11-12-2008, 03:12 PM
Good luck everyone (IMGs both with & without GC or Visa)!!!!
Its crazy...I remember how I started reading the posts of this forum. I started with Step 1- thinking to myself gheeeezzz I still have soo much ahead of me..
Then came to Step 2ck...saying, wooooow I am almost halfway there...
Stopped by CS- reading the cases and then after a long time waiting, started counting the minutes with others , til the CS results finally came in......
Then being happy about getting my ECFMG certificate in time for the Residency application-----thinking to myself: woooow...I came a looooong way--- next step would be the August date for the Documents and the September 2nd for the actual application on ERAS. Then the following days of being upset because my transcript was not uploaded on time..... hoping & praying for IV invitations to come in---having 0 IVs and a friend with better scores than me who got a new IV invite everyday was really scary......
In the meantime getting my application ready for Step 3 and starting to study for it.....not really being able to concentrate because being disappointed by the first 2 weeks of silence in my ERAS mailbox--
Then finally 4 IVs came in....happy & excited to come to the US, take my Step 3 exam & attend my first 2 IVs.....
Step 3 exam was horrible- having fever, chills, laryngitis and bronchitis and sitting in this cold exam room, having this damn AC blowing cold air on my head constantly---me shivering-not being able to wear a jacket or a scarf----trying to concentrate answering these weird , long & stupid exam questions 2 days in a row....it was a nightmare- I did not have any idea on how I did- it was all weird..the only thing I was certain of, were the CCS cases which were easy for me. I studied only UW, where I had 58%, and which seemed much easier than the actual exam. So here I was -hoping that at least I passed , because the thought of having these tortuous 2 days again made me sick....
Anyway, knowing that these horrible exam days did not contribute on me feeling any better- and knowing that I will attend my IVs a few days after- I started taking the antibiotics I had brought prophylactically from Germany to prevent anything worse.. I felt better immediately- my voice came back and there was no more yellow sputum...Thank God for antibiotics..lol
Oh well-went to my 1st IV, it was okay, but I didn't like the city. Went to my 2nd IV and totally fell in love with everything there- the vibes were just great. But at the other hand was scared, because I was the only IMG without any Visa there- everyone else (14 docs) were either AMGs or American IMGs who went to med school in the the Caribbean..
Nevertheless I hoped & prayed for a prematch with H1B Visa there. Since I was there on their very 1st IV day (Oct 24th)- everybody told me not to expect a prematch offer so early in the IV season. On the 2nd Business day, actually while I was on my flight back to Europe, I received a call (on my mailbox) & email with the prematch offer I was praying to get !!!!! It was like a dream come true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Jesus!!
I accepted right away and was told that they would sponsor me an H1B Visa (even though I was told by others that this Hospital doesn't like giving out H1Bs)---- So the next thing on my head was: Oh my goodness---I signed the "Letter of Intent" and I am only this much away from getting my desired H1B Visa...........But then I remembered the horrible Step 3 exam day.. and got scared! My PD told me that he doesn't care what score I have, all he needs is a PASS so we can proceed the Visa process. Otherwise I would have to deal with a J1 visa....
So the days til the results came closer- I did not really know what to do with my time, so I started debating and leaving my comments to that controversial "GC/Citizen IMGs with no residency"- subject..... trying to kill time...
Then, finally, today- 6 am CET (central european time)- I got my Step 3 result!!!!! 201/83 !! I was a little disappointed about the score knowing that I need a good Step 3 score for the GI Fellowship I wanna do after residency. But then again, knowing that I took the exam with Fever, Laryngitis, Bronchitis and Chills , I should not complain and be happy that I passed. The clinical cases were actually the ones that saved me, I mostly had a borderline performance in the multiple choice questions.
Oh well, concerning the GI Fellowship- I will worry about that later! At least my Hospital offers a GI Fellowship- so if I shine during my Residency , I know I still have chances. And also my PD cheered me up today by saying my Step 3 scores are "respectable"....
Oh well, looking at this forum now....I passed all these different stages ( started with Step 1 and ended it with Step 3)... I guess its time for me to go and enjoy my free time here in Europe & travel a lil bit until I start residency in June/July 2009.
Thank you guys for answering my questions, congratulating, giving me tips & helping out...
I wish all of you guys luck in the coming days, weeks & months! My dream has come true & I'm sure if you just believe, have faith and never give up, your dreams can come true too!!!
And to those who insulted me & got all personal just because I have a different opinion than they have (you know who you are..lol)--- Good luck to you too....I'm sure God has a plan for you guys too....
NEVER EVER GIVE UP , FOLLOW YOUR DREAM & BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!
Before I leave, I would like to share 3 Quotes that meant a lot to me during this whole USMLE & ERAS process:
œSuccess means having the courage, the determination and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be “ Dr. George Shehaan, 1918-1993, Cardiologist
œSuccess is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
" Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined." - Thoreau
Take care everybody
Peace & Blessings
Cococure
Its crazy...I remember how I started reading the posts of this forum. I started with Step 1- thinking to myself gheeeezzz I still have soo much ahead of me..
Then came to Step 2ck...saying, wooooow I am almost halfway there...
Stopped by CS- reading the cases and then after a long time waiting, started counting the minutes with others , til the CS results finally came in......
Then being happy about getting my ECFMG certificate in time for the Residency application-----thinking to myself: woooow...I came a looooong way--- next step would be the August date for the Documents and the September 2nd for the actual application on ERAS. Then the following days of being upset because my transcript was not uploaded on time..... hoping & praying for IV invitations to come in---having 0 IVs and a friend with better scores than me who got a new IV invite everyday was really scary......
In the meantime getting my application ready for Step 3 and starting to study for it.....not really being able to concentrate because being disappointed by the first 2 weeks of silence in my ERAS mailbox--
Then finally 4 IVs came in....happy & excited to come to the US, take my Step 3 exam & attend my first 2 IVs.....
Step 3 exam was horrible- having fever, chills, laryngitis and bronchitis and sitting in this cold exam room, having this damn AC blowing cold air on my head constantly---me shivering-not being able to wear a jacket or a scarf----trying to concentrate answering these weird , long & stupid exam questions 2 days in a row....it was a nightmare- I did not have any idea on how I did- it was all weird..the only thing I was certain of, were the CCS cases which were easy for me. I studied only UW, where I had 58%, and which seemed much easier than the actual exam. So here I was -hoping that at least I passed , because the thought of having these tortuous 2 days again made me sick....
Anyway, knowing that these horrible exam days did not contribute on me feeling any better- and knowing that I will attend my IVs a few days after- I started taking the antibiotics I had brought prophylactically from Germany to prevent anything worse.. I felt better immediately- my voice came back and there was no more yellow sputum...Thank God for antibiotics..lol
Oh well-went to my 1st IV, it was okay, but I didn't like the city. Went to my 2nd IV and totally fell in love with everything there- the vibes were just great. But at the other hand was scared, because I was the only IMG without any Visa there- everyone else (14 docs) were either AMGs or American IMGs who went to med school in the the Caribbean..
Nevertheless I hoped & prayed for a prematch with H1B Visa there. Since I was there on their very 1st IV day (Oct 24th)- everybody told me not to expect a prematch offer so early in the IV season. On the 2nd Business day, actually while I was on my flight back to Europe, I received a call (on my mailbox) & email with the prematch offer I was praying to get !!!!! It was like a dream come true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Jesus!!
I accepted right away and was told that they would sponsor me an H1B Visa (even though I was told by others that this Hospital doesn't like giving out H1Bs)---- So the next thing on my head was: Oh my goodness---I signed the "Letter of Intent" and I am only this much away from getting my desired H1B Visa...........But then I remembered the horrible Step 3 exam day.. and got scared! My PD told me that he doesn't care what score I have, all he needs is a PASS so we can proceed the Visa process. Otherwise I would have to deal with a J1 visa....
So the days til the results came closer- I did not really know what to do with my time, so I started debating and leaving my comments to that controversial "GC/Citizen IMGs with no residency"- subject..... trying to kill time...
Then, finally, today- 6 am CET (central european time)- I got my Step 3 result!!!!! 201/83 !! I was a little disappointed about the score knowing that I need a good Step 3 score for the GI Fellowship I wanna do after residency. But then again, knowing that I took the exam with Fever, Laryngitis, Bronchitis and Chills , I should not complain and be happy that I passed. The clinical cases were actually the ones that saved me, I mostly had a borderline performance in the multiple choice questions.
Oh well, concerning the GI Fellowship- I will worry about that later! At least my Hospital offers a GI Fellowship- so if I shine during my Residency , I know I still have chances. And also my PD cheered me up today by saying my Step 3 scores are "respectable"....
Oh well, looking at this forum now....I passed all these different stages ( started with Step 1 and ended it with Step 3)... I guess its time for me to go and enjoy my free time here in Europe & travel a lil bit until I start residency in June/July 2009.
Thank you guys for answering my questions, congratulating, giving me tips & helping out...
I wish all of you guys luck in the coming days, weeks & months! My dream has come true & I'm sure if you just believe, have faith and never give up, your dreams can come true too!!!
And to those who insulted me & got all personal just because I have a different opinion than they have (you know who you are..lol)--- Good luck to you too....I'm sure God has a plan for you guys too....
NEVER EVER GIVE UP , FOLLOW YOUR DREAM & BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!
Before I leave, I would like to share 3 Quotes that meant a lot to me during this whole USMLE & ERAS process:
œSuccess means having the courage, the determination and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be “ Dr. George Shehaan, 1918-1993, Cardiologist
œSuccess is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
" Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined." - Thoreau
Take care everybody
Peace & Blessings
Cococure