Hi all,

I'm an IMG, applying for Plastics residency in California. I've been issued a special PTAL, and am currently working on remedying my deficiencies.

On the special PTAL letter, it states that in order to be eligible for a California license (after PGY2), "applicants who are graduates of an international medical school must complete at least four months of postgraduate training in GENERAL MEDICINE".

It then goes on to say that "The GENERAL MEDICINE requirement may be satisfied by actual clinical practice where the applicant has direct
patient care responsibilities in any particular specialty or sub-specialty area for at least four months."

My question is: Does an ACGME-accredited residency in Plastic Surgery satisfy the "general medicine" requirement? Or do they really expect every IMG surgical resident to also complete 4 months of internal medicine??

Hoping someone here knows the answer to this one, because it's a Friday Furlough in California tomorrow, so I can't contact my licensing analyst till Monday!

Thanks,

Leeko

you need first to get into a general surgery program, then after 3 years of being a resident of surgery, you can apply for plastic surgery, during those 3 years you will take care of patients on the wards, 4 months of them can be counted towards your 4 months of general medicine required by California. good luck Buddy
signed
3rd year General surgery resident

Hi,

Thanks for the info. I'm actually going the integrated route, but needed to know if the general surgery portion is counted as "General Medicine" - it's good to know that it is.

Thanks,

L