How to find your IMG friendly residency programs list?

[Sabio]

Ok,
This must be the most common question that eligible residents are asking at the time they start their match application journey.
I know there are commercial services out there that can help you such as www.matcharesident.com and www.imgresidency.com and www.residency-match.com and some others.
And I know there are free IMG friendly lists out there in the Internet.

But I think the most efficient way to do it, is Do it yourself.

Here's how;

The first step is go to FREIDA online
Use their search function and look for the specialty you are looking for.
Then choose the state (probably you don't mind any state, right!).
Then viola you have the list of all accredited graduate medical education programs in the whole USA.

In that list, you'll have links to all what you want such as the program website and the contact info.

In the program website try to locate (list of current residents or list of graduates), open that link and you will see the list of residents. Typically they mention the medical school that each resident graduated from. If you find them all (US Medical Schools) then that program is definitely NOT IMG friendly.

IMPORTANT: Do not rely on the ethnicity of the residents. You may find thousands of Asians and other ethnicities but they are simple US grads, so they are not regarded as IMGs. Vice versa, you may find a typical European looking American but it might be they are IMGs! so always look up the name of the medical school.

If this does not work, like for example the website has no list of residents then the next step is;

Call each and every one of them and ask the following;
"Do you currently have international medical graduates in your residents list?", do not ask "do you accept IMGs" because the sensitivity of that answer is very low.

Occasionally, they don't answer the phone. In this case, try all the emails they mention in their website and call them again and again. Do not leave a message mentioning your name so that u give yourself a chance to call back again tomorrow.

If they answer yes, then put that program in your ERAS IMG list.

Now that you have made your long list, you can go and use the other resources that I mentioned in the beginning to help you cross-match with your list. If you find a program that you have not already listed then you may add it (honestly this is a rare event).

The list you will be generating this way may be very long and perhaps many of them will be rejecting you anyway. But never take the risk of ignoring a glamorous university program that probably by chance find something in you that you don't know. Many programs have accepted one or two IMGs on occasions because those IMGs have some eye-opening points in their CVs! So increase the confidence interval of your list by applying to as many programs as you possibly can afford.

This procedure takes time. And you have to dedicate at least a whole week to generate your special IMG list. You may initially get confused as each program website is different from others but with time and efforts and motivation and persistence you'll eventually make your precious individualized and Free IMG friendly list of residency programs.

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[asmahan]

So you mean that we should not use matcharesident or the img friendly list in this website?

[Sabio]

Originally Posted by asmahan

So you mean that we should not use matcharesident or the img friendly list in this website?

I mean use them only to cross match with the list you made yourself. To confirm programs and sometimes to add programs you may have missed. but the important list is the list you made from your own efforts and research.

[Endo-Surgery]

Using the method that Sabio pointed out I was able to get more programs than what MatchAResident has provided (am not IMG).

So, yes I recommend you guys to follow the advice in Sabio's post

[usmletastic]

I will go even further by saying this
These commercial services are CRAP they steel your money and give you nothing
Don't be fooled and stay away

[steroidmd]

This is normal path taken by our senior colleagues since the invention of the Internet
It just the last couple of years where we started to see these "convenience" services which I don't trust and won't ever let them decide the most critical decision in entire medical career.

[frera]

Am not saying that your method is bad
but I think MatchAResident is very useful

[jessp687]

instead of giving some stranger your money, spend your money and make the calls yourself. hmm that makes more sense i guess

[jo howard]

I have used it and has saved me a lot of time. As a FMG when you are strapped for time studying for USMLE, you cannot sit and call each program. Some do not even pick up the phone and websites are outdated. Use these list as the base, filter them and then finalize the program you are going to apply for, then call them or email them.

Saved me many hours personally for a few dollars. I used residency-match.

[frera]

Originally Posted by jo howard

I have used it and has saved me a lot of time. As a FMG when you are strapped for time studying for USMLE, you cannot sit and call each program. Some do not even pick up the phone and websites are outdated. Use these list as the base, filter them and then finalize the program you are going to apply for, then call them or email them.

Saved me many hours personally for a few dollars. I used residency-match.

So I did not understand you.
What did you use
What is residency-match !!

[jo howard]

They are a list provider. It is a website, residency-match.com. See in Sabio's first thread, he has added a link.

[samreen154]

How to get the program list for applying post match!

[jo howard]

Originally Posted by samreen154

How to get the program list for applying post match!

Did you mean a list for the scramble done after the match?

[samreen154]

yes! I mean the programs that remain vacant after match !

Originally Posted by jo howard

Did you mean a list for the scramble done after the match?

[jo howard]

Originally Posted by samreen154

yes! I mean the programs that remain vacant after match !

I think NRMP provides a report which is updated every hour with programs removed as they get filled. Some one please correct me if I am wrong.

Here is a poll from a forum of scramble service used/available:

• IMG residency = 16.6%
• FMG America = 0.3%
• Residency Place = 13.5%
• Electronic Residency = 21.1%
• IMG Prep = 4.4%
• Others = 1.6%
• Doing it By Myself = 42.5%

I have not used any of these services, so I do not know about any one of them.

Last year when I scrambled I used the NRMP list to call up the programs.

[samreen154]

What are the chances of getting matched in scramble if one is an IMG and on visit visa?

Originally Posted by jo howard

I think NRMP provides a report which is updated every hour with programs removed as they get filled. Some one please correct me if I am wrong.

Here is a poll from a forum of scramble service used/available:

• IMG residency = 16.6%
• FMG America = 0.3%
• Residency Place = 13.5%
• Electronic Residency = 21.1%
• IMG Prep = 4.4%
• Others = 1.6%
• Doing it By Myself = 42.5%

I have not used any of these services, so I do not know about any one of them.

Last year when I scrambled I used the NRMP list to call up the programs.

[jo howard]

Originally Posted by samreen154

What are the chances of getting matched in scramble if one is an IMG and on visit visa?

In my experience, as an IMG chances of matching through scramble is very low. On the day of scramble, chaos prevails and your chances of calling (and talking to a live human) more than 10 programs is unlikely. This was my experience. As an IMG if you did not match then it in not probable that you will match during scramble.

Again,I might be wrong.

[mitsua]

Ok, so going back to the topic, I think that it is wise to do your own list. FREIDA has a lot of information, and if not, most of the program's websites have information available. If still not enough information, write an email to the pertinent person (the email will always be listed).
In addition, something that I found very useful (maybe I'm stating the obvious) is to do the list in an Excel spreadsheet, and that way, the level of organization is ultimate

Sometimes people are on a budget and just can't afford one of those services like MatchAResident

[p4a99]

Does an applicant's citizenship or residency status affect a program's IMG-friendliness?

In other words, when these friendly and non friendly lists of programs are made, are they based on a program's history of accepting international graduates or non citizens?

[StepTaker]

Originally Posted by p4a99

Does an applicant's citizenship or residency status affect a program's IMG-friendliness?

In other words, when these friendly and non friendly lists of programs are made, are they based on a program's history of accepting international graduates or non citizens?

It's about your medical school (not your citizenship), once you are not from a US medical school you are considered IMG and you need to find and IMG friendly program.
Now among the IMG friendly programs, many of them would prefer an applicant who does not need visa sponsorship such as a US citizen.

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[fa revision]

Originally Posted by Sabio

Ok,
This must be the most common question that eligible residents are asking at the time they start their match application journey.
I know there are commercial services out there that can help you such as www.matcharesident.com and www.imgresidency.com and www.residency-match.com and some others.
And I know there are free IMG friendly lists out there in the Internet.

But I think the most efficient way to do it, is Do it yourself.

Here's how;

The first step is go to FREIDA online
Use their search function and look for the specialty you are looking for.
Then choose the state (probably you don't mind any state, right!).
Then viola you have the list of all accredited graduate medical education programs in the whole USA.

In that list, you'll have links to all what you want such as the program website and the contact info.

In the program website try to locate (list of current residents or list of graduates), open that link and you will see the list of residents. Typically they mention the medical school that each resident graduated from. If you find them all (US Medical Schools) then that program is definitely NOT IMG friendly.

IMPORTANT: Do not rely on the ethnicity of the residents. You may find thousands of Asians and other ethnicities but they are simple US grads, so they are not regarded as IMGs. Vice versa, you may find a typical European looking American but it might be they are IMGs! so always look up the name of the medical school.

If this does not work, like for example the website has no list of residents then the next step is;

Call each and every one of them and ask the following;
"Do you currently have international medical graduates in your residents list?", do not ask "do you accept IMGs" because the sensitivity of that answer is very low.

Occasionally, they don't answer the phone. In this case, try all the emails they mention in their website and call them again and again. Do not leave a message mentioning your name so that u give yourself a chance to call back again tomorrow.

If they answer yes, then put that program in your ERAS IMG list.

Now that you have made your long list, you can go and use the other resources that I mentioned in the beginning to help you cross-match with your list. If you find a program that you have not already listed then you may add it (honestly this is a rare event).

The list you will be generating this way may be very long and perhaps many of them will be rejecting you anyway. But never take the risk of ignoring a glamorous university program that probably by chance find something in you that you don't know. Many programs have accepted one or two IMGs on occasions because those IMGs have some eye-opening points in their CVs! So increase the confidence interval of your list by applying to as many programs as you possibly can afford.

This procedure takes time. And you have to dedicate at least a whole week to generate your special IMG list. You may initially get confused as each program website is different from others but with time and efforts and motivation and persistence you'll eventually make your precious individualized and Free IMG friendly list of residency programs.

-
-

thanks for the info .

[drneelesh]

thanks for the help

[DrSameer]

I would disagree with Sabio because;

1. FREIDA has very limited search options especially if you are an IMG like me.
2. FREIDA doesn't have a option to shout list your selected programs
3. FREIDA is not customizable to your medical credential. It is like here is the info now you sort it out by your own type strategy.
4. Apart from that their information are more US graduate oriented. If you really want a review then you should spend some time by yourself to manually create a short list (not very efficient) or go to any of the third party site like fmgzone.com, matcharesident.com and others. But it is worth it in my opinion. I also found fmgzone.com has a feature where you can also see the FREIDA and program website right in its review page which is a very handy tool to review a program fro three angles FREIDA,Program Website and fmgzone.com review page.