Tips for the Urology Match as an IMG
Written by Ali Nasrallah, MD
It’s an uphill battle, so fortify yourself as best you can:
It’s no myth that being an International Medical Graduate (IMG) applicant is hard, not-to-mention applying to a very competitive surgical sub-specialty such as Urology. As an IMG, you are usually held to very high standards, so you need to make your application as water-proof as possible. These are my tips to do so:
1- Be reflective. Actively dissect your CV/application and be look for ways to improve it
2- Improve what you can control; don’t dwell on what you can’t change
3- Aim for the stars, so you can reach the sky
Let’s elaborate on those.
Be reflective: One of the pitfalls of being an IMG with high aspirations is being defensive and/or proud. Shed yourself of your pride and play the devil’s advocate when it comes to your application; find the holes and be honest to yourself. Ignoring your weaknesses will set you up for failure. Nearing the end of my fourth year in med school, I realized my profile was lacking any meaningful Urology research. Then after not matching in 2021, I realized my main weakness was not having more US clinical experience.
Improve what you can control: After reflecting and identifying weaknesses/gaps, work on those which you can control. Do not spend any emotional or mental energy lamenting “low” USMLE or Medical School grades. I was lacking meaningful research, so I joined the Division of Urology at my home institution as a research fellow for a year. I did not match in 2021, so I applied to General Surgery and joined the Cleveland Clinic as a prelim intern to gain more US clinical experience.
Aim for the stars: Try to build the “perfect” application, with the knowledge that perfection is not achievable. Use that to motivate you, but do not let it drag you down.
Be organized and plan:
Organize your journey by having a list of goals. Your goals will change year after year, and circumstances may force your hand sometimes. You can stay “ahead of the curve” by always planning. Having plan Bs and Cs is not a sign of insecurity, but a sign of wisdom. My plan A in 2021 was to match into Urology, which did not happen. My plan B in 2021 was matching into a Prelim Surgery position, which was only possible because I planned for that in advance.
As a medical student, try to shape your schedule in a way that gives you a chance to spend a month or two in the US on clinical clerkships; both to further your knowledge and to ask for letters of recommendation from US-based surgeons.
If you have graduated already, make use of your gap years by planning and keeping your eye on the target; staying out on research for too long can get too comfortable and make coming back into the clinical world a little challenging.
Be memorable:
Much of what I’ve mentioned may come off as very Type-A-personality-like. But what could make the difference at the end of the day is being memorable. In a time where almost all Urology applicants have excellent scores and CVs, you want to be remembered and noticed. Whether it’s a fun hobby, a fascinating skillset, an inspiring life story, or anything else that gives your application some color; try to find and work on something which makes you memorable.
Final thoughts:
If I leave you with anything, it is that you must believe in yourself. The match cycle is tough for everyone, and being an IMG ramps up the difficulty level. You can be your toughest critic, but remember to also be your top supporter.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out @alinasrallah on Twitter!
