There has been an influx of international medical graduates getting into residency training programs in the United States. Attaining a residency program is tedious and must be well thought out. There is a process that each international medical student must go through in order to practice medicine in the United States. Ranking them in order of when and how they should be done, in Part I of this post we will examine the first three things you need to do .
- USMLE Scores. Your USMLE scores are by far the most important factor that will determine if you get into a residency training program and where. The higher your score with the least amount of failures will ensure you get into the residency program of your choice. General Surgery residency programs want applicants who scored in the 95th percentile of passing, while most Family Medicine programs require you have just a passing score.
- Medical School. All residency programs require that applicants must complete medical school by the start of their residency training program, but some programs actually look at which school you have graduated from and if it is accredited. All states have their own state-specific requirements for residency training but there are some states that follow California’s requirements. California has established its own strict guidelines for international medical schools and has come up with its Do Not Approve lists. Continue to monitor updates by clicking here.
- U.S. Clinical Experience. Most residency programs require medical students to have completed 6 months to a year of medical training in a hospital setting. This will ensure that you know how to treat patients in the United States. Every country has its own rules and regulations that medical students and physicians must follow, and residency programs do not want you to be foreign with these procedures. It is best to do your clinical rotations at the hospital for which you are applying for residency, so you will already be acquainted with the program, and they will know your work abilities. If you had no U.S. clinical experience while you were in medical school, try to get an externship or Observership in a hospital setting.
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