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2.27.2008

Process of Securing Residency....and the Steps u have to take...

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4 comments

How to start and go about the process of securing a residency
position:


1. Pick your desired residency (internal medicine, surgery,
radiology etc.) http://www.aamc.org/images/header_eras_1.jpg
2. Send away for an ERAS (Electronic Residency Application System)
application
3. Research your destination hospitals (see AMA's FREIDA online)
4. Complete and dispatch the ERAS application to ECFMG http://www.radswiki.net/main/images/thumb/5/56/Frieda.gif/250px-Frieda.gif
5. Register as an independent applicant with the National Residency
Matching Program. http://meded.ucsd.edu/assets/6/Image/Organizations/NRMP.jpg
6. Watch the Automated Document Tracking System (ADTS) for the
progress of your ERAS submission
7. Call/e-mail the hospitals that have received your ERAS
application, and ask about interview schedules. Request early
decisions based on your need to complete international travel
8. Attend for your interviews
9. Rank your favorite programs in NRMP's ROL (rank order list)
10. Submit your rank order list by internet to the National
Residency Matching Program
11. While awaiting the match results, research your visa options and
send for the licensing application packs for the states that you
feel most likely to match with.
12. Obtain your match results (or enter the scramble if unmatched)
13. Sign and return your contract
14. If immigrating on a J1 visa, get the DS2019 form from ECFMG and
apply through your local consulate. If immigrating on a H-visa,
you'll need to get your state license completed first (requires your
ECFMG certificate and a copy of the signed contract with the
hospital)
15. Organize accommodation, flights, cargo etc.

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Usmle In Detail... How to Secure Residency...U'll Find The Path Here!

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39 comments

How to start and go about the process of securing a residency
position:

A review of the necessary ingredients:

1. The Exams

The USMLEs (United States Medical Licensing Examinations) are a set
of medical exams designed to evaluate your readiness to safely enter
the American medical system. The organisation that watches over the
application of foreign nationals to the American Medical system is
the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) and
they administer the USMLEs outside of the USA.
USMLE are multiple choice exams that are now only held on computer.
There are three parts, or steps, to completing the USMLE exams. The
computers that you can take them are available in a large number of
cities across the world on every working day of the year - you
Register with the ECFMG who administer the test internationally, and
reserve a place at your local centre for a time when you feel ready
to take the examination. Your nearest site can be found here.

The first part, USMLE step 1, is a multiple choice exam consisting
of about 300 questions taken over eight hours in one day at the test
center. The step 1 covers all of the basic sciences - Anatomy ,
Biochemistry , Physiology , statistics, Behavioural science,
Microbiology , Pharmacology , Pathology , ethics - and it is
typically taken in the first half of the medical school curriculum
at a time when these subjects have been covered. Scores are reported
as two digit (NOT %) and three digit scores. The percentage required
to pass is determined based not on a population curve, but on the
relative difficulty of the items as determined by the test
committee. That pass % is then set as being equal to a two digit
score of 75. The mean three digit score is 200. Many programs look
for two digit scores of at least 80-85 for entry. 66% of
international medical graduates pass this exam with each sitting,
while 91% of US medical students do.
The second part was recently divided into two parts, USMLE step 2ck
(clinical knowledge) and USMLE step 2cs (clinical skills). USMLE
step 2 ck+cs is the examination that American medical students take
before being allowed to graduate from medical school. USMLE step 2ck
consists of a similar one day computer based examination, and covers
all of the clinical sciences including medicine, surgery,
Paediatrics , obstetrics and Gynaecology , Psychiatry , forensics,
emergency care, ENT , Ophthalmology , tropical health, ethics. It is
usually taken in the final year of medical school, or beyond. 75% of
international medical graduates/students pass this on first sitting,
while 95% of american medical students do.
The USMLE Step 2cs examination is a newer requirement for ECFMG
certification. The USMLE step 2cs is an expensive ($1200)
examination is held in only a few American cities throughout the
year. It brings examinees face-to-face with ten simulated
('standardized') patients - ie actors pretending to have specific
complaints. You are tested on your ability to rapidly assess a
patient, communicate your thoughts to them, and to write a note
about your assessment and plans. Application is presently through
the ECFMG only. As of November 2002 (when the exam was called the
CSA), the pass rate was 80%, with 60% of failures being due to
language difficulties. As a result of this new examination, the
TOEFL will no longer be required. However the USMLE step 2cs will
have an expiry date for the first time.

USMLE step 3 (application on FSMB) is taken by American students
during their residency program within a year or so of graduation.
International students only need to take the USMLE part 3 if they
plan to immigrate on a H-1B visa (recommended over a J-1). This exam
is only given in the United States, requiring you to travel here to
take it. Also, only a few states (California, Connecticut,
Louisiana, New York, Utah, or West Virginia) allow you to take the
part 3 in their jurisdiction without being in an American residency
program. It is largely similar in scope to the USMLE step 2 with
more emphasis on practical management. The computerized test can be
taken geographically in any US state at a testing center as long as
you are sitting the test FOR Connecticut or New York. Application is
through the state medical board. This means you can take the test in
New Jersey having applied to the state medical board of Connecticut,
and having passed the exam, use that result to start residency in
Massachusetts.

The English Examination is not run by ECFMG any longer. If you have
taken the CSA you will be required to take a TOEFL (test of english
as a foreign language) examination. If you take the USMLE step 2cs,
you do not have to take an additional english examination. The TOEFL
is run in most countries by the Educational Testing Service. Click
here for more information on the TOEFL examination.

2. The ECFMG Certificate

This sounds straightforward but can be unexpectedly time consuming.
The ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates)
certificate is a document proving that you have fulfilled the
education requirements needed to practice medicine in the USA.

The Necessary components are to have
1. - your medical degree and transcript verified by ECFMG (can take
a long time)
2. - passed USMLE 1 and 2ck
3. - passed the clinical skills assessment (or step 2cs)
4. - passed a TOEFL english examination (or step 2cs)
5. - paid ECFMG in full
All of these components must be valid at the time when you apply for
final certification. This certificate testifies to the fact that you
have fulfilled the requirements for entry into clinical training in
the USA.
Remember that the ECFMG certificate is only valid as long as its
components (eg USMLE step 1) remain valid; each component has an
expiry date. Your ECFMG certificate must be VALID when you apply for
a visa or start your training. The english examination component
expires after two years. Remember that if you have to revalidate
your english test, the results of a repeat english examination will
take some time to be processed to revalidate your certificate (this
delayed my visa application).

3. ERAS
The electronic residency application system (ERAS) is a method of
centralised, computerised application for residency. After you have
paid the required application fee and requested a 'Token' via the On-
line Applicant Status and Information System (OASIS), ECFMG will
send a unique identification number ('a Token') by e-mail. This
Token will permit the applicant to access the AAMC's ERAS website to
complete his/her ERAS application on-line. Simultaneously, you'll
have to mail photocopies of your supporting documents to ECFMG. On
this online site you have to
a. enter your personal details in a standardized curriculum vitae
b. enter a personal statement
c. designate the residency programs you wish to have your
application sent to.

The supporting documents that you have send in the mail include
1. your photograph
2. your examination transcript and
3. your letters of reference
4. your dean's letter /medical student performance evaluation

Foreign medical graduates send these paper items to the ECFMG who
act as your "dean's office". They scan your paper documents and
photo, match it to your online application items and e-mail the lot
to the residency programs you selected. You can select up to four
letters of recommendation to each program. You can follow this
process on the Automated Document Tracking System (ADTS) which
allows you to see when your application documents are downloaded by
the residency programs. ERAS, the ADTS and the NRMP are all run my
the AAMC (American Association of Medical Colleges). You should
complete all of the ERAS application procedures as soon as possible,
but by December 1st in your year of application at the latest.

The question of where to apply is frequently asked. Almost all
hospitals will take the best applicants they can get, no matter
their origin. There is therefore no such thing as 'FMG friendly'
hospitals, only hospitals that cannot recruit american graduates,
and have a preponderance of FMGs working there. You would do well to
try and avoid such institutions since there is often a reason that
they are deserted by American grads. If you do want to find such
places, you can find them listed in the unfilled list at
scutwork.com. The best advice is to discuss your plans with
colleagues who know your field, and get their advice about where you
would best be suited. You can use resources on AMA's FREIDA online
to narrow your search, and obtain contact information.

4. Interviews

The most difficult part in your application will be securing an
interview. Many program directors find it difficult to evaluate
foreign graduates, so are reluctant to make the effort to interview
them: there is certainly little doubt that there is substantial
variablility in the quality of graduates from disparate medical
schools.

There are no guaranteed methods to getting an interview at any of
the top hospitals. However you can increase your chances by
- doing an elective
- getting good USMLE scores
- doing well in your own medical school - having a research
publication
- having very strong letters of reference ffrom your dean and
referees

Never assume that your application is actually being reviewed by the
hospital you applied to. Make sure you get in touch with the program
coordinator after you have seen them download your items from ERAS,
asking when you can expect to hear about whether you will be given
an interview. All program directors are listed in the AMA green
book, and online at FREIDA. It is true that planning international
travel is more complicated than local travel, so you really will
benefit from an early decision. If you do get an interview, you
should be able to negotiate a day that works in your interviewing
schedule, but this can be variable.

The interview day itself usually starts the night before, where
you'll be hosted to a casual dinner with members of that residency.
This is where you get to ask all the hard questions about what life
is really like working in that hospital and program. Many residency
programs do look for FEEDBACK from those who have met you at these
dinners, so be on your best behavior.

The actual interview day will usually involve hearing a presentation
about the program, going to morning report/conference, and then
meeting individually with some of the selection committee during the
day. You may not be scheduled to meet with the program director
themself, but it is worth asking (given you have travelled so far)
to meet directly with them at the end of the day, to find out how
you got on, and whether you're in with a good chance at this
program.

Do follow up with the program director by email or letter after you
have left to solidify your intent or interest.

5. The Match

The Match is a centralised computer program that matches a
physician's highest ranked residency program with a hospital that
ranks them highly.
It is organised by the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) .
Not all of the available spots are listed in the Match, and some of
the more competitive specialities participate only in the "Early
Match". See the NRMP site for more information. As an international
applicant, you must Register as an 'independent applicant' before
December 1st of your year of application at the latest

What happens in the Match is .....
(1) You apply to the programs in the hospitals that interest you
(2) those programs that are interested in you will invite you for an
interview
(3) after the interview, the hospital ranks you among all those
they've interviewed
(4) After all your interviews, you rank the programs that you want
and
(5) on a certain date in March, all of these preferences are chewed
on by a computer and the hospitals are matched with the applicants.

Those that do not 'Match' are notified two days before the official
results and can participate in the 'Scramble' where unmatched
physicians contact unmatched residency programs by phone and fax in
an attempt to find jobs. You can find the list of programs that
failed to fill all of their positions at scutwork.com or click
here . For more info on the scramble process click HERE.

You will optimise your chances of matching by...
(1) Being organised and ready
(2) having good grades, USMLE scores and references
(3) performing well at interview
(4) having done an elective at the hospital you're applying to
(5) knowing about your visa plans

Residencies can fill their positions in the match, before the match,
or in a brief 'scramble' after the match. On the Monday of match
week before the specific match results are available (always a
Thursday), unmatched applicants and unfilled programs are told (by
email) that they did not match/fill, and the listing of unfilled
programs is released. Unmatched applicants then have those next
three days to convince program directors of unfilled programs that
they are the right candidate to fill that job. Most use faxes, and
phonecalls since program directors are usually so overwhelmed as to
ignore email.
You can obtain a position before the match too. This happens when
programs are sufficiently impressed with you (or sufficiently
desperate for applicants) that in the days or weeks after the
interview, they offer you a position directly, providing you agree
to withdraw from the match right there and then, and sign the
paperwork. This works well for less competitive candidates who are
very unsure about their potential to match through the ranking
process, and are happy with the offer.

6. State Medical Licences

After you've successfully matched you need to secure your medical
license and your visa. The medical license is specific to the state
of your employing hospital. Information on contacting the state
medical boards is included in the USMLE /ECFMG [bleep] of
Information, and is also located at the Federation of State Medical
Boards Web Page. States differ significantly on their processing
times and requirements for licensure. You should check out the
details, including requirements for USMLE 3 eligibility at the AMA
GME handbook . (contact your residency program for further details)

7. Your Immigration Visa

Doctors who have graduated from foreign medical schools seeking U.S.
residency training (who do not qualify for permanent resident status
in the U.S.) usually seek either of two visas from the Immigration
and Naturalization Service (INS), the J-1 or the H-1B visas. Several
recent events affect the use of those two visas by foreign
graduates.

7A. The J-visa

The J-1 non-immigrant visa permits completion of an accredited
residency or fellowship program of up to seven years duration which
leads to board certification. Following this, the resident *must*
return to his/her native country or country of last residence for a
period of at least two years. ECFMG issues a form called a DS2019
which tells the consulate that you are eligible to enter the US. The
American consulate in your own country will decide whether to issue
the visa.
Your governmental health office must sign a document indicating the
need in your home country for physicians trained in your prospective
speciality. Occasionally (this is often an issue for Canadians) the
country does not recognize a need for residents in a particular area
and refuses to issue the form, but for most it is a simple
formality. J-1 visa applications are usually processed quickly,
though some countries have a longer processing time due in part to
the events of Sept 11, 2001.

It is important to note that coming to the US on a J-1 visa
absolutely limits you to staying here only until the completion of
any training (be that six months or five years) up to a MAXIMUM of
seven years. This is a training visa, so you cannot use to practice
independently as an attending. If you think there is a chance that
you would like the opportunity to stay in the USA after your
training, you should take the USMLE 3 and come on a H1B visa.
There are four ways to stay in the US on a 'waiver' of this two year
home residency requirement. For most, the only practical way to
avoid having to return to your home country is to agree to practice
in an underserved area for three years after you have completed your
training. These positions are competitive and the competition for
them is expensive. Again, please consider coming on a H1B visa to
avoid these problems.

7B. The H-1B Visa

The H-1B visa allows the prospective trainee to avoid the J-1 visa
requirement to leave the U.S. for two years by petitioning for
permanent resident status in the U.S. while in residency training.
An applicant for an H-1B visa must be

(1) ECFMG certified (ie have passed USMLE 1, 2ck and 2cs);
(2) must have ALSO passed USMLE step 3 AND
(3) must hold a license to practice in a U.S. state before
application (it takes about three weeks to get a training license
after your match).

Residency programs decide individually which type of visa they will
support for their candidates for residency training. Previously most
did NOT support H-1b applications, although the new visa laws passed
in October 2000 mean that now many that previously did not offer
them should do so. You should ask your programs directly which they
will consider for you. Remember that many have the default position
of refusing such visas (and even note such decisions on residency
and hospital websites), but if you learn about them, and talk to the
international officers at these institutions, many will reverse
their decision and apply for this visa on your behalf.
Currently all academic institutions have unrestricted access to H1B
visas, without a cap. This means that your H1B visa is likely to be
easily available, and processed quickly (though some can still take
up to six months). A standard H1b application can still takes about
2-3 months for processing, so to be ready for a July 1st start, you
have to be quick about your license and your visa application right
after you match, unless you use expedited processing which can be
achieved by paying an extra $1000 , and the visa will be approved
within approx 14 days.

You will have to think carefully about which visa is right for you.
Note that the Match takes place in mid-March, and for a July start
you would likely have only a short time to secure a state medical
license and submit your H-1B visa application.
Some good visa sites for physicians are as follows:

Here is an overview of the process

8. Costs

• USMLE 1 $825

• USMLE 2 $800

• (USMLE 3 $670 + travel [only if H-visa sought])

• CSA $1200 + travel

• ERAS $185 (Minimum)

• NRMP $40

• State license $240

• Interviews $1000 + travel

• ESTIMATED TOTAL $5,000 + travel to the US (two trips if H-visa
sought - one for USMLE 3, one for CSA with interviews)
• (total cost can run upto $10,000 depending on how long you stay in
US and how many programs you apply to)

9. What about Observerships?

Many residency programs look for letters of recommendation from
American physicians when reviewing applications. Medical students
can get these when they are on electives in US hospitals. It is
harder for those who already have their medical degree, since
observerships are much less developed than electives.
If you are thinking of trying to come and experience American
medical practice as an observer for a few weeks, the best thing to
do is to contact the departmental head of your preferred specialty
at a hospital that interests you. Your letter should contain an
introduction about you, and go on to explain what you hope to
achieve by spending time in an American Hospital. You could talk
about exploring differences in educational strategies, in medical
practice, or system organization. I would not specifically allude to
objectives such as getting letters of recommendation or applying to
residency. Assure the departmental head that you will obtain your
own liability insurance. You should include a copy of your
curriculum vitae and a photo. If possible, use contacts from home.
If you don't hear back, make personal contact with email or
telephone.

10. When should I go?

This is a tough question and there is no "right" answer. What is
certain is that if you want to get registered with the Board of the
Speciality that interests you, you must do all your training from
PGY-1 (post-graduate year one) to speciality in the USA. So for
example if you aspire to cardiology and be able to practice as a
cardiologist in the USA you must spend 3 years of Internal Medicine
Residency followed by 4 years of Cardiology Fellowship. While you
can do your basic medical training in your home country and join a
US fellowship, you will not be able then to practice as a
Cardiologist, as you cannot be 'board certified' without completing
a residency first. The point to remember is that if you just want to
spend 4 years training in the USA, you can just go over for a
fellowship - while if you want to practice in the USA you have to go
over for the whole lot

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2.26.2008

Get RSS Feeds for Any Medical Journal from Pubmed

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0 comments

MedPDA.net used the newly launched PubMed feeds to get RSS for any journal. He also explains how to set up the feeds yourself in the post How-to: RSS feeds for medical journals.

JAMA and Archives Have RSS Feeds Now

General and Internal Medicine

New England Journal of Medicine: RSS
Annals of Internal Medicine: RSS
JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association): RSS
BMJ (British Medical Journal): RSS
Archives of Internal Medicine: RSS

Nature: RSS
Nature Medicine: RSS

Hematology / Oncology

Blood: RSS
Journal of Clinical Oncology: RSS
Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI): RSS
Haematologica: RSS
Bone Marrow Transplantation: RSS



References:
PubMed RSS feeds are now live
Getting RSS feeds for most medical journals - MedPDA.net
How-to: RSS feeds for medical journals - MedPDA.net
Use Plucker to get Journal RSS feeds in your PDA - Palmdoc.blogspot
RSS tutorial for STFM Board. Family Medicine Notes
A really simple guide to a powerful tool: RSS. BMJ Career Focus 2006;332:244.

(Source: www.medpda.net & http://casesblog.blogspot.com/)

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2.24.2008

Download or Hear Hindi/Telugu Jodha Akbar Songs VBR 320 KBps

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0 comments
























To Download Jodha Akbar Songs Click Here.......

"JODHA AKBAR"

Telugu JODHA AKBAR Songs.....
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2.23.2008

Free Physical Examination Videos-For USMLE Step2CS

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7 comments

Hi Ppl I am adding a list Physical Exam Videos From The Same Free Site www.learnerstv.com....
Although i posted these on other Blog..i felt these will be useful to the Final Yr MBBS Students and USMLE Step2 CS......The List Goes Here...

Video Lecture Description Sub-Category Time Click to view video
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Physical Examination-Full Neonatal Examination.-Part3 Physical Examination 13m 14s Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Detailed Neurological examination-Part1 Physical Examination 12m 42s Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Detailed Neurological examination-Part2 Physical Examination 10m 27s Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Detailed Neurological examination-Part3 Physical Examination 9m 30s Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Detailed Neurological examination-Part4 Physical Examination 10m 03s Click to view video lecture
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Physical Examination-Full Thorax Examination-Part1 Physical Examination 10m 27s Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Thorax Examination-Part2 Physical Examination 9m 17s Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Oral Presentation-Part1 Physical Examination 8m 39s Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Oral Presentation-Part2 Physical Examination 6m 22s Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Oral Presentation-Part3 Physical Examination 9m 56s Click to View Video Lecture
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u can get them Here....

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Free Medical Video Lectures, Animations, E-book Download links....

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5 comments


Hi Guys I am Posting a New Blog With A Site providing LOTS N LOOOOOOOOTS Of videos,e-books,Video lectures......

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2.22.2008

An IMG Experience.....

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7 comments

I am Posting the story of a poor immigrant who managed walking up the hill on residency and finally succeeded ....Thanks To Intelligentdoc For sharing this With me...
And i hope this will be Inspirational to our members....

An IMG Experience

I graduated in 1998 from medical school and was not able to start my residency right away. In my country, residencies are not paid, so the majority of residents have to live with their parents or be sponsored by their wifes/husbands, coming from a humble family, and being single, that was not my situation.
I immigrated to the US in 2002, and started to re-learn English, those were tough times, no job, no english, and not a single clue about how to continue with my education. Finally after spending 2 years learning english and understanding the intrincacies of the ECFMG Certification - Match I decided to start, by then I was already 28 Years old, been out of medical school for 5 years, and the worst part, I wanted to do Surgery.
Talking to a lot of people, I quickly realized that things were going to be harder than I thought, I got a job as a computer programmer (!), and started from there, the long hours in front the computer, so far from what I love (my patients) made study every day a difficult task. after a couple of months fighting against the routine I was able to get started.
Setting up goals
The first thing I did, which, I think was key to success, was to stablish a detailed plan, all the way from Step 1 to residency. I joined several forums and was aquainted with the general timing of the exams, I learned that in order to be ready and on time, I would need to have my last exam done by the end of September (1st Rule of thumb), and that would allow me to start my residency by june Next year.
I decided to go in order, Step 1, CK, CS, that mean that I would tackle the hardest one first and would work my way through Step 2 without much problems.
Step 1
I decided to study for a full 8 months for step 1, and here comes my second rule of thumb for the USMLE: You will never be as ready as you would like to be for the Exam, just set a timing goal and adhere to it, if you wait to set the dates for the exam once you are ready, most likely that time is going to be more than what you really need.
After gathering the materias, I took the kaplan 150 question practice exam just to see and gauge an starting point. The results were not any good, I was close to 38%!!! in some of the areas, and my best score was not better than 60%. I took the decision to distribuite the time as follows:
6 months reading the Kaplan Lecture notes (3 Huge books by then)
1 month reading and reviewing First Aid
1 final month exclusively doing practice questions.
In between I started doing the Kaplan Qbank in tutor mode, that helps a lot, but in the end that final month was to be done simulating the actual conditions of the exam, in weekdays I use to do timed blocks of 50 questions and in the weekends try to do as many blocks as possible. In the final days of review I was doing an average of 75% in kaplan, enough to pass the Exam, I took the exam in the end of 2004 and got 85. It was not the score I would like to have, but I was relieved it was over.
Getting into a hands on clinical possition - Possible?
Just after getting my results on the exam, I was told by a friend that there was a position available for Foreign Graduated Physicians in a Hospital in Miami, the position is called House Physician, the state of Florida let people like me work as physician, mostly doing History and Physical exam in patients that either are going to surgery or are admitted in the wards. I was able to secure a position and started seeing patients again. Check in your state with the local department of health, they may have this type of position available.
Step 2 -
I Started to study for Step 2 a few weeks after taking Step 1. for step 2 I used only Kaplan Lecture notes and USMLEworld, after reading the book I did every single one of the 2000+ questions, and was able to repeat at least 800 of them. My final score for USMLE World was 58%, I was confident that this score would guarantee at least 90 in the exam. I spend 5 months preparing the exam, and I still remember taking Step 2, Everything seemed so easy, I got 92, almost 93.
Having fun, that’s what matter
By then I had been on my job as a physician for 6 months, doing at least 12 - 15 Cases a day, Step 2 CS was going to be a breeze, I prepared the exam for 15 days, mostly reading the material of First Aid, and the USMLE video, took the exam in Atlanta, in September, Last year, just as I had envisioned 2 years before… The first case was difficult, because I was very nervous, as soon as I exit trhough the door, somehow I realized that my dream was fulfilled, there were only 11 doors, between me and my ECFMG certificate, I just needed to have some fun in between. Results arrived 4 weeks later, I was a certified physician now.
Here comes the difficult part… maybe not
Getting into Surgical residency was going to be hard, I knew, my scores were not perfect, I had no research experience, and my age (30) and the time after my graduation (7 years) was a handicap in my application, but first I needed to get the Letters of recommendation, and after receiving 2 negative answers from attendings, I was able to get letters, from the chairman of the Surgical department at my hospital, a prominent Laparoscopic surgeon and the medical director of the hospital.
Next step was to compose my Personal Statement, it got to be something that while being true to myself also allow me to get the attention of the committees, I received help from a friend who was able to capture my ideas, and at the end the result was better that I was hoping for. I applied for a whooping 92 programs nationwide on the national residency matching program, spending close to $2000 in the process, I did this trying to cover my deficiencies with a massive ammount of program applications.
and then I started to receive emails from the different programs, the first 30 Emails were negatives, something like “thank you very much for applying, but you are not getting an interview here” It was November last year, when a friend told me that someone got into surgery after completing an Observership in a very big and important hospital in my city. despite everybody telling me that it was going to be near impossible to get a position in such that institution, I decided to try to sign up for an observership.
I was lucky enough to fill a position of someone who had already signed up but was unable to attend, that was the only spot that was available for the next 6 months in the trauma unit of the hospital, I was there 3 months, Dec, Jan and Feb, working around the clock with the Surgery intern and the Senior Resident.
At the same time I applied for residency in that hospital, and talked to the Senior Resident, letting him know that I wanted to stay for my residency. Somehow, they called me for interview, I was astonished. it was the end of 2005 when I got my interview, minutes before I was going to talk to the program director, the Senior resident Popped in and talked to him privately for a couple of minutes. My interview was a breeze.
Now, after writing this, I am heading to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, FL; to finish the paperwork and to do the physical, I signed the contract in December,2005; 3 months before the match, and I will be starting my residency in General Surgery in June… Although I am anxious, I know that everything is going to be all right, I am confident that with hard work and the help of who is now my wife, that has supported me since I was in my country, I am going to be able to go through my residency, being successful, but most of all, having fun, enjoying it, as I have enjoyed every single step of the way, experiences, that happen only once, but last for a life time.
By the way, I was called by 13 different programs across the nation, never went to a single interview!
Hope This Helps...

Dr Pavan

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Interview with Dr Anil Chauhan, Radiology Resident, USA

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Hi Guys This Is the Experience Of An Indian Doctor From AIIMS(All India Institute ff Medical Sciences) who procured Residency in Radiology Here In USA..I hope This Will be Useful & i added this in the Best Interests of UR Members...This Is Experience No 2 Read Experience 1 HERE

Author: AshB,(Posted On A famous Indian Forum Which Deals with Entrance Exams Thr)

Dr Anil Chauhan secured a Radiology residency position at the University of Minnesota, USA in last year’s match. Radiology is a highly competitive specialty in US and is extremely difficult for an International Medical Graduate (IMG) to get into. When i was thinking of someone who has achieved such a competitive residency spot in USA and we could of think of no better person than Anil. he is a graduate of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Anil came about as very pleasant and humble yet clear headed and motivated person during the interview. He has been eagerly helping people with his advice about various aspects of USMLE, research and competitive residencies. He shares with us here his pearls of wisdom on the ever confusing path to US.

Q. How do you feel about your success?
A. It feels great because finally my hard work and perseverance has paid. My struggle for 3 years has finally yielded fruit.

Q. How has your journey been?
A. When I look back, it brings mixed feelings to me. I see my story as of an average guy who dreamt big. This is just the start of my long journey but I have crossed the first and biggest hurdle. I have come across lot of different people who influenced this journey of mine in different ways. I decided to go for US during my internship. I got immense support from my family, my mentor at AIIMS and friends, all of which served as a fuel for me. They gave me the strength to fight the odds and face the people who were sceptic about my aim. On many occasions, both in India as well as US, I came across people who discouraged me and advised me to seriously rethink my plans. There were times when my dream seemed impossible to me, but by god’s grace I was able to keep my will and strength to go on and here I am in front of you with a Radiology residency.

Q. Whom do you attribute your success to?
A. Of course the foremost is my family. I can’t forget to mention my mentor in India, my mentors in US and my friends. I would also attribute my success to my teachers at AIIMS. These people were my perpetual support who always boosted my confidence.

Q. What do you think was the secret of your success?
I will give credit to my hard work, patience, research experience, ability to produce ideas, focused approach, goal directed strategy for 3-4 years and overall wishes from family, mentors and friends.

Q. What factors do you consider important to get a residency in US?
A. It changes from year to year. The common factors are scores, strong Letter of Recommendations (LORs), research when accompanied by significant results. Over the last few years US clinical experience has emerged as a very strong factor and can’t be ignored.

Q. How should one go about getting a residency in US?
A. It is a multi-faceted approach. One should start working on it as soon as you are sure of it. Try to finish your steps in time but remember, you can’t afford to compromise on scores and you can’t afford to fail in CS. Try to be involved in research and learn how to do it. If you are really good at it, you can do some research on your own, like a meta-analysis with a small number of studies. USCE is extremely recommended in present scenario and one should have at least a few months of United States Clinical Experience (USCE) before the start of application process. One new approach these days is coming up, better known as research electives. It is for people who decide to go to US in 2nd or 3rd year. It is available at some top universities and proves to be really helpful in future. All this put together also helps in getting strong LORs, which comprise another important aspect of application process. There are a lot of other things, which seem unimportant at times but in reality, play a significant role, like acquiring up-to-date information, setup and improve networking, and getting done with all paperwork on time. These should be started long before preparation for the steps.


Dr. Anil Chauhan

Q. How much time and what resources do you advise for the USMLE Steps?
A. Usually, 4-6 months are considered enough for taking single step. One should have enough free time for 2-4 weeks before exam and stress should be avoided. NBME's self assessment tests are a wonderful tool to assess your actual level of preparation. They are considered the most reliable predictors of your scores. USMLE CS exam preparation usually takes 2-3 dedicated weeks. USMLE Step 3 exam preparation is variable and depends on how busy you are with application process. It should take less time for step 3, if you are fresh with step 2 CK knowledge. Resources for USMLE Step 1 are Kaplan vs. miscellaneous books (including High Yield Series, BRS Series, Lange books for different subjects). Either of them is a good option but reading more than one resource for one subject is not highly recommended. For USMLE Step 2 CK it is mostly Kaplan and few important topics can be read from CMDT. I’ll sum up CS preparation as ‘practice, practice and practice’. UsmleWorld question bank has very good questions for every step, including step 3 and also gives decent feedback about your preparations.

Q. What timeline is usually good for a residency application?
A. It is best to be ECFMG certified before application process starts. Most USMLE aspirants tend to delay steps without solid reasons due to option of changing the dates as many times as you want, but it proves detrimental in the long run. If you finish it early, then you will have enough time for observership, research etc. This does not mean that USCE should be considered at the end; it can go along with the preparations.

Q. Is it important to have Step 3 completed before application?
A. It is certainly desirable but not indispensable. A good USMLE Step 3 score can help to reduce the impact of previous low scores. Most of the times, people take it later in the year to be eligible for H1B visa. However, don’t take this exam lightly under the impression that merely passing it is enough. This leads to lot of people to fail the exam due to suboptimal preparation. This is the toughest step of all and tests your knowledge as well as speed. You should be sure enough about your preparation because a failure can be a big setback to your US residency application. A good Step 3 score can certainly enhance your chances of getting interviews. USCE also helps a lot for USMLE Step 3.

Q. What tips would you give to a USMLE aspirant currently in IInd MBBS?
A. I appreciate the IInd MBBS USMLE aspirants for being clear about their plans so early. They should try to read American texts and just not stick to books required to pass professional examinations. Besides that, try to be thorough with the basic concepts which matter a lot in USMLE steps. At this stage, they should try to get involved in research with prominent faculty members which are known to produce results. The thing that you should consider is that whether you would be able to get a publication in an indexed journal and in time. Even if you can’t get decent publications, this experience will help you to produce results in future, specially while in US. You should focus on learning various aspects of research and I consider literature review the most important part for a beginner. Research Elective (RE) is the emerging option for these which help them a lot in building their CV and getting strong US LORs even before completing MBBS. Another advantage RE is that it might be feasible to enter even the big universities like Johns Hopkins, which otherwise are out of bounds for us, in addition to the fact that such electives maybe available for lot less fees as against the clerkships in US universities.

Q. What tips would you give to a USMLE aspirant currently in Internship?
A. An intern should first decide when he wants to apply for match and prepare accordingly. There is no harm in waiting for one more year if your steps are getting delayed significantly. You should also try to get involved in research as I have outlined in my previous answer. Keep looking for rare cases for case reports which is easy and quick. According to me, Radiology and Pathology departments have plenty of such cases but you should keep looking at other places too. You should get the maximum USCE at same or different programs as this has been important selection criteria recently. I would suggest, stick to an IMG friendly university program for observership, preferably near the interview season because it immensely increases your chances of getting into that program.

Q. If someone gets a low score in steps, what are the options?
A. Scores matter a lot. They are definite screening criteria for match process. You should see three digit scores and not two digits in most cases. More than 240 is excellent, above 230 is considered pretty good while 220 is usually considered above average score and gives you a decent chance to compete even with people with higher scores if you can spruce up other aspects of your CV. However, one should not lose heart at all. Few things should be considered carefully; Scores are not the only criteria but very important criteria in screening. Other less competitive specialties like psychiatry, paediatrics or family medicine may still be gettable with low scores. You should also work hard in building your CV. You can decide to spend one extra year to do this. You should start with clinical experience. You can do medical research in USA, either voluntarily or as research job. Try to publish articles, present papers, collect LORs, have a lot of USCE and have a great network. Try to contact your seniors or people through your US faculty or fellows or residents in same or different programs.

Q. What do you think about the GRE route for a US residency?
A. It is a very controversial issue. Overall, MPH gives you an additional degree which is considered a positive factor in your application, but in itself is not sufficient to get you a residency. MPH programs vary a lot in terms of workload, chances of getting clinical or research experience and good LORs. And finally chances of getting into residency at the same place. I won’t go into the cost and visa issues which everybody is aware of.

Q. How difficult it is to get a Radiology residency in US for an IMG?
A. From the perspective of an IMG Radiology is highly competitive and extremely difficult to get into. There are two major problems, first is lack of Radiology experience for an IMG especially during under-graduate (UG) years. Second is the small number of positions, which makes it more competitive. There is one more thing that in case of competitive specialties in US, people prefer the candidates whom they know in person. Radiology being so competitive, this tendency to interview people who have had some sort of encounter with them increases. This, coupled with other factors like need for good research and recommendations, increases the need for a multifaceted approach that goes much beyond just good scores. Another aspect of the difficulty is the dilemma of your backup branch. Anybody going for Radiology has to be prepared with a Plan B. But, since the application form is single for all your specialties, it is very tough to make your application good for Radiology as well as something like Internal Medicine or Pediatrics. At times you manage to end up with both applications looking like your backup plan. Hence it’s better to go all for Radiology to make your application stronger but then that hurts your chances of getting into Internal Medicine or Pediatrics if you don’t get Radio.

Q. Are there any alternative routes to a Radiology career in USA?
A. First is doing MD radiology from India then follow it up with a fellowship. After four years of fellowship at the same hospital, you may become eligible for the Board certifications and can thereby bypass the residency process. Radiology fellowships are much easier than Radiology residency in US because many Radiology residents tend to prefer private practice or direct academic posts to fellowships.

Second is through a Nuclear Medicine residency in US and then applying for a Radiology residency. But this has its own pitfalls, like there are only 15-20 nuclear medicine programs, most of which are advanced positions. Many of these programs are not IMG friendly and look for specific nuclear medicine and/or physics background. However, I would like to suggest that one should choose nuclear medicine only if you are interested in it.

Q. Describe your Research experience?
A. My first research exposure was in community medicine during my third year and I pursued it for 2 years. After a pause due to final professional examinations, I started looking for research opportunities at AIIMS and started research work in Oncological imaging. I never took a break from research after that and since then it has been part of my life. Most of my research is oriented around imaging in cancer, especially molecular imaging. I have published papers in indexed journals, had oral presentations and poster presentations in different conferences in USA and managed to bag a research award from a pioneer American organization. I also pursued research at University of Minnesota and our team was able to produce significant results which also caught the attention of radiology media. My research experience over this time had significantly improved my ability to generate new ideas and this worked for me.

Q. How important is research in getting competitive residencies in US?
A. Research is very important and it gives you definite edge over other applicants. But you have to understand that research can lend a big boost to your residency application but will not fetch you a residency all by itself. The most important aspect in research is an indexed original article and it is far better if you are the first author. It becomes more important if you want to get into academic or university programs and you are more inclined towards fellowships. The more competitive the specialty the more important is the research component of your application.


Q. What are your future plans?
I would love to pursue my career in molecular imaging involving MRI and PET. I plan to go for a fellowship in Oncological imaging and/or Body Imaging. I want to be in academics with teaching and research in a esteemed university.

Hope This Helps..

Dr Pavan

(Disclaimer:I am in no way related to or legally responsible for the content posted here and of the websites the above links take you to. I just came across this content from certain websites while browsing the internet at random. I have no idea about the copyright or authenticity of the contents in these websites)

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