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Message from Editor-in-Chief
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Foreign Medical Graduates
Training in the USA, recent update and trends
Residency training at
sometimes would become easier and sometimes, it would get a little harder.
The key factors which always help in getting the residency positions are
USMLE scores, visa status and the type of training (field) that one wishes
to pursue. Most of the times US medical graduate (USMG) would go for fields
which they like most (easy to find job after residency and good working
hours plus good money). I remember when the trend changed from subspecialty
to more of general family practice (it started in late 80’s and early 90’s),
a lot of USMGs wanted to pursue that but that does not mean a subspecialty
was easy to get into. Now trends are changing, family practice is no more
liked but again trend is toward subspecialties, it’s all cyclical.
Some fields like Orthopedics, Ophthalmology, ENT and Urology are always
difficult for FMGs most of the times. According to recent residency match
and trends Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Pathology and now
Even General Surgery are going to be easy choices for FMGs. Pediatrics is
also getting easier now.
There are a few general guidelines and suggestions for all FMGs: if you are
in the USA for 2-3 years and looking for a residency slot, please obtain
some US educational experience by doing a Master’s degree in healthcare or
related fields. Try to get good scores in USMLE. Involve in some
medical/healthcare work (paid or voluntary). If you are in your own country,
pls. Do your internship/housejob there and pass your USMLE there and then
come to USA.
In almost the last five years the total number of residency slots offered in
the USA aggregated 24,000 every year of which 18,000 were US medical
graduates (which means one way or the other they all have to get these
residencies and they get them) and the remaining 6,000 slots were for FMGs
(for these 6000 every year the number of FMGs was 13,000-15,000). The ECFMG
have tried to stop the influx of FMGs and they have succeeded in their goal.
They started the new exam CSA (clinical skills assessment) in 1998 and it
reduced the number of FMGs because it is an expensive exam (US$ 1200 exam
fee) and conducted only in the USA. I must add here that residency will be
difficult for my colleagues from most middle-eastern countries (of course
because of NINE ELEVEN).
Please visit my website
(www.geocities.com/jkamal97) for further
updated information and facts. Please email me your concerns
(IMGS2001@hotmail.com)
By:
Junaid Kamal, MD
Resident Physician Anesthesiology
University of Texas, Medical School, Houston, Texas
Website:
www.geocities.com/jkamal97
Email: imgs2001@hotmail.com
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