match without all your exam scores? I thought if NRMP didn't have everything by ROL day, you were dropped from the match.😕