Derm residency as foreign

[elima]

Hi, I am in my last year (last month) of med school in Mexico (ranked no. 1), coming to the US to do my residency was always on my dreams, this year I had my electives in derm and I realize I totally love it, and I cannot longer imagine myself in some other field, but I know there is only 3% of places for people that study out of the US: that makes my goal almost impossible. I don't want to give up. Is there any suggestion, is it worth the effort? I am not in a hurry and if I have to spend one year, or even do an entire research fellowship I will.
thank you!!!!

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[ny skindoc]

Hi, I am in my last year (last month) of med school in Mexico (ranked no. 1), coming to the US to do my residency was always on my dreams, this year I had my electives in derm and I realize I totally love it, and I cannot longer imagine myself in some other field, but I know there is only 3% of places for people that study out of the US: that makes my goal almost impossible. I don't want to give up. Is there any suggestion, is it worth the effort? I am not in a hurry and if I have to spend one year, or even do an entire research fellowship I will.
thank you!!!!

Its very unlikely no matter what you do.You will be competing against many top applicants doing the same thing for few openings.
The IMGs who get into derm ..about 3-5 a year tend to have some combination of great research credentials,previous extensive derm training in thier home county,and connections.
If you feel you are still interested then doing a research fellowship at some programs for 1-2 years could work.If you get along with everyone, and perform at a high level.
Still its risky.If Derm is a must then stay in your home county or accept another specialty to train in the US.

 

[PathOne]

Agree with ny skindoc. If you really, really can't see yourself doing anything else than Derm, why not do it in Mexico? Obviously, the financial benefits can't match, but you'd have a much better shot at doing something you'd really like.

 

[helpfuldoc2b]

Agree with ny skindoc. If you really, really can't see yourself doing anything else than Derm, why not do it in Mexico? Obviously, the financial benefits can't match, but you'd have a much better shot at doing something you'd really like.

Dont kill her dreams, it can be done, its be done before by Carib Med. Grads, so I am sure it can be done by you. There are your competitors, so ofcourse they want to try to sway you away!

 

[Apollyon]

Dont kill her dreams, it can be done, its be done before by Carib Med. Grads, so I am sure it can be done by you. There are your competitors, so ofcourse they want to try to sway you away!

I know the ONE guy from the Caribbean who did it, and he's it. If you know anyone besides Brent, you name them.

Most American grads that want derm don't get it. Sometimes, some things are nearly unattainable. Not unattainable, but HIGHLY unlikely. Dreams are fine, but, honestly, be reasonable.

 

[whistler]

All FMG's are not equal, and I'm sure the ppl from the Caribb. Med were from St. George's, and even from that school it's still an unbelievable longshot. From any other school, it's basically impossible, unless again you have crazy research and connections.

 

[YouDontKnowJack]

Can foreign trained derms get board cert in derm in the US?
If so, wouldn't it be better to stay foreign and then come to the US later?

 

[PathOne]

No, you cannot get US board certification in Derm based on the completion of foreign Derm training. You would have to complete all of your training requirements in a ACGME approved Derm residency. This applies to almost all medical specialties, except int med, which as far as I recall off-hand.

 

[YouDontKnowJack]

No, you cannot get US board certification in Derm based on the completion of foreign Derm training. You would have to complete all of your training requirements in a ACGME approved Derm residency. This applies to almost all medical specialties, except int med, which as far as I recall off-hand.

has it always been that way? I see all these foreign derms practicing since the 80's, and according my health insurance company's list, they are all board cert'd.

 

[PathOne]

It has probably been easier in the Good Old Days to become boarded in most fields than it is today. A long time ago, in the 60s, Derm wasn't even a Residency, but a Fellowship subspec to Int Med, and waivers for foreign trained Derms was perhaps possible, but I don't actually know that for a fact.

However, it is in fact still possible to get licensed today, without going through a US residency. The pathway is to be hired at a tenured academic level by a medical school, which would allow someone to get licensed.
There's actually quite a few of those around, including, interestingly enough, several Program Directors. I know of the Swedish vice chair and PD of thoracic & cardio surgery at the preeminent US heart center, Cleveland Clinic, and the UK director of surgical pathology & Program Director at Brigham & Women's, as well as several Harvard attendings.
However, these individuals cannot claim to be board certified, because they aren't. But they have a medical license, and can as such work as physicians, without a board certification.

As per your specific question, however, I don't offhand know any Derms who haven't been board certified. But bear in mind, that Derm hasn't always been as competitive as it is today. Conversely, you see quite a lot of FMG's in Psych today, which was in fact one of the über-competitive residencies in the 1960s. So shifts in competitiveness is the most likely explanation for your observation.