09-12-2007, 09:58 AM
If you are going to apply for match again then do it now or forget about it.
USMLE format is slated to change to a more clinical interactive exam by 2009 according to the ECFMG newsletter. It will be interesting to see if all those countries that produce near perfect USMLE score will continue to do so without practice tests and old exam questions to this new format.
In my honest opinion, this change will place Medical graduates from non english speaking countries at a great disadvantage. Countries like India,Canada and UK will of course have little problem adapting. Remember the focus of residency is to provide the maximum health care for the poorest people of USA at lowest taxpayer cost. That is what the US government is paying for. Your medical education is secondary and hands on, on-the-jobs-training. Research experience is reserved for fellowships after graduation. Residents should not have any sense of entitlement since they didn't pay for anything, there is no tuition or charges for your education and training in US residency programs.
If you cannot speak english, patients will complain and automatically reject you as their doctor. Wrong as it may be, patients and the rest of america gauge one's intellegence by their ability to speak proper english. If they are suffering and in pain they don't have the time to parse your sentences and try to understand what you are saying.
USMLE format is slated to change to a more clinical interactive exam by 2009 according to the ECFMG newsletter. It will be interesting to see if all those countries that produce near perfect USMLE score will continue to do so without practice tests and old exam questions to this new format.
In my honest opinion, this change will place Medical graduates from non english speaking countries at a great disadvantage. Countries like India,Canada and UK will of course have little problem adapting. Remember the focus of residency is to provide the maximum health care for the poorest people of USA at lowest taxpayer cost. That is what the US government is paying for. Your medical education is secondary and hands on, on-the-jobs-training. Research experience is reserved for fellowships after graduation. Residents should not have any sense of entitlement since they didn't pay for anything, there is no tuition or charges for your education and training in US residency programs.
If you cannot speak english, patients will complain and automatically reject you as their doctor. Wrong as it may be, patients and the rest of america gauge one's intellegence by their ability to speak proper english. If they are suffering and in pain they don't have the time to parse your sentences and try to understand what you are saying.