I then pointed out that I am quite familiar with the American system and provided actual evidence.
What "evidence" are you referring to?
Not to mention other comments you make (e.g. the residency hours) reflect an ignorance of the US system.
If you knew anything about the system, you'd know that the IM specialties/subspecialties are not lucrative at all. IM is nearly 40-50% FMGs.
I personally love IM but to say it's lucrative in the US is disingenuous at best.
Um, did you read what I wrote above? Obviously not given what you write here. I never said IM is lucrative without qualifications. Rather I said IM can lead to lucrative fellowships like cards and heme/onc (especially if one matches into a good academic program). Also, I said hospitalists can do well financially for hours worked. Not that the lifestyle is worth it in my opinion, but some people are fine with it.
Also, to say cards or GI or heme/onc aren't lucrative in the US is again pure ignorance. All of these can (in private practice as a partner) command salaries in excess of $400k. For e.g. see MGMA or Medscape data. Otherwise, you must have a very high standard for what's lucrative and what's not lucrative!
However I will say it is getting harder to find PP jobs with decent partnership tracks (e.g. in general cardiology).
By the way, whether or not there is a large percentage of IMGs are in IM doesn't necessarily imply a specialty is or isn't lucrative. You need a connecting argument if that's your contention. But the fact is, IM is a huge specialty with over 6000 spots each year. Lots of these at community IM programs. Most community programs aren't as competitive as most academic programs, though it depends since some are very competitive (e.g. Cedars-Sinai).
Again, nothing wrong with West Virginia at all. But to physicians and the general public, the lucrative markets are NYC and LA, and a W Virgina degree isn't getting you there.
This is simple ignorance about the US system. For one thing, you can't make a blanket statement like this. It depends on the specialty.
Also, LA and NYC are expensive cities to live in compared to places over the Midwest or South. Cost of living is a factor. So even if salaries are the same in NYC or LA as in the Midwest or South, they'll get you further in the Midwest or South than LA or NYC.
Plus, let's take a specialty like anesthesiology. See Medscape data
here. The West and Northwest where LA and NYC are respectively are at $331k, whereas the Midwest and South are higher.
You'll also make a third of what you can make it in the lager markets since nobody wants to live there.
What larger markets are you referring to? LA and NYC? If so, then you're quite wrong, generally speaking, many people do want to live in LA and NYC and their environs.
You're the one who claimed I didn't know the system; I responded by citing evidence that the system is in shambles in America.
Yes, your replies to this point still reflect an ignorance of America.
Also, I'd add your logic and reasoning abilities aren't exactly very good. I never said anything about agreeing or disagreeing the US system is in "shambles."
You don't seem to understand basic logic and grounds of argument.
Saying so doesn't make it so. But anyone can simply read what you've written and what I've written and decide for themselves whose arguments and points make more sense.