IMGs Applying to Internal Medicine. 2018

[Animalcules]

Congratulations to everyone who matched! Cherish it and be happy! You worked so hard to get to this point in your life.

For those of us who did not match, crying time is over! Look over your app and put your self in a position to do a lot better this season!

I did NOT match, it was the hardest time of my life. I think its because I was not ECFMG certified til Feb 27th.

My gf matched into a top program!

now that I am certified and will have my application ready to submit before 1st day in sept, I am excited about my chances.

I am going to be doing hands on externships for next 6 months, some observerships at einstein and SUNY upstate along with research and posters. I will also be volunteering at a free health clinic, and soup kitchen. I will NOT be doing step 3 as my scores are decent, dont need visa and have been told by many mentors/nrmo data that it wont be nearly as fruitful as my other activities.

I think my app will get a huge boost, and Im excited about my first real season as a complete applicant.

I would urge you to reconsider taking Step 3. I am not sure who gives you advise, but it has not worked really in your favor in the past. Regardless of visa needs, taking Step 3 is the first thing I would do. It demonstrates that you can complete at least the test requirements of intern year. Step 3 is easy enough to pass with good scores with only a week's notice. No reason to postpone.

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[Munnuchandu]

I had my first interview today, I had 3 interviewers including the PD, chief resident and a 2nd year. The typical tell me about yourself questions, strength, weakness, hypothetical scenarios, a couple of “Step 1” medical questions etc I honestly like the program and I bought what they’re selling. Hoping to hear back from them soon, if not ah well.

did you get your CS result by IV'S time ? or u updated the result later ...do u think good scores with delayed CS report will not effect IV's for IMG's?

 

[Animalcules]

did you get your CS result by IV'S time ? or u updated the result later ...do u think good scores with delayed CS report will not effect IV's for IMG's?

Delayed CS will cost you interviews. Don’t kid yourself.

 

[howtomed]

The IMG anxiety is real! I met a bunch of US medical students yesterday talking about the interview invites they already received...well it’s early yet, chin up

Step 1: 265
Step 2 CK: 262
Step 2 CS: score pending
YOG: 2018
All clerkships in the US
I need a J-1 visa

No interviews or rejections so far.

Hi AshNiffler,

Congrats on achieving such great scores! My name is Zoya and I am currently in my second year of medical school, planning to sit my STEP 1 this coming summer. As an IMG, I was wondering if I would be able to ask you a few questions on how you prepared, your clerkships in the US and your experience overall in this entire process. Would that be possible?

 

[mulberry]

What is the general consensus on taking Step 2 CK later than the end of July? My understanding is if you take it by the end of July, program directors should be able to see your scores by the time they start seeing applications on September 15th.

Is this accurate? I'm trying to see if I will have time to push my exam back or not

 

[dofetilide88]

Guys, can we stop fighting? honestly this defeats the purpose of this post.
We are just a bunch of anxious IMGs looking online for info and comfort.
I don't see how giving the names of the programmes can harm anyone?

if you guys want, you can also put your stats and IVs on this google online doc:
There are both AMGs and IMGs on there and if you sort by numbers of programmes applied to, you can easily find the IMGs (they tend to apply to >80)

Is there any way I can download this list?

 

[medpack87]

I would urge you to reconsider taking Step 3. I am not sure who gives you advise, but it has not worked really in your favour in the past. Regardless of visa needs, taking Step 3 is the first thing I would do. It demonstrates that you can complete at least the test requirements of intern year. Step 3 is easy enough to pass with good scores with only a week's notice. No reason to postpone.

Not true. Programs care very little about Step 3. You can take it, and it would make your application more attractive, but won't hurt your chances if you don't. On top of that, it seems you are doing other activities that will boost your application a lot more. That said, it is a relatively simple test when compared with Step 1 and Step 2 CK.

Best of luck this season!

 

[Animalcules]

Not true. Programs care very little about Step 3. You can take it, and it would make your application more attractive, but won't hurt your chances if you don't. On top of that, it seems you are doing other activities that will boost your application a lot more. That said, it is a relatively simple test when compared with Step 1 and Step 2 CK.

Best of luck this season!

I assume you are speaking from the n=1 experience of your program then? Even if the program doesn’t care, which is not true for most, you want to be able to get the H1B visa if the possibility exists. Don’t let people give you short sighted advise. I have seen the pain of people running out of options to stay in the US. This is particularly true for families and physicians who want to stay in academic medicine.

 

[Major procrastinator]

Yes, there was a problem with overconfidence and poor decision making, we all saw it written on the wall. I do feel bad that he did not match but it is a clear lesson of other applicants about the importance of being EGFMG certified prior to applying for residency. It's not worth the gamble. That said, I wish him all the best.

Brutal honesty but true. Thank you.

 

[Major procrastinator]

Not true. Programs care very little about Step 3. You can take it, and it would make your application more attractive, but won't hurt your chances if you don't. On top of that, it seems you are doing other activities that will boost your application a lot more. That said, it is a relatively simple test when compared with Step 1 and Step 2 CK.

Best of luck this season!

Thank you very much for your insight and wishes. I was told the same thing you said in regards to what I have been doing to boost my application instead of doing step 3. It is good to hear step 3 is relatively simple!

 

[Major procrastinator]

I assume you are speaking from the n=1 experience of your program then? Even if the program doesn’t care, which is not true for most, you want to be able to get the H1B visa if the possibility exists. Don’t let people give you short sighted advise. I have seen the pain of people running out of options to stay in the US. This is particularly true for families and physicians who want to stay in academic medicine.

I dont need a visa. If I did, Step 3 would have been my priority for sure.

 

[Major procrastinator]

My friends hospital did put FM spot on the table, I chose to decline and go for IM which is what I really want. I cant give up my dream so easily just to save a year. That spot will be there this year as well.

 

[Major procrastinator]

Let the games begin!

 

[IMG1990IM-CARDIO]

Let the games begin!

Is there any thread for the current cycle

 

[sss2g2]

Let the games begin!

Hey I saw your post from last season. Why did it take so long to get ecfmg certified? You said you got it in feb but didn’t you finish ck in October? I just got ck back last week and sent out apps yesterday. Don’t know if I’m verified, certified etc?

 

[Major procrastinator]

Is there any thread for the current cycle

We should make one

 

[Major procrastinator]

Hey I saw your post from last season. Why did it take so long to get ecfmg certified? You said you got it in feb but didn’t you finish ck in October? I just got ck back last week and sent out apps yesterday. Don’t know if I’m verified, certified etc?

I took CK jan 19th I was certified Feb 27th but thats because my school is so slow.

 

[sss2g2]

I took CK jan 19th I was certified Feb 27th but thats because my school is so slow.

Oh wow and you were able to get interviews before even having CK done? Wow that's pretty amazing in itself. I'm sure you will match this cycle!

 

[Major procrastinator]

Oh wow and you were able to get interviews before even having CK done? Wow that's pretty amazing in itself. I'm sure you will match this cycle!

Yeah I had 7, and I applied in mid october. I was mostly trying my luck. I hope so, we will see.

 

[TheHardWorker]

Yeah I had 7, and I applied in mid october. I was mostly trying my luck. I hope so, we will see.

Hey Major I read this thread from last year and trust me I was really rooting for you. I loved your confidence and the fact that you were able to shut the haters up with 7 IV's. I think you are a very down to earth person as you did not have to return to the thread to mention you didn't match. I am sure you'll definitely do great this year. So you took your CK jan 19th, which means your results were available like Feb 7th? And it took extra 3 weeks to get ECFMG certified? I'm asking because I'm in a similar situation. While I have written all my steps, step 1- 244; step 2- 252; CS- pass first attempt. I finish my rotations in december so I can't get my diploma till january, will there be enough time to be ECFMG certified before ROL?

 

[TheHardWorker]

We should make a 2018 IMG application thread guys.

 

[TheHardWorker]

Someone create a forum for IMGs applying this season and post a link here. I am new to SDN forums and can't seem to figure out how to create one.

 

[il pani]

Someone create a forum for IMGs applying this season and post a link here. I am new to SDN forums and can't seem to figure out how to create one.

There is already one
IMG Internal Medicine Applicants - Match 2019

 

[AshNiffler]

Hey Major I read this thread from last year and trust me I was really rooting for you. I loved your confidence and the fact that you were able to shut the haters up with 7 IV's. I think you are a very down to earth person as you did not have to return to the thread to mention you didn't match. I am sure you'll definitely do great this year. So you took your CK jan 19th, which means your results were available like Feb 7th? And it took extra 3 weeks to get ECFMG certified? I'm asking because I'm in a similar situation. While I have written all my steps, step 1- 244; step 2- 252; CS- pass first attempt. I finish my rotations in december so I can't get my diploma till january, will there be enough time to be ECFMG certified before ROL?

I got my CS results in December and finished my last rotation in May, actually didn’t get Ecfmg certified until May 30th and I started residency like 15 days later.

 

[TheHardWorker]

I got my CS results in December and finished my last rotation in May, actually didn’t get Ecfmg certified until May 30th and I started residency like 15 days later.

So you're saying ECFMG certification does not disqualify you from the match. Just have to find programs that will still rank you without the certificate. Got that! Thanks