Hi guys,
From what I gather, there isn't exactly a shortage of "What are my chances?" threads on these forums, but I figured I'd jump on the bandwagon! I would very much appreciate your advice and insight on the following:
I am a graduate of a UK medical school (Imperial College London). Whilst the school isn't as well known in the US as, say, Oxford or Cambridge, it does seem to consistently rank within the top 5-10 universities in the world (see http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2013#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search= and http://www.usnews.com/education/worlds-best-universities-rankings/top-400-universities-in-the-world)
Having graduated in 2012, I have spent the past year working as a house officer (intern) at a teaching hospital in London. I have decided to apply for US General Surgery programs in this year's match (both categorical and prelim) and, given the inherent disadvantage of being an IMG, I was wondering what you guys thought my chances were like.
My credentials are as follows:
Note: I am a British Citizen without a US visa and am not a mature student!
I understand that IMGs often match into prelim programs and then apply for categorical programs following this. Realistically, do I have a chance at matching into a decent (academic) General Surgery program? Furthermore, if I were to go down the prelim route, are there any particular programs that are well-known for helping their IMGs obtain categorical posts later on?
Would be very grateful for your input!
From what I gather, there isn't exactly a shortage of "What are my chances?" threads on these forums, but I figured I'd jump on the bandwagon! I would very much appreciate your advice and insight on the following:
I am a graduate of a UK medical school (Imperial College London). Whilst the school isn't as well known in the US as, say, Oxford or Cambridge, it does seem to consistently rank within the top 5-10 universities in the world (see http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2013#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search= and http://www.usnews.com/education/worlds-best-universities-rankings/top-400-universities-in-the-world)
Having graduated in 2012, I have spent the past year working as a house officer (intern) at a teaching hospital in London. I have decided to apply for US General Surgery programs in this year's match (both categorical and prelim) and, given the inherent disadvantage of being an IMG, I was wondering what you guys thought my chances were like.
My credentials are as follows:
- Step 1: 239; Step 2 CK: 250; Step 2 CS: Pass; (All first attempt)
- Two months of USCE in surgery at a well-known hospital on the East Coast.
- 7 peer-reviewed publications (PubMed IDable) although most of these aren't in high impact-factor journals!
- Roughly the same number of conference and poster presentations (the majority of these are at UK conferences, with a couple of international European ones, but none in the US).
- 4 LoRs (two from US attendings who I completed my clerkships with, one from a well-known UK surgeon, and one from a relatively unknown UK surgeon who knows me very well)
Note: I am a British Citizen without a US visa and am not a mature student!
I understand that IMGs often match into prelim programs and then apply for categorical programs following this. Realistically, do I have a chance at matching into a decent (academic) General Surgery program? Furthermore, if I were to go down the prelim route, are there any particular programs that are well-known for helping their IMGs obtain categorical posts later on?
Would be very grateful for your input!
