Chances of FMG's in matching for general surgery residency

[amruta]

hii... i m completely passionate about surgery and i m ready to put in all effort to get into a surgery residency. I have scored 237/ 99 percentile in my step 1... m doin a research in surgery back in India... will be applyin for the in sept 2009.. how can i improve my chances of getting a surgical residency... pls help....

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[CanIMakeIt]

hii... i m completely passionate about surgery and i m ready to put in all effort to get into a surgery residency. I have scored 237/ 99 percentile in my step 1... m doin a research in surgery back in India... will be applyin for the in sept 2009.. how can i improve my chances of getting a surgical residency... pls help....

First off the "99" is NOT percentile .. it's just another way of reporting score. Second Gen Surgery is becoming competitve more so in last few years since the 80 hr rule..... but it is not impossible for FMGs to match here. Your best bet is still to do an elective here in US and get LOR from a big name here. Also it is good that you are doing research in India .. make sure you try to publish it in some reputable journal. Find out where other people from your school have matched or other FMG friendly places. Your scores are good so that should not be a problem.

Good luck

 

[MadameLULU]

Moving to Surgery forum.

 

[barcalounger]

I have scored 237/ 99 percentile in my step 1

As CanIMakeIt said, 99 is not a percentile. After all, the passing score on Step 1 is a 2-digit 75. If that were a percentile, that would mean that 75% of test-takers fail Step 1. This is obviously not the case. The two-digit score is an artificial construct pegged at PASS = 75 to satisfy the wording of certain state licensing legislation (see USMLE website).

Other than that, it is impossible to assess your chances given the information you provide. You can easily look up Charting Outcomes in the Match for 2007 and find that

(a) a 237 is approximately at the 75th percentile for independent applicants who matched in general surgery in 2007

(b) of the 78 independent applicants who applied to general surgery in 2007 with a Step 1 score between 231 and 240, 57% matched. So even with this score, based on the score alone, you have a slightly better than even chance of matching. Of course, Step 1 is a very small part of your application. Do you have US letters of recommendation? US clinical experience? Are you able to effectively communicate in spoken English? These will all be important factors in your application.

I cannot imagine that I am the first person to provide this information on SDN. The information provided above is such that you could have found and evaluated it yourself. So I can't honestly claim to have given you any information you couldn't already have known.

 

[DrDre311]

As CanIMakeIt said, 99 is not a percentile. After all, the passing score on Step 1 is a 2-digit 75. If that were a percentile, that would mean that 75% of test-takers fail Step 1. This is obviously not the case. The two-digit score is an artificial construct pegged at PASS = 75 to satisfy the wording of certain state licensing legislation (see USMLE website).

Other than that, it is impossible to assess your chances given the information you provide. You can easily look up Charting Outcomes in the Match for 2007 and find that

(a) a 237 is approximately at the 75th percentile for independent applicants who matched in general surgery in 2007

(b) of the 78 independent applicants who applied to general surgery in 2007 with a Step 1 score between 231 and 240, 57% matched. So even with this score, based on the score alone, you have a slightly better than even chance of matching. Of course, Step 1 is a very small part of your application. Do you have US letters of recommendation? US clinical experience? Are you able to effectively communicate in spoken English? These will all be important factors in your application.

I cannot imagine that I am the first person to provide this information on SDN. The information provided above is such that you could have found and evaluated it yourself. So I can't honestly claim to have given you any information you couldn't already have known.

Very existential. I feel like I'm watching "The Princess Bride."

"...But it's so simple. All I have to do is divine from what I know of you: are you the sort of man who would put the poison into his own goblet or his enemy's? Now, a clever man would put the poison into his own goblet, because he would know that only a great fool would reach for what he was given. I am not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you. But you must have known I was not a great fool, you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me...Because iocane comes from Australia, as everyone knows, and Australia is entirely peopled with criminals! And criminals are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you..."

 

[Blade28]

hii... i m completely passionate about surgery and i m ready to put in all effort to get into a surgery residency. I have scored 237/ 99 percentile in my step 1... m doin a research in surgery back in India... will be applyin for the in sept 2009.. how can i improve my chances of getting a surgical residency... pls help....

In general, IMGs need high board scores as well as US clinical experience and US letters of recommendation in order to do well on the Match. Do you have any plans on doing rotations here in the US?

 

[surgiwho]

WAMC????

It is very difficult for anyone to tell you what your chances are. There are just too many variables involved. You just need to do the common things and hope for the best. Get a 99 also on Step 2CK, apply with the ECFMG certificate, get LORs from US faculty, do a rotation in the US and work your a$$ off (US Clinical Experience is crucial), apply very broadly (lots of $$$), you MUST do well on the interviews and be prepared to do a Prelim year. Citizenship or US residency are very important.

There are people who have gotten into a Categorical spot without doing a prelim year but I imagine it's a small number of people. I have always wondered how many people from the Results and Data: 2007 Main Residency Match are actually starting a categorical residency without a prelim year. I think they should add that to their data tables. The problem is that the results seem to be inflated for FMG/IMGs (how many are prior prelims?)

Go here: http://www.usmletomd.com/tips4match/ (lots of useful information)

Good luck!

 

[CattleprodSurg]

I am a FMG in one of the top programs in Texas.
Your chances are fair depending on your experience in the USA that is a USA rotation or 2. You need to consider entering the system as a prelim resident.
You have an excellent chance as a prelim and if your work ethic and ability shine through you will get a categorical position in particular considering the attrition rate (about 20%) across the board. This statistic is born out in my program where 1-2 residents drop out per year for various reasons including illness, change of heart, firing for poor performance, family emergencies and problems and the list goes on.
If you are dedicated and good you will get a position somewhere as a categorical.
There are many more factors to consider.
PM me if you have specific questions.

 

[stuart114]

step 1 -240/99
step 2 - 250/99
CS - passed.
Stronger Command of English Language than most Americans, able to speak with an African American as well as Caucasian accent.
Rotated at all US hospitals with recs.

did a little research also...in Ob-Gyn and Neurology...
What are my chances?...no interviews so far... 0/46

 

[Blade28]

Unfortunately, this is not a "WAMC" thread as no one will be able to predict your chances at matching into a G Surg residency.

 

[stonymeadow]

in addition, i think you also applied to too few programs and you need to include some community programs in your application...good luck man!

 

[redbeans]

step 1 -240/99
step 2 - 250/99
CS - passed.
Stronger Command of English Language than most Americans, able to speak with an African American as well as Caucasian accent.
Rotated at all US hospitals with recs.

did a little research also...in Ob-Gyn and Neurology...
What are my chances?...no interviews so far... 0/46

I hope you did not write on your application that you are able to speak in those "accents".

 

[TrojanDoctor]

step 1 -240/99
step 2 - 250/99
CS - passed.
Stronger Command of English Language than most Americans, able to speak with an African American as well as Caucasian accent.

I hope you were referring to your command of spoken, and not written, English since your capitalization is less than impressive. Honestly, I would imagine that if your grammer is poor in the personal statement, that is going to limit your interviews. Also, did you put your ability to talk with multiple accents in your application as well?

 

[Winged Scapula]

step 1 -240/99
step 2 - 250/99
CS - passed.
Stronger Command of English Language than most Americans, able to speak with an African American as well as Caucasian accent.
Rotated at all US hospitals with recs.

What does that mean?

Do you speak jive?

 

[zaid84]

hi
i am new to this forum and i just would like to ask u something iam an FmG score 252 in step1 , i have 3 months usce and 2 lor one from cardiothoracic surgeon and the other from general surgeon and iam interested in general surgery also iam preparing for the usmle step2 ck now what s your advise for me , thanks in advance

 

[MrBigLips]

What does that mean?

Do you speak jive?

Hahaha, I can't get over how funny this is. I've read it like 10 times now on separate occasions and it gets funnier errtime.