10-25-2004, 09:00 AM
Sourav
Guys,
I just have one thing to say. What you say is absolutely right about IMGs playing it safe and all, but, tell me something - what is the point in applying to a program or a speciality if you know for a fact that no matter what happens, you will not be considered for it? I always dreamt of doing Surgery in an Ivy League hospital. My scores have reduced that dream to ashes, but, even if I did have very high scores, tell me this - how many IMGs go to Ivy League? You go through the house-staff lists of the good institutions on their websites and you do not come across a single IMG. NOT A SINGLE ONE! I don't think that is because IMGs don't apply there. Even if 90% of the IMGs apply to IM and FP, the other 10% do apply to other programs in hi-fi places, don't they? And I'm sure they only dare to apply there because they fit all the "criteria for application" that the program has. Why then don't they end up in the programs? Just applying to the programs will not solve the problem guys. It will only be solved when the PDs change their mindset about wanting AMGs only. I have been told by many programs when I was calling them to ask about the criteria that they only accept AMGs. This is in IM. What then must be the case for the "competitive" fields? I personally believe that there is ABSOLUTELY no difference in the standards between AMGs and FMGs, but the only difference is in the midset of the people. I did observership for a month in General Surgery. The surgeon I did it under was a "non-American" AMG. He used to tell me all about the bias that still exists in the field of Surgery as far as FMGs are concerned. He said that most programs still prefer taking Americans, and that he was taken because he was an AMG with good scores, but, even then, he had to work almost twice as hard as the other residencts who were true-blue Americans, just to stay in the program. Just because he was of non-American origin, he had to work extra hard to prove himself. The point that I am trying to make is that the bias does not end with the application and interview process. It's something that IMGs have to face on a daily basis, and most of us come prepared for it. The only thing we can do to try to protect ourselves from this as much as we can is to crush our dreams and take the safe way out. For most, it's the only thing that works, and which is why they do it. I don't know how much of this will make sense to anyone, but this is my 2-bits about the situation.
As Metallica said - SAD BUT TRUE!!!
Guys,
I just have one thing to say. What you say is absolutely right about IMGs playing it safe and all, but, tell me something - what is the point in applying to a program or a speciality if you know for a fact that no matter what happens, you will not be considered for it? I always dreamt of doing Surgery in an Ivy League hospital. My scores have reduced that dream to ashes, but, even if I did have very high scores, tell me this - how many IMGs go to Ivy League? You go through the house-staff lists of the good institutions on their websites and you do not come across a single IMG. NOT A SINGLE ONE! I don't think that is because IMGs don't apply there. Even if 90% of the IMGs apply to IM and FP, the other 10% do apply to other programs in hi-fi places, don't they? And I'm sure they only dare to apply there because they fit all the "criteria for application" that the program has. Why then don't they end up in the programs? Just applying to the programs will not solve the problem guys. It will only be solved when the PDs change their mindset about wanting AMGs only. I have been told by many programs when I was calling them to ask about the criteria that they only accept AMGs. This is in IM. What then must be the case for the "competitive" fields? I personally believe that there is ABSOLUTELY no difference in the standards between AMGs and FMGs, but the only difference is in the midset of the people. I did observership for a month in General Surgery. The surgeon I did it under was a "non-American" AMG. He used to tell me all about the bias that still exists in the field of Surgery as far as FMGs are concerned. He said that most programs still prefer taking Americans, and that he was taken because he was an AMG with good scores, but, even then, he had to work almost twice as hard as the other residencts who were true-blue Americans, just to stay in the program. Just because he was of non-American origin, he had to work extra hard to prove himself. The point that I am trying to make is that the bias does not end with the application and interview process. It's something that IMGs have to face on a daily basis, and most of us come prepared for it. The only thing we can do to try to protect ourselves from this as much as we can is to crush our dreams and take the safe way out. For most, it's the only thing that works, and which is why they do it. I don't know how much of this will make sense to anyone, but this is my 2-bits about the situation.
As Metallica said - SAD BUT TRUE!!!