[hafu23]

HI I am a final year medical student. I will graduate in January 2011.
If i start my USMLE prep then, will I be able to apply for a match for 2012?

 

[ApplicantGuide]

Hi hafu23
yes you can, but make sure you are ecfmg certified before September 1st 2011 (although not necessay before March 1st 2012) however this will give you more interviews.

 

[hafu23]

Urgent help needed

Hi hafu23
yes you can, but make sure you are ecfmg certified before September 1st 2011 (although not necessay before March 1st 2012) however this will give you more interviews.

Thank u so much for replying

I am a final year medical student who is totally confused about everything. I am extremely ambitious but confused I am interested in doing my residency in USA have a couple of concerns which I request somebody on this forum to help me with................

USA :

1. I got an elective in plastic surgery in Yale this June,but as the chances of getting in a surgery residency are slim, would this elective help me get a residency in internal med?

2. Does an ivy league elective have more weightiness?

3. If I take my final year exams in January 2011 and do an elective in internal med in USA while waiting fro my final year results, will that count as elective too because technically I will be still in final year until the results are announced?

4. If I start my USMLE prep in Jan 2011 will I be able to take my steps and apply for a match for 2012?

5. I read it on various sites that if I apply for a match in 2013 which is probably in my case, I will be considered an old graduate and my chances of a residency will get less?

6 Can one get an H1 visa only after step 3? but I read that step 3 can only be taken after one year of residency?


please somebody help me out ............i am losing my mind over this.

Please I will be thankful to you fro the rest of my life

 

[lee-usmle]

1. I got an elective in plastic surgery in Yale this June,but as the chances of getting in a surgery residency are slim, would this elective help me get a residency in internal med?

No it will not help you. On the contrary it will be counterproductive. IM people usually dislike surgeons and the reverse is true. If you are going to apply for IM then don't mention your surgical elective. See this
But, let me tell you here that you have a very good chance in surgery. Who said that surgical residency is an impossibility for IMGs! You can get it with such a great elective. But, Plastic surgery ... hmmm ... I think it's impossible

2. Does an ivy league elective have more weightiness?

Oh yes. Definitely. American program directors love big names.

3. If I take my final year exams in January 2011 and do an elective in internal med in USA while waiting fro my final year results, will that count as elective too because technically I will be still in final year until the results are announced?

Absolutely it will be counted as an elective. Anything you do before you get the Diploma in your hand is considered a medical student activity. In fact, this is the trick. Present yourself as an undergraduate so that your elective be much easier to get than a graduate who has to run after externships.

4. If I start my USMLE prep in Jan 2011 will I be able to take my steps and apply for a match for 2012?

Please consult the following threads to see how long it takes for each exam prep.
http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-s...s/364-time-needed-prepare-usmle-step-1-a.html
http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-s...hreads/363-time-needed-prepare-step-2-ck.html
http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-s...hreads/366-time-needed-prepare-step-2-cs.html
http://www.usmle-forums.com/usmle-s...48-how-long-takes-prepare-usmle-step-3-a.html

4. If I start my USMLE prep in Jan 2011 will I be able to take my steps and apply for a match for 2012?

These are the cut off numbers:
-Three years after graduation
-Five years after graduation
-Ten years after graduation
Certain programs do not accept residents after these cut off numbers. In 2012 you will still be in the safe side as you under the lowest threshold. :happy:

Of course the fresher you are the more likely you'll get a residency but everything less than 3 years is considered reasonably fresh.

6 Can one get an H1 visa only after step 3? but I read that step 3 can only be taken after one year of residency?

-Yes. your H1B visa will be issued unless and until you pass Step 3.

-And, No. U can take Step 3 when you get your ECFMG certificate and that can be at any time.
However, if you start residency before doing Step 3 then they'll usually ask you to clear it before you finish the first or the second year (varies among different programs).

 

[hafu23]

further guidance plz

I am extremely thankful to you for helping me out giving me your most sincere advise. I had some more questions and it would be very helpful if you answer them too........

1) what if I do not intend to do plastic surgery afterwords, is it impossible for general or neurosurgery too?

2) I have also heard that IMGs these days get surgery preliminary and after one year they stand nowhere. Is that true? if so what to do?

3) How's the rheumatology program? do IMGs get into it?

4) If I have an elective in internal med too, in addition to a surgical elective how does that improve my chances in both?

5) h1 will not be issued before step 3 rite?

6) I will receive my degree by April 2011 but till then it will be too late for me to have taken all three steps plus cs so my match cant possibly be before 2013, how does that affect me?

Please help me out and thank you for the previous post

 

[lee-usmle]

6 Answers!

1) what if I do not intend to do plastic surgery afterwords, is it impossible for general or neurosurgery too?

No, it is not impossible. Surgical subspecialties love each other

2) I have also heard that IMGs these days get surgery preliminary and after one year they stand nowhere. Is that true? if so what to do?

This is true to a certain extent. But on a personal level. I did not see an IMG who got surgery prelim and then ended up nowhere. They all get something. Though, it's not a subspecialty in most of the cases. I mean they end up in General surgery most of the times.

3) How's the rheumatology program? do IMGs get into it?

Yes, IMGs get into Rheumatology relatively easy compared to other medical subspecialties. The most difficult to get are these; Dermatology, Gastroenterology, and Cardiology.

4) If I have an elective in internal med too, in addition to a surgical elective how does that improve my chances in both?

Yes, you can play on both strings and it's legal though some people consider it unethical

5) h1 will not be issued before step 3 rite?

Yes, correct.

6) I will receive my degree by April 2011 but till then it will be too late for me to have taken all three steps plus cs so my match cant possibly be before 2013, how does that affect me?

Your degree has nothing to do with the exams! You can take them right now if you can. So I suggest you speed up and do the exams so that you make it in time for the 2012 match. The sooner the better. Nevertheless, I don't think you'll be in trouble by 2013, you'll then still be younger than the three years threshold