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USMLEs

  • 15-10-2010 5:27pm
    #1
    chanste
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 201 ✭✭


    Hi folks,

    The faculty here in UL have been talking about USMLEs to students and recommending that anyone going for it take it at the end of 2nd year (the argument being that once we hit clinical practice in 3rd year our theoretical knowledge would likely not be as good), so I've a few questions and would appreciate all comments or advice people have about the USMLE exams.

    Firstly, I was thinking it would be more savvy to take it after 3rd year with a view to actually doing intern year here and then moving (I would like to go to US for faster career path, and probably come back, but who knows maybe I'd stay). Opinions on pros and cons of this train of thought very welcome.

    Secondly, does anyone have any info on what kinda points International Medical Graduates would need. I was told that we'd need significantly more than American counterparts to balance the hassle for a hospital sorting out VISAs and such things.

    Thirdly I don't know if I could tell one hospital from another in the states let alone which of them would accommodate Irish hopefuls... can anyone suggest a good starting point? I don't even know what state I'd like to live in if I went over.

    Anyhow, as I said I welcome any thoughts or advice people may have about this exam.

    Thanks.


Comments

  • #2
    Crasp
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 624 ✭✭✭Crasp


    best of luck with it - hoping to do it next year myself.


  • #3
    lonestargirl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭lonestargirl


    chanste wrote: »
    Secondly, does anyone have any info on what kinda points International Medical Graduates would need. I was told that we'd need significantly more than American counterparts to balance the hassle for a hospital sorting out VISAs and such things.

    This really depends on the specialty you want to go into, it's pretty much impossible for a non-US grad to get into opthamology but you would have a pretty good chance in internal medicine. Depends on the competitiveness of the individual residency program too. Some good stats on matching can be found on http://www.nrmp.org/.

    The visa thing is a bit more complicated, there are basically 2 kinds H1B skilled worker or J1 alien physician. The H1B is sponsored by the hospital and costs them money and hassle the J1 is sponsored by ECFMG. May hospitals will only take J1s. The problem is that this visa automatically comes with the stipulation that you must return to your home country for 2 years upon completing your program before you can get any other kind of visa - there are some ways around this involving working in an underseved area but you can't guarantee that this will work out for you.

    One word of advice, as well as investigating the residency programs look at the cost of living in the areas you are interested in. This can vary hugely across the US and $44k will not go far in NYC.


  • #4
    lonestargirl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭lonestargirl


    Also, at least one of your letters of recommendation will need to come from a US-based doctor in the field you are applying to so it is never to early to be thinking about a summer elective in the US.


  • #5
    Crasp
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 624 ✭✭✭Crasp


    lonestargirl wrote: »
    Also, at least one of your letters of recommendation will need to come from a US-based doctor in the field you are applying to so it is never to early to be thinking about a summer elective in the US.

    How does one go about securing a summer elective? What qualifications are needed? I have a Surgery elective coming up this summer, still not sure where to do it but I was thinking about the US.


  • #6
    lonestargirl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭lonestargirl


    Crasp wrote: »
    How does one go about securing a summer elective? What qualifications are needed? I have a Surgery elective coming up this summer, still not sure where to do it but I was thinking about the US.

    1st step would be to chat with your dean of student affairs. The college may already have connections or know of some ex-students in the US that could help set one up. Other than that you just have to contact all the places you are interested in going and see what the story is. As electives are essential for US students most places have a formalised system for organising them.


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  • #7
    Crasp
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 624 ✭✭✭Crasp


    lonestargirl wrote: »
    1st step would be to chat with your dean of student affairs. The college may already have connections or know of some ex-students in the US that could help set one up. Other than that you just have to contact all the places you are interested in going and see what the story is. As electives are essential for US students most places have a formalised system for organising them.

    cool, thanks. I know we have/had some programme with the New York Medical College but I hear it was ending soon, will check it out. My uncle is an EMT in Queens, NY. He said he can get me into the hospital that employs him if I want, I guess I should call his bluff...

    Thanks for the help and sorry for the hijack, OP.


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