Can a FMG Get a US Residency at Age 50?

[lawmed]

I'm 45. I'm considering going to medical school in the Philippines. When I graduate, I'll be the big 50. Is it possible to get selected for a US residency in internal medicine? Provided of course I score in > 80th percentile on the USMLE?

Sounds aggressive I know. Just wondering what people think the chances might be or if they know of anybody who has done it at that age.

Thanks!!!!
Tom

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[MrBigglesworth]

No, its very unlikely. I wouldn't recommend it. Yes I suppose its *possible*. Anything is possible, but it would be very very hard. If you want to practice here, you will need to do DO/MD.

Also keep in mind Caribbean grads are having a hard time as it getting residencies. Programs are even less likely to choose an older individual because those individuals have 'less years of work' in them. For the good of society, some residencies will choose a younger individual over an older. FMGs have it rough.

 

[lawmed]

I guess you're saying that even if I do really well on the USMLEs and score like a 220 or better, its still pretty much a lost cause huh?

 

[nmed20]

I'm 45. I'm considering going to medical school in the Philippines. When I graduate, I'll be the big 50. Is it possible to get selected for a US residency in internal medicine? Provided of course I score in > 80th percentile on the USMLE?

Sounds aggressive I know. Just wondering what people think the chances might be or if they know of anybody who has done it at that age.

Thanks!!!!
Tom

Foreign medical graduates do get residencies in the US, but they do need higher scores than a US graduate in order to beat them into getting that spot. And you'd have to come back here and study/take the USMLEs to apply. Often times, it takes more than 1 cycle of applying to get the position. So, if you are from the US, it may be better to take the MCAT/pre-requistines here and try for MD/DO here first (DO more likely).

 

[bsm]

No, its very unlikely. I wouldn't recommend it. Yes I suppose its *possible*. Anything is possible, but it would be very very hard. If you want to practice here, you will need to do DO/MD.

Also keep in mind Caribbean grads are having a hard time as it getting residencies. Programs are even less likely to choose an older individual because those individuals have 'less years of work' in them. For the good of society, some residencies will choose a younger individual over an older. FMGs have it rough.

Age discrimination can be newsworthy and something to litigate. By all means go to medical school. The last time I looked at a map the Philippines were not in the Caribbean. After some reflection as to your physical and intellectual capabilities and you believe that you are able, by all means pursue your dream. Your age should not deter you from these things. There will be resistance from the younger applicant pool as you will be competing with them for residency slots, yet your maturity is something needed in an aging population. Follow your inner compass and disregard the naysayers. But check with your doctor first because medical school is physically and psychologically demanding.

 

[bsm]

I guess you're saying that even if I do really well on the USMLEs and score like a 220 or better, its still pretty much a lost cause huh?

I do not believe that taking advice from a medical student who uses a lofty expression "For the good of society" would be any advice to take seriously.

A medical student is hardly a grand source to go to get advices.

Consult with older, wiser people who have witnessed these things.

 

[bsm]

Foreign medical graduates do get residencies in the US, but they do need higher scores than a US graduate in order to beat them into getting that spot. And you'd have to come back here and study/take the USMLEs to apply. Often times, it takes more than 1 cycle of applying to get the position. So, if you are from the US, it may be better to take the MCAT/pre-requistines here and try for MD/DO here first (DO more likely).

DO more likely? Is that suggesting that it is less difficult to gain entry to an American DO programme? That suggestion does not set very well for the DO population. Many graduates from the Philippines have done just fine and the original comment indicates that for reasons unwritten has chosen that particular part of the world. The world is not limited to America and the DO degree may not be viewed the same globally but it is still a viable American choice. But to make it seem less than something is not appropriate for others especially those enrolled in DO schools.

 

[nmed20]

DO more likely? Is that suggesting that it is less difficult to gain entry to an American DO programme? That suggestion does not set very well for the DO population. Many graduates from the Philippines have done just fine and the original comment indicates that for reasons unwritten has chosen that particular part of the world. The world is not limited to America and the DO degree may not be viewed the same globally but it is still a viable American choice. But to make it seem less than something is not appropriate for others especially those enrolled in DO schools.

Yes, I am suggesting it is less difficult to gain entry to an American DO program than an American MD program, in general. While there may be isolated cases (e.g. TCOM in Texas is more difficult to get in to than say UMMC in Mississippi), that is the general idea if everything else was equal.
Data to support my hypothesis:
2010 AACOMAS Matriculant Data: (DO)
Mean 4 year GPA: 3.47
Mean Undergrad Undergrad + PB GPA: 3.49
Mean All incl. graduate GPA: 3.49
Mean MCAT Score: 26.48
Source: http://www.aacom.org/data/applicantsmatriculants/Documents/2010Matriculantsummary.pdf (AACOMAS)


2010 AAMC Matriculant Data: (MD) (There is 2011 data, but I'm using 2010 to compare the same year)
Average GPA science: 3.61
Average GPA non-science: 3.75
Average GPA total: 3.67
Average MCAT: 31.1
Source: https://www.aamc.org/download/161690/data/table17.pdf (AAMC)

Look at the above. I compared the data for those who matriculated (i.e. got in and started medical school), not the applicants (all the people who applied). And MD schools have higher GPA averages. Therefore, number-wise, the OP would need higher GPA/MCAT to have a shot at an MD instead of a DO school.

So, yes, I stand by my statement.

 

[Slaol]

I'm 45. I'm considering going to medical school in the Philippines. When I graduate, I'll be the big 50. Is it possible to get selected for a US residency in internal medicine? Provided of course I score in > 80th percentile on the USMLE?

Sounds aggressive I know. Just wondering what people think the chances might be or if they know of anybody who has done it at that age.

Thanks!!!!
Tom

There was a 47 year old intern at one of the family programs I interviewed at - though she was an American grad. Also, there was a lady in her 40's in the class above me at the American University of the Caribbean - and she is now in her residency.

Obviously your road is going to be tougher than someone who graduated from an American school, I wouldn't let age get in the way of achieving your dream.

You also need to take whatever opinions American students on this forum say with a grain of salt. While it is true that FMGs and IMGs have a statistical disadvantage when it comes to matching into resiidency, things are not nearly as dismal as some would like you to believe.

 

[jl lin]

. Programs are even less likely to choose an older individual because those individuals have 'less years of work' in them. For the good of society, some residencies will choose a younger individual over an older.

So programs embrace ageism for the good of society? Lord I hope not. This is silly.
No one knows how long they will practice. As I said before somewhere else, I know young 20's that made it to residency, and they ended up dead. A couple of them I know engaged in dangerous recreational activities, like skydiving. Should people leave the fact that they are into skydiving and such off their applications. . .I mean, for the good of society?

The idea is that everyone should do as much as they can whenever they can, for as long as they can. No one should tell someone they can't go to med school or get into a residency program because they don't like the date someone was born. Oh! That's a bad date. You're expired! Like a person has control over their birth date.

And really, I'd say you start to practice some medicine in clerkship, and then a lot of it in residency--so residency counts as practice time--people leave this out, simply b/c the person has some hurdles at this point and is getting back junky compensation. That time of "junky compensation" is still considered practicing medicine. You are still a physician at this point.

I wish those on adcoms that thought this way would just come clean--even if anonymously. It would be good to know how much this ageistic view still holds today.