Would it be harder to get a fellowship having been a FMG?

[medstudent3]

Would it be harder to get a fellowship having been a FMG? If I go to a foreign medical school and then get a residency in the US afterward, would being a FMG hamper my abilities to get a fellowship? Would I be seen as less qualified?

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[NotAProgDirector]

Would it be harder to get a fellowship having been a FMG? If I go to a foreign medical school and then get a residency in the US afterward, would being a FMG hamper my abilities to get a fellowship? Would I be seen as less qualified?

The short answer is yes. All things being equal, IMG's have a tougher time in the fellowship match. However, much more weight is put on your residency than your medical school. It also depends upon the field -- some are very competitive (GI), and others are not (Renal/Endo). If you're interested in the latter, then being an IMG will not matter much as long as you get a good residency.

 

[buckley]

I will have to say yes based on what my upper class men tell me. As they say, it is difficult to step out of the "IMG" bracket. But then again, it's probably the same wherever you go. I just give myself the faith that life will put me where I ought to be, and it's up to me to make the most of it.

Under this topic, can I ask if it's harder to find fellowships on an H1B visa?

 

[Faebinder]

The fellowship game is pretty much like the residency game, and just like the residency game it varies with the amount of competition.

The more the competition, the more your: visa status, place where you graduated, USMLE scores, lack of research/publications, inservice exams, certification board scores etc etc will be scrutinized to filter you.

Someone posted an article somehwere here on SDN showing the difference between what residency program director thought fellowship program directors cared for and what fellowship program directors actually cared for. I think the fellowship compare cardiology vs. GI/Nephrology?

If I remember correctly, it turned out the number 1 and 2 factors were you your performance in residency in the residency program director letter and the program director calling on your behalf.

 

[medstudent3]

Thanks for the info. According to http://www.nrmp.org/fellow/match_name/msmp/stats.html

tt seems that last year 62% of foreign US students didn't match for specialties. Seems kind of high, compared to only 56% of foreign students not matching and 18% of US students not matching. Anyone know why this number would be so high?

 

[Winged Scapula]

Thanks for the info. According to http://www.nrmp.org/fellow/match_name/msmp/stats.html

tt seems that last year 62% of foreign US students didn't match for specialties. Seems kind of high, compared to only 56% of foreign students not matching and 18% of US students not matching. Anyone know why this number would be so high?

Because of the information given above that states that there will likely always be some stigma directed toward the IMG, even if one trains in a good USA residency.

Classically, US citizens who trained abroad (IMGs) do worse in any match than foreign nationals who trained abroad (FMGs) because of the assumption (right or wrong) that the US citizen who went abroad for medical school did so because they couldn't get into a US school. With the changes in number of positions and visa issues, this may not hold true in the future but for now, the link you provided above is standard MO for residency and fellowship matches.

Why did fewer than 50% of IMGs match into fellowship? Who knows? Perhaps they were not as competitive as they thought, perhaps they did not apply as widely as they should have, etc.