Please Help Me

[TB15]

I'm a Canadian citizen, and just got my acceptance into a good Canadian University for Life Sciences. At the same time, my mom wants me to go to India to study medicine, and then go to the US. I was just wondering what opportunities IMGs have in the US. What kind of USMLE scores do you need, and is it possible to use a Lettor of Recommedation from a family member who is a doctor in the US, when I am applying for residency.

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[sunny123]

Don't let your mom ship you off to India for med. Mothers don't always know what is best for their children. I'm a Canadian citizen (Toronto) as well, and I am not going, even though some of my aunties have brought it up. You have got to think first of how you will adapt to their teaching system. You have to know that once you pass the USMLE, you can't take it again. A pass is 90 something, and you don't just want to pass. A good score is 220+. LOR shouldn't come from a family member, you should know that. It should come from your profs/in your case teachers/supervisors from extracurricular activities.

Why are you thinking about residency positions now, when you just started your undergrad? I'm sure you can get a good residenscy spot, regardless of your school, just as long as you have a good USMLE score.

 

[retroviridae]

I agree. Stay in Canada until you find out you can't get into a US or Canadian med school. Then you can think about going to India. Yes you can go back to US or even Canada, but it is tough. Indian parents like the idea because they all know all these Indian docs who are now doing well here in the US. But if you ask them, I bet most would say stay here because of the stigma.

 

[TB15]

Thanks for the help, I was just thinking ahead because thats the way my parents think and it seems to have rubbed off on me. Also a question to Sunny who is also from Canada. What university are you at right now, I'm going to begin at Waterloo or McMaster this fall.

 

[sunny123]

I'm finishing up at YorkU (last semester in Bio). Either Waterloo or Mac is fine to attend. But I'd suggest Mac, because it has a med school on campus. Best advice is to attend a school that has a med school, cause if you ever do research with the profs on the medical board, they may be able to give you pointers in terms of admissions (my friend is doing her Master's at Queens right now, and this was her adivce to me).