Open to Suggestions

[cdnlager24]

I am looking for some advise and suggestions from people that have the "KNOW" and perhaps have gotten into programs. I have posted on here last year and got some great advise. I am assisting my wife who is an International Medical Graduate here in Germany. She does have a US Green Card. Last year we applied to programs, however it was a little late in the application timeline (Nov) as she had not graduated until November.

She has completed the following:
Graduated Medical School University of Regensburg (2011)
2010 Completed 4 month Clerkship with Tulane University, has a couple LORs from Chief of Nurosurgery and Internal Medicine
Step 1 (Pass) 2 attempts (2010)
Step 2 CK 1(Pass) 1 attempt (2011)
Step 2 CS (Pass) 1 attempt (2011)
Holds an ECFMG Cetrtificate (2011)
Completed PHd (2011)
Currently working as a Resident at a teaching Hospital affiliated with the University of Regensburg, Germany (Where she attended mecical school) in Internal Medicine.

I retire from the United States Army next year and we are really looking to get back to the USA. We are not picky where, as we are well aware of how competative it is to get into a program. She would like to do Internal Med, General Sugery of Family Med.

As mentioned, last year we applied only to 64 programs, and I am sure some of those had already given out all their interviews. She had also not recieved her ECFMG certificate at the time of applications.

Finally, anyone have any knowlege on the interview process for applicants abroad. Do they consider doing interviews via SKYPE? I know this is not the optimal thing to do, however I foresee it being costly if we have to fly from Germany to many interview sites. Just curious.

Again, any suggestions as the application process is starting next month, would be grateful.

[Salama]

I'm not sure how much advice I can contribute, but I would think it pertinent to offer up Step 1 and CK scores.

[devildoc8404]

1) Apply to WAY more than 64 programs. I would seriously recommend ±100 in each specialty, depending on her USMLE scores, etc. It will be expensive, but you do not want to do this again. She's a German grad, with a PhD, but she needs to apply very broadly nonetheless. It's getting more and more competitive for IMGs overall.
2) Make sure that her PS and letters are absolutely perfect. There is no room for error in that regard.
3) The interviews will be in-person only, so get ready to spend some serious money on airfare (Space-A?). The only interviews that I have read about being offered via phone or Skype are "pre-interviews" that are basically only used by some programs to make sure that the applicant can actually speak intelligible English. IF you pass that pre-interview, then they offer you an actual interview in person. There is no way around the physical interview that I have ever even read about.
4) Good luck!

[cdnlager24]

We plan on applying to a lot more than 64 programs, as mentioned when we applied last year it was towards the end of the application timeline and most programs had already given up all their interviews. Now, this may sound a tad elementary, how does one know that the PS and LORs are "Perfect"? Yes, we anticapate dropping some coin for the interviews, SPACE A would work to a degree, but getting on those flights can be difficult for specific dates or times.

Hopefully if she gets some interviews, we can schedule them all around the same time frame to make one trip across the pond and go from place to place. We shall see.

Thank you for your input.

[devildoc8404]

Have several sets of trusted eyes review and edit the PS, and make sure the LORs are from physicians who are as enthusiastic as possible about her candidacy. I hope she gets a lot of interviews and that the process goes smoothly for you guys! Best wishes.

[EricLandau]

This may sound novice but wouldn't it be easier to have her finish her IM residency there in Germany, and get a fellowship or just a job in the US afterwards? Reading how much money you guys are about to spend, it seems rather silly.

I don't think I'd spend that much money on trying to move to the US just a couple years earlier, even if I had the money to spare. But this is just my opinion.

[devildoc8404]

Nope, that wouldn't work. She could probably get a GUEST fellowship in the US after IM residency in Germany, but she would not be allowed to practice in the US thereafter without repeating her IM residency in a US program. Unfortunately it's just not made very simple, thanks to the prevailing ethnocentricity of the US medical complex. Foreign residencies are not accepted for practice or board certification in the US, with very, very few exceptions (and unfortunately, Internal Medicine in Germany is not one of them.)

That being the case, it's neither silly nor a waste of money if the OP and his wife plan to live and practice medicine in the US.

[EricLandau]

my apologies. I was not aware foreign residencies were not eligible for US certification. I stand corrected. I almost didn't reply thinking that this solution is so simple that they have to have thought of this already and have ruled it out.

What exactly is a guest fellowship? as in...like a trial run and they may or may not allow you to get board certification in the US from that fellowship?

But my Canadian friend told me there is some list of residencies that are foreign people friendly. The only reason I even know that is because he chose a residency in the middle of Iowa (where I live)..and I asked him how he even knew about this city or anything even about it.

[rokshana]

my apologies. I was not aware foreign residencies were not eligible for US certification. I stand corrected. I almost didn't reply thinking that this solution is so simple that they have to have thought of this already and have ruled it out.

What exactly is a guest fellowship? as in...like a trial run and they may or may not allow you to get board certification in the US from that fellowship?

But my Canadian friend told me there is some list of residencies that are foreign people friendly. The only reason I even know that is because he chose a residency in the middle of Iowa (where I live)..and I asked him how he even knew about this city or anything even about it.

How much about medical education and training do you know? That is about as basic info as there is...why do you think its so difficult for foreign grads to practice in the US...surely you didn't think that the only foreign grads seeking residency are just US born IMGs?

Guest fellowships are meant for foreign physicians that want training they are unable to get in their own countries with the intention of going back to their own countries to practice...they do not allow for them to practice in the US on completion of the fellowship.

Make sure you understand the details of what encompasses foreign education and the implications in terms of US and Canadian post graduate training before you come to the Caribbean (or any other country) and spend many years and much money on an endeavor that may not get you what you want.

Maybe you should be gathering information instead of dolling out advice when you don't have the fund of knowledge to do so.

[devildoc8404]

my apologies. I was not aware foreign residencies were not eligible for US certification. I stand corrected. I almost didn't reply thinking that this solution is so simple that they have to have thought of this already and have ruled it out.

No worries, it's a common misconception until people look into the issue.

What exactly is a guest fellowship? as in...like a trial run and they may or may not allow you to get board certification in the US from that fellowship?

No, there is no "trial run." Foreign IM residency training is simply not accepted for board cert in the US. A foreign trained internist would have to complete IM residency all over again in the US in order to be able to become board cert in the US.

Now, foreign-trained doctors can come and complete a fellowship after residency (I have many professors here who have done so), but they are only allowed in the US for the fellowship period and then they must return to their home country. I actually had one OBGYN prof who completed a fellowship at Stanford and was invited to remain there as faculty... but that was with the stipulation that he would have to complete OBGYN residency all over again in the US. He declined and returned to Europe, as he is married with kids and didn't want to go through residency a second time.

But my Canadian friend told me there is some list of residencies that are foreign people friendly. The only reason I even know that is because he chose a residency in the middle of Iowa (where I live)..and I asked him how he even knew about this city or anything even about it.

Yes, there are many IMG-friendly residencies -- those are the types of programs to which the OP's wife would likely be applying. However, that has nothing to do with the fellowship issue. You were talking about fellowships, as I understood it, which come after residency. The OP's German-trained spouse absolutely needs to complete a US IM residency in order to be able to become board cert in the US.