What should I do? please help... - d_pan

[ArchivalUser]

hi all,
i m in big confusion right now.
i have 4 attempts in step 1 and one time fail in step2ck and cs, got my ecfmg certificate in feb.2009.
i applied this year but obviously didnt get any interview.
i m a usa citizen, fmg, did 2yrs of observership in private medical office in IM and 6 wks of rotation in psychiatric hospital.
now should i start step 3 or should i find any observership in the hospital?
which one is beneficial for me to getting interviews next year? and which speciality?
pls reply..
thanks.

[ArchivalUser]

FM and psychiatric will be your best best shot, make good PS and try to get LOR from Americans, wish you good luck. don't give up some 99 people didn't match but some very old and 70s scores got match so try to get interview and sell your self.

[ArchivalUser]

First: try to do observership in img friendly hospital if possible (becuase contacts matters a lt then anything)
If you are interested in psych/FM, then start psych?FM observership now (in img friendly hosp if possible)
Second: PS & LOR matters a lot
Third: start ur step 3 preprn & try to have step 3 score by 30aug (Good if >90)
Fourth: Apply on 1st sep & to multiple specialities

Good Luck

[ArchivalUser]

pathology is also an option. traditionally, thousands of IMGs are needed every year in IM and in path.

suggestion: attend a conference of your most desired specialty in order to meet tons of program directors in just one place. goal: identify faculty members with (research) interests that match yours in order to beef up your cv with case reports, reviews and maybe even original research papers. meeting everyone in person will make sure that you will figure out whom you will "click" with. this approach will also provide you with valuable contacts. it will be of mutual benefit for both you and the faculty members you will work with.

typically, there is 1 annual meeting for clinicians and another one for research oriented individuals in every specialty. most program directors and chairmen will attend those meetings; thus, you may meet essentially everybody.

you may listen to everyone's talk and may speak to each presenter afterwards. this way, you could personally meet 100+ decision makers regarding your preferred residency. if you prepare in advance and find out about everyone's special interests at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ (enter "last name, blank, initial) you can tailor your search according to your favorite topics. this approach should be highly likely to identify PDs with an interest in you.

all you need is a roundtrip flight ticket along with an affordable hotel room that can be booked at www.priceline.com. if you absolutely don't want to attend a conference, you could e-mail research-oriented colleagues. most of the addresses are available at pubmed.

summary: develop a good strategy and be persistent. in this case, you will easily match. also keep in mind: everyone fails periodically. successful people just do not accept a defeat: http://www.amazon.com/Think-BIG-Kick-Bus..._1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239446371&sr=8-1

[ArchivalUser]

For Psychiatry, experience in the Mental health field matters much more than experience in the respective fields matter for other residencies. Specially if you are a foreign graduate. Program directors know that IMGs are interested in FM and IM and would look for a transfer into one of these programs in 2nd year after getting their foot in in by doing 1st year Psych. This has happened scores of times in the past. So now they are wary of it and realized that only people interested in Mental Health would stay in Psych. Thus the required experience. d_pan, your experience in Mental Health can help you land a position in Psych. If I was you, I would hook up with some institution to get more of that, paid or unpaid. Make sure it is Clinical, as Research in Neurology and Psychiatry hold a distant 2nd in Residency Committee's eyes as far as getting a residency is concerned. You could look for an externship in a Psych program and the best place to do that would be in New York in an IMG friendly hospital. But it requires some sacrifice, of relocating and leaving your family behing for sometime. I know someone who had done that. He left his family in CA and did 2 6 month externships in Psych, the 2nd of which was in NY city. He ended up getting 12-13 in terviews in Psych and prematched in a program. The previous year, without those externships he had managed to get 3 inrtview and went without a residency. He was 50 years old. But he was determined. I matched the first time, with low scores, having graduated more than 10 years back. My experience as Mental Health Worker/Triage nurse for 31/2 years and good LORs, and a very good Resume (I would boast a little here!!) helped me. I sent out my first batch of applications on November 24!! I had a lot of things going against me and very few in my favour. I had 6 interviews and had to compete with my fellow desis with high scores and young age on their side. My LORs, PS and Mental health experience and some good interviewing skills helped me. I feel that if I can do it, anybody can! I just didn't lose hope. One day, all of you would look back and say, "Been there, done that".