IMG issues upon returning to US

[jgriggs]

I was wondering what some of the issues or difficulties IMG's have faced upon returning to the US to practice? Could some people please share their experiences?

I have had gotten mixed reactions when telling people in the medical profession that I am applying abroad. One doctor that I spoke to from CA strongly discouraged it, while five doctors from the north east were extremely supportive and had nothing but strong praise (for St. Georges in particular).

Are there places that are more receptive than others for IMG's?

Jgriggs

[stephew]

Originally Posted by jgriggs

I was wondering what some of the issues or difficulties IMG's have faced upon returning to the US to practice? Could some people please share their experiences?

I have had gotten mixed reactions when telling people in the medical profession that I am applying abroad. One doctor that I spoke to from CA strongly discouraged it, while five doctors from the north east were extremely supportive and had nothing but strong praise (for St. Georges in particular).

Are there places that are more receptive than others for IMG's?

Jgriggs

a couple of things:
Do you mean get a residency or practice?

The doctor who discouraged you: unless he's offering you a spot in a us medical school, tell him to keep poorly informed opinions to himself. I rememebr one student telling me a johns hopkins doctor was critical saying off shore schools only teach towards the boards, etc. Reallly? Well if he was opening JHH's doors to the guy then i whole heartedly agree, go there. if not, why was he talking? Your opportunities may or may not be the same coming from off shore schools, but if you want to be a doctor, you can be a doctor.

[wcb22]

this may or may not be the case with that CA doctor, but when people are ignorant about a situation (such as going to a foreign med school, then returning back to the US to practice), they react with animosity... most of the people i have told about me going to a foreign med school simply don't understand. many think its a scam. i respect no one's opinion who does not have the knowledge to back up what he/she says.
if someone had intelligence on the subject, and said, "the advantages are .... the disadvantages are..." then that's worth something.

if you graduate from St.Georges, then you have approval to practice in all 50 states. period.

[abMD2b]

People will have opinions. If one of those people is a PD at a program you are interested in, you may have some difficulty. I am under the impression that it depends on the school as well. All of the "Big 3" (Ross, St Georges and AUC) are well established and well respected. Do well there, kick butt on the boards, and you'll do just fine. It is in your hands. Do your research, talk to grads who are facing the challenges you are speaking of and go for it without worrying about what others think.

[jgriggs]

Thank you all, that is exactly what I was hoping to hear. The only doctor who had any negative opinions was one who was not familiar with the school at all. How could she give a fair opinion about a program she knew nothing about?

My impression was that as long as I work very hard and do well on the exams and boards, then the sky is the limit. I have always taken the negative comments of others as challenges and this will certainly not be an exception.

Thanks again and best wishes to all!
jgriggs

[jguru2]

you are spending 2 years of basic sciences (and less with some school) on the island, then back to the states for clerkship and then residencies side by side with US students...the same US hospitals, the same US training (for at least the next 5 years), have to pass the same USMLE (not to mention going through ECFMG). Then the freakin' stigma.
Shoot.
Those who survived these are stronger people. I won't mind being categorized with these types.

[abMD2b]

Well said. I agree with everything you said with a small exception concerning your quote of the "same US hospitals". From my experience, which isn't much, some US hospitals are much more FMG friendly than others (I am speaking strictly of clinical training in the 3rd and 4th years). Once you reach your residency, however, I believe the line of demarcation becomes a little more fuzzy.

[jguru2]

I am kind of referring to the geographic location, which is inside the US. It is true that some hospitals are IMG friendly. Thank God for that. It is inside the US. US Students would rotate on the same hospital (IMG friendly ones or not). One gets tired of hearing this "stigma".
For you guys and gals who have graduated from the Caribbean (or any foreign-trained ones), I wish you all the SUCCESS.
May you show those who fuel the so-called "stigma" HOW GOOD, IF NOT BETTER, you are. SHOW THEM WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF!

[jgriggs]

Thank you ab.

My guess was that since SGU has affiliations with certain hospitals for the clinical years, then they are most likely "friendly" towards these students.

My concern is regarding residency placement. It seems like if you are successful on your exams and clinical rotations, then it is possible to get a competative residency placement...I am saying this based on the impressive positions I have been told that alumni have obtained. Conversely, I have read several negative comments on valuemd saying that IMG's tend to get all of the leftover placements. As an SGU applicant, I obviously don't know much about the "truth" regarding this matter which is why I am hoping that people will continue to share thier insights.

Many thanks to everyone again,
jgriggs

[wcb22]

i personally know a st. georges graduate who is doing a residency in emergency medicine (kinda tuffer to get into). it all depends on what you're wanting to get into. if it's dermatology, or even radiology... you're in a tight spot. rarely are these landed. anesthesiology, surgery, ect. are much easier to land with good board scores. tenatively, what specialty are you looking into?