I was just checking through some nationwide residency matches for 2003 and have come to terms with myself that I will never be able to go into derm, ortho, possible ET, ophthal, and probably several more.

Your competition for those spots are top of the class Harvard and Hopkins grads with extensive research experience. Obviously there is always the remote chance << written to satisfy the extreme optimists out there >> but realistically to get a "sexy" residency coming from the Carib with good grades, competitive board scores, and maybe even some pull, I would say less than 10%. Coming from the Carib with only average grades and boards.....ewwwww.

Does anyone know how hard it is to get a residency in endocrinology or rheumatology and how long they are?

Don't be too pesimistic. Just because nobody from the 03 match were accepted into those residencies does not mean it can't be done. As for endocrinology and rheumatology, I believe these are fellowships that are completed after you finish your IM residency.

You would be surprised how a few good contacts could help you further your career and the direction that you want to go with it. Have you shadowed any doctors in the areas you are interested in? This is one of the best ways of getting that hard to get residency/fellowship (after you get the good grades in med school and score well on the USMLE's). Without decent scores it's pretty hard to compete for those more difficult areas.

My $.02.

__________________
Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.

You are incorrect. While the residencies you mention are very difficult, there is nothing that is impossible.

Rhem and Endo are very doable, each is 2 years after your medicine residency, which is 3 years. 5 years total. G

__________________
AUC Class of '99
Bored certified
I may be a jerk, but I'm a Jedi jerk like my father.

Some say I look like Buzz Lightyear....
(They're right)

DISCLAIMER: I have no financial stake in ValueMD, or any medical school.

you are very right to be realistic but you shouldn't count yourself out. The rule of thumb is that if you can only be happy being in one of these very competitive residencies, then you shouldnt go IMG but best grad from a US med school. However if you can live with the reality that it will be very difficult, go ahead and try.

__________________
Steph
If you get a warning, put on yer manpants and stop whining about it.

We had an AUC grad who came back to speak to us today about life after basic sciences on the rock...he basically bombed step 1 the first time around and barely passed it the second time (183). He had done clinicals in London and didn't have much luck with their letters of recommendations for US programs. He rocked both Step 2 & 3 (85th and 87th %ile) and wanted to match into Anesthesiology and was unsuccessful, so he "relegated" himself to IM. To make a short story long, he networked with numerous programs and was offered a slot at not one, but two anesthesiology residency programs (one in KY and the other in NY). So he'll be starting gas this July...not bad for an FMG coming out of AUC witha failed step 1 and clinicals in London. Moral is, luck and timing, as well as networking may have a profound influence on getting you where you want to be, even though you have a couple of "strikes" against you. Keep your head up....you'll be fine.

Aloha,

__________________
Pathology
PGY-1.75

Rheum and endo are EASY to get after IM. And IM is easy to get.

Its not getting them so much as where you have to go to get them.

As for Derm, ENT, Ortho, It is not worth the pain and suffering required coming from a foreign school. Try it but dont count on it.

There are lots of cool fellowships after IM

Fully Licensed SGU grad

I'm glad I want to go into FM. It looks as if there are plenty of FM openings.

Does anyone want to go into surgery? Other than FM, I think I would like surgery. However the lifestyle seems to be too taxing on family life. I don't want to live at the hospital for the rest of my life and come in every other night.

Is there anyone out there who has a good grasp of life as a surgeon?

__________________
PGY1 - OB/GYN

"Good judgement comes from experience.
Experience comes from bad judgement."
-- Anonymous

The life of a surgeon is tough these days. Surgery involves long hours. Now that malpractice insurance rates have skyrocketted, many surgeons are scrambling to survive. When I did my surgery rotation, one of our attendings had to cancel his answering service b/c he could not afford it anymore! The alternative would be to get rid of the insurance and practice without it. It would save you about $150K per year. Just make sure you put all your $$$ into your home, if sued they cannot take that away!!!

__________________
Religion is the source of all imaginable follies and disturbances; it is the parent of fanaticism and civil discord; it is the enemy of mankind.
- Voltaire

double post

My medical school girlfriend ( at AUC ) is now a practicing endocrinologist in Los Angeles.

people from my class are doing GI, pulmonology, nephrology, sports medicine, general surgery, neurology, neuroradiology, general radiology, anesthesiology, adult critical care....as well as the usual FP, peds, psych IM

true it is very difficultt to be an orthopod etc coming from AUC---BUT WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE?
99% of people at AUC are there because it's either go off-shore or do some other profession. Would I rather not be an orthopedic surgeon, and instead go to podiatry school, or be a high school bio teacher?

each person has to make their own decisions. In fact, a classmate of mine who last I heard is driving a UPS truck, because he dropped out after 3rd semester since he was so discouraged he'd never be a nsurosurgeon and didn't want to "settle for being a GP" as he put it.

like he didn't settle driving a brown van