Hands-on experience and 2nd year application - na00229

[ArchivalUser]

Hey all:
Would you please help me with this issue , I am really confused and need your advice.
I am IMG 2005, 2 year rotation mostly surgery and one year teaching and research assistant in the school of medicine back home , also have master in public health /Epidemiology from here GSU. step1 99/253, CS pass/1st attempt, Ck waiting for the score (expecting 99), one paper accepted for publication and 4 under reveiwing, Fulbright scholar and finally too many recommendation from research and public health professors and foreigner surgeons but no usce or recommendations from surgeons..

I am intereseted in Surgery and i am trying to get some sort of hand-on experience and recommendations during july and august but nothing yet.

Even though i know that my chances are very low to get surgery this year, I just want to apply to get familiar with the process. But I heard from some people that if i apply and didnot get anything( which is very likely giving my situation), my chance next yrear will be really low giving that i did not get match last year. Is that true?

Also how can i get experience? should i go to hospitals and ask them or what?

Finally is it a must to be ECFMG certified to be able to apply for residency?

I am living in Atlanta

Thanks guys and may God bless you

[ArchivalUser]

any thoughts plzz

[ArchivalUser]

please,,,,,,,,

[ArchivalUser]

na00229,

You have a very impressive CV only lacking in, as you pointed out, USCE. I would say you should keep trying for some USCE. Even if you get in August/Sept it will help. That said, even without USCE I would not say all is lost. You should definitely apply cause you never know.
If you,God forbid, go unmatched this year and re-apply next year, I dont think the PD's have access to your application history. Also if a PD asks if you have tried previously, you can always be truthful and say that you didnt match the 1st time as you were probably lacking USCE and that now(next yr) you have got some USCE (hopefully) and that you are optimistic about matching the 2nd time round.

For USCE, start emailing programs asking if they have any opening for observerships/externships. Alternatively, many private hospitals also allow you to observe for a fee. It is not the ideal thing but better than nothing. You can also go to the hospitals in the vicinity and try to get in touch with the faculty there.

Finally, you do not need to be ECFMG certified to apply for residency. However, the number of ECFMG certified candidates applying with 99/99/CS are so high that not being certified is a negative for an IMG. You said that you are awaiting your CK result, which even if it comes by 1st week of August you will be ECFMG certified by September.

Hope that answered all your questions. Best wishes,

residency-match.com