Match Journey Tips for IMGs
Written by Jinendra Satiya, MD
The USMLE journey for an international medical graduate is a competitive process. Understanding the challenges and obstacles therein helps you to be better prepared and increases your chances of ultimate success. It is imperative to draw out a well-structured plan which includes determining your choice of specialty as early as possible. This enables you to apply for electives and observerships (far less easily available over the years) in that specialty. This is important for you to firstly, be sure this is what you do want to do for the rest of your life, and secondly, to obtain letters of recommendation. A successful residency applicant has letter of recommendations demonstrating their excellence and potential in the field that they are applying to. Many times, letters are from physicians from different specialties, which is not ideal. Keeping this in mind, it is important to plan for and apply for these electives well ahead of time. Waiting times for these can be up to nine months.
Finding the right mentor is quintessential. A good mentor helps you develop a career path and provides you with the means to reach your goal. He/she should be easily available to you via email and phone. This is important as physicians have overwhelming daily clinical duties. Unless they are personally invested in your growth, it will be hard to achieve what you have set out to do. You can find a mentor through your clinical experiences, or if there is an individual that you are hoping to work with, you should try to email them. Most faculty emails are available online on the program website. A well-planned in-person visit to a GME office can occasionally be fruitful. Be sure to outline your goals and learn your expectations at the outset so the professional relationship is of mutual benefit.
When choosing which programs to apply to, you should define your personal and professional goals. Know what is important to you. These can be location, weather, or being close to a significant other. Knowing your profile well allows you to target the right programs. In case you are interested in a sub-specialty fellowship, check if these are available at that program. A lot of programs have filters. Unless you meet these, your application will be filtered out and be a waste of your $$. Researching programs beforehand helps you avoid these expenses and subsequent disappointment. Some programs are IMG-friendly, and some are not. Look into where seniors from your medical schools have matched. Your ERAS application is much more than USMLE scores. Work on building a good all-around profile including clinical experience, research, letters of recommendation, and an outstanding personal statement. Keep application deadlines in mind. Be sure to reach out to your letter writers early and let them know when you expect their letters to come in by. Send polite reminders. Be aware of the five business day ERAS processing times after your authors have uploaded their letters before you can use them in your application. Lastly, apply in time. Ideally, this should be the day ERAS opens for your specialty.
