[danielle91]

I'm a medical graduate from Ireland. I graduated in the top third of my class with honours in all subjects and am set to get onto the basic training scheme (residency -5-8 years) of my choice in Ireland. Many Irish doctors undertake a 2-3 year fellowship in the states and come back to Ireland as specialist consultants in their field. I always liked the sound of this option, but I sat Step 1 when I was young and put very little work into it resulting in me completely bombing it with a score of 175. I know if I put in the work and re-sat it a few years down the line I would get 230ish. Is there a point in me going through this effort and resitting the exam or is it a lost cause? Bear in mind that at my time of applying for fellowship I'll have at least 5 years working in the field on a recognised training scheme in Ireland. Be honest, if this is a waste of time I will drop this dream and pursue my fellowship training elsewhere - not the end of the world in the grand scheme of things!

 

[dsrp]

I'm a medical graduate from Ireland. I graduated in the top third of my class with honours in all subjects and am set to get onto the basic training scheme (residency -5-8 years) of my choice in Ireland. Many Irish doctors undertake a 2-3 year fellowship in the states and come back to Ireland as specialist consultants in their field. I always liked the sound of this option, but I sat Step 1 when I was young and put very little work into it resulting in me completely bombing it with a score of 175. I know if I put in the work and re-sat it a few years down the line I would get 230ish. Is there a point in me going through this effort and resitting the exam or is it a lost cause? Bear in mind that at my time of applying for fellowship I'll have at least 5 years working in the field on a recognised training scheme in Ireland. Be honest, if this is a waste of time I will drop this dream and pursue my fellowship training elsewhere - not the end of the world in the grand scheme of things!

step 1 score is certainly one of the important things residency programs use as filters to select candidates for interviews and a 2nd attempt on step 1 could be a setback during this. But if you score very well on the 2nd attempt, complete the remaining steps with decent scores, do usce/research with good lors, then you certainly have a shot

 

[danielle91]

Thank you for your help! Just to clarify I wouldn't be applying for residency as I would have completed it already in Ireland, just for a fellowship. Does this make any difference to my chances? Is a fellowship programme harder to get into than a residency programme or visa versa?

 

[dsrp]

Thank you for your help! Just to clarify I wouldn't be applying for residency as I would have completed it already in Ireland, just for a fellowship. Does this make any difference to my chances? Is a fellowship programme harder to get into than a residency programme or visa versa?

Sorry to disappoint you but you have to complete residency in US to be eligible to apply for fellowship match. this is from the nrmp fellowship match for international graduates, "To qualify for positions in fellowship programs, applicants must have completed a core residency training program."

 

[datson]

No dude you can do fellowship in the US after residency in another country. You have to answer the USMLE first. But the catch is you can't practice in the states after that. If you want to do that you have to repeat your residency in the states after fellowship.
I guess if you have good scores, good LORs and research publications, it can make up for the extra attempt. At least thats how it works for residency.

 

[dsrp]

No dude you can do fellowship in the US after residency in another country. You have to answer the USMLE first. But the catch is you can't practice in the states after that. If you want to do that you have to repeat your residency in the states after fellowship.
I guess if you have good scores, good LORs and research publications, it can make up for the extra attempt. At least thats how it works for residency.

Oh. I know people who have had to do residency in US again after completing residency in home country. Did not know that you could apply for the fellowship match directly.

 

[danielle91]

Hundreds of Irish Doctors do it every year. It's a common career path.

 

[teacup111975]

HI, I know of several IMGs that came for just the fellowship, most of them on research programs. USMLE score requirement is actually more lenient, and many of them had taken it at least once, furthermore; I personally know several residents that are IMG and have taken the step more than once. The quavat is that for the fellowships you can't practice in the US and if you change ur mind ur fellowship is not alid, you would have to start from zero. And there are few programs offered for IMG fellowships. I would start there. Find where the people you know went and se how they got there then start calling and emailing for information. The ones I know had friends and family contacts to help them land a position.
As to those that got a residency with several failed step 1 under their belts; it can totally happen, you just wont be eligible for a top tier program, but a program is a proram and if you excell during the residency you are either eligible to tansfer to a stronger program later on or have a pick of the fellowship. All that's important is the foot in the door.