PLANNING RESIDENCY VIA GRE: Some Pointers
The GRE route to a Residency is (I love calling it the Great Residency Excuse ..he he) is rapidly emerging as a hot route for visa-needing IMGs for several pressing reasons:a. Student visas are easier to get
b. Gives you the geographic and visa advantage for US Clinical Experiences and Research (Probably the most important reason)
c. These US Experience fetch you vital US LORs
d. You don't have to worry about US entry for Step 2 CS, Step 3 and Residency Interviews.
e. Some residency programs do appreciate the advanced Masters-PhD degrees - like University of Missouri-Columbia specifically mentions on its IMG requirements webpage: "advanced degree program (M.P.H., PhD) with a record of multiple publications in peer-reviewed medical journals" - see it for yourself
f. And of course, the OPT Visa Advantage !
In the spirit of the motto of this blog - i.e. 'Pre-informed is to be in form" - let's attempt to look at how one can maximize Returns on the GRE Investment, considering a Residency as your final target! So, If the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) route has been playing on your mind, then put on your planning caps, keep aside that chic or hunk you were just thinking about for a minute & read on ;-)
1. First of all - Choose the right Field !! You want to be in a Major that will augment and supplement your residency application. So think for yourself - What will impress a Neurology Residency Program director - an MPH degree or a Masters in Neurological sciences ? An MPH may be best for Family Medicine programs with a public health component like the residency program at Baylor Medical College. There are tons of options for selecting a branch - check out the list of possibilities here at Gradschools.com
2. Next, consider getting into a University that can catch the attention of Residency PDs running through hundreds of applications - i.e. Try to get in places that are well respected University in the residency circuits. For example the biggies like Johns Hopkins , Harvard, Stanford, Case Western, Tufts, Washington University, etc. have plenty of Masters / PhD programs. Shall be putting up a list of such desirable colleges / Universities. Names do matter for University Residency Programs
3. This kinda offshoots from the Point 2 - Try to pick graduate programs that have an affiliated residency program i.e. which is easily accessible geographically (Same campus) - For example, a Master's Program in Immunology at the University of Missouri-Columbia grants you walkable access to the School of Medicine at University Missouri-Columbia with all its residencies and faculties. Now why do you want that ? So that you can participate in voluntary research in your free time after classes (if lucky even get paid for it), and work your way to know the clinical faculty to allow them to know you and grant you Observerships , externships , etc. in the future.
4. On the same lines, why not try your best to get into places that are known to offer observerships. Compiling them gradually at http://USCE.blogspot.com
5. And the Height of Planning ! Lol - You might wanna consider doing your Masters/PhD in a city which has a Step 2 CS Center ! He he...Most of these cities do have major medical institutions. Emory University at Atlanta, Baylor, UTMB, etc. at Houston, and so on. This saves the $$$ and time spent on travelling and booking hotels. Well, you don't really have to get too serious about this point , it's just an added bonus ;-)
6. Finally, it's a sincere recommendation to ya'll : Be done with Step 1 and Step 2 CK BEFORE you enter the States for your Masters/PhD : Generally Speaking, it's easier for IMGs to score high on Step 1 and Step 2 CK when these exams are taking back in the comfort of their home countries. Life as a student is too busy with attending classes, working to pay your rent besides cooking, all which play either delay your USMLE prep OR take a toll on your performance.
Having said all that, for people who are currently still in Medical Schools and have time to set up Clinical Electives in the USA, that's some excellent US Clinical Experience too and you won't even need to consider the GRE Route !
Q. Can I do Observerships / Externships on a Student Visa ?
A. Yeah - as long your classes are not intefered with. The Winter or Summer Vacations are probably the best times to do these.
Watch put for updates on this topic
Labels: GRE Route to Residency
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posted by Digitaldoc, MD at 9:48 PM
Comments on "PLANNING RESIDENCY VIA GRE: Some Pointers"
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Anonymous said ... (September 11, 2007 9:50 PM) :
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Anonymous said ... (February 11, 2008 4:19 AM) :
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Digitaldoc, MD said ... (February 12, 2008 10:03 AM) :
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spartan said ... (February 17, 2008 6:44 AM) :
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sid said ... (March 6, 2008 8:32 AM) :
Post Your Comment !Anonymous said ... (December 14, 2006 6:29 PM) :
Hi Digi,
I am doin Masters in Health administration in detroit. I totally agree with what points u have mentioned in the blog. Well i wud like to add that, Their might be people like me who have not given their Steps in India due to some reasons. Like for me I dint give coz i dint want to take chances with my visa. And this is the most common reason i saw with peoplpe hesitating to give the steps there. So the point here is, when we come here, apart from the job and classes, we aslo have to PREPARE FPR STEPS. and thats a hellof a job. Very stressing. I have had a semester here and was not able to prepare well for the Step 1 which i have in Feb 2007. I would like to have ur opinion on this Digi. How shud i go about my plans now? I am having step 1 in Feb 2007 and CS on 1 may 2007 though i am trying to get the Cs done earlier. I am trying to be readu for the Application by say June or July 2007. I m thinkin of givin 2CK in june somewhere. I am confused. Please let me know ur take on this.I knw tis is a complicated message , but i wud appreciate ur replly.
Thanx DigiDoc.
Anonymous said ... (December 15, 2006 2:40 AM) :
hi!
thank you for the great post
I have 2 questions
1 . If i go the GRE route and complete PhD. will i not become "old passout" will my chances decrease as these programs want fresh grads
2. What do the graduate schools look for other than GRE score?, my grades in MBBS is only 61% overall . is it a poor GPA
Digitaldoc, MD said ... (December 16, 2006 3:30 PM) :
Hello Guys - thanks for stopping by:
Answer 1: I am sure there are plenty of people in that scenario, with some of them making a late decision about a residency and the others not taking the steps before GRE due to visa scare. Basically you need time on your hands to study for USMLE steps...not just quantitative time, but quality study time at the right times..lol was that confusing ? What I meant was If I get 6 hours a day to study, I would rather have that time during the early evenings when I study the best and not in the early mornings when I simply am not in the mood to study..
Here are somethings that people I know have done in the past:
1. Taking up online Course options - many colleges allow that if you can find the right convincing reasons. Some places like Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, TX have a purely online MHA with low fees (less than 2000$ a semester). If not all online, at least 1 or 2 each semester and especially choosing electives that are offered online, free up valuable study time.
2. Take a semester break to get back to your home country and give your steps - Winter Semester is good time since then you can get the whole winter plus the following summer off to study and yet keep your student visa ongoing to return in the following fall. This is not illegal, many Americans do it too - they drop off college for a semester to work full time at malls and gas-stations to earn some $$ and then get back.
3. Transferring to another University with less course load
4. Once you get a residency, you can always drop the course and come back later to it to complete it - after all, a lot of docs would like to have additional degrees besides MD - really helps move up in the job market..an MHA gives you an edge to become a clinical director of a practice.
Answer 2:
1. Yes, you are right - a PhD will reduce your 'clinical freshness' unless you manage to land experiences and clinical research now and then in affiliated hospitals. Some people even drop their PhDs or finish the Master's coursework during pHd , graduate with a Masters and leave the PhD behind to move on to Residency (which I feel is unethical - but them at times u gotta do what u gotta do)
2. Besides GRE scores, some experience in the field u intend to apply (for example try getting some voluntary experiences via factory visits for biomedical engineering), how good your personal statement is and how you can convince them of your sincerity - along with extra qualifications like knowing Statistical software like SPSS if you applying for Epidemiology, etc. I edited many personal statements for friends and friends of friends - and from two experiences I can vouch for the importance of personal statements for grad-school admissions. Shall be putting up content for Grad-admissions slowly as time permits - lotsa stuff to plan for for grad-admissions too :-)
Anonymous said ... (December 20, 2006 9:44 AM) :
REPLY TO ANSWER 1---
Thanx Digidic. Ur options are quite good. I had a talk with my international advisor and they said that to get summer completely off, i have to be fully enroled in winter for F1 status. I know they jus wanna make money. Anyways, i have taken courses which need minimum number of hours to study and are of shorter duration. So i can have time to study for the STEPS. Anyways, ur help is really appreciated. Its great to have someone like u around. I will be getting back to u with any further querries. Thanx a lot...
Digitaldoc, MD said ... (December 20, 2006 10:22 AM) :
u r most certainly welcome pal :-)
Anonymous said ... (February 23, 2007 6:04 AM) :
hi Digidoc i just want to know if i apply for a clerkship during my ongoing course wherein i dont have added credits or holidays is that ok with the visa people.....
Digitaldoc, MD said ... (February 23, 2007 9:18 AM) :
Visa guys wont care what you do within the country as long as you got in legally, but the Immigration and Naturalization Services will keep track of your student status within the country. So, if you did a hospital experience while bunking your classes - and if your graduate school in USA complains to the INS about your absence - it could mean legal charges and instant deportation back to home country. so be careful, and only do it during the break, though you can apply for them anytime...
Anonymous said ... (March 30, 2007 10:58 AM) :
hi digidoc..
i got an admit from the univ of kentucky for mph starting fall 07. m planning for 09 match. the univ has a medical centre offering residencies in IM and anaesthesia which as u say will be a plus point. I ve inquired about the research opportunities which i found are adequate. now the problem is..
1. i ll be taking only one step before i leave.
2. the univ people say that some students take 2.5 yrs to finish the mph with internship.. i would like to finish it off before residency starts. or how can i inquire tht i ll be able to continue it later if i join the residency midway during the program?
3. am i really going for a impoosible to achieve tight schedule as i surely want some usce too in the summers?
4. any comments on the university/program?
5. u ve mentoned that mph degree itself may help in family practise match.. whats its value in IM match? if its useless.. i d drop the idea.
thx
regards
Digitaldoc, MD said ... (April 02, 2007 9:57 AM) :
It's probably not that good an idea to suggest to your MPH department you might be leaving the program midway. You have good amount of time to take your step 2 Ck well before applying in Sept. 2008. You can start studying the moment you come here and then accelerate your studies during the December 2007 break and take the step 2 Ck in Jan 2008, before school starts again. MPH wont be useless for IM, but I would not bank on it alone as value addition - rather the clinical research and USCE you can get during the MPH will help you more.
Univ, Kentucky is a good univ program
Anonymous said ... (June 28, 2007 10:12 AM) :
HEY DIGI DOC..A GREAT BLOG..IT HAS CLARIFIED ALL MY DOUBTS N MADE MY CONCEPTS CRYSTAL CLEAR..
Q:if i do not take d gre route 2 residency..wht othr option do i hv?
also i m interested in gen.surgery so wht shud b my preferred masters degree if at all i take d gre route?
Digitaldoc, MD said ... (July 28, 2007 11:04 PM) :
Other options are :
1. Applying from within your country itself
2. Research Scholar on a J1
3. Kaplan Visa ! (Also an F1 visa)
4. Doing Step 2 CS and observerships etc on a visitors visa
5. Nursing route ! - become a nurse with a 1-2 year degree offered at some places(i need to find out more) - and start a job here directly on green card - and after 2-3 years apply for residencies - too long a route..
and there might be more - Readers comment !
Do you know of anyone who has had their H1 visa (for a residency) rejected as they quit their Master's half way through (even if they said they would come back to finish it after their residency)?
I am doing my MPH and would have finished only two semesters (half the course) by the time I go for my residency visa.
Kindly help...any sort of feedback will be greatly appreciated
Yes I know someone who's H1b was initially rejected but later on granted when he reapplied immediately using the drop-box method. But At least two other people who did the same got their H1b visas easily.
Basically if you can convince the visa officer that you will get back to completing the program - that will be good. If possible try to take a letter from your Masters program documenting your intent to complete their program later.
hey digidoc gr8 work. can u just tell me what exactly is the difference between MPH and MHA. if i get a student visa for canada then does it become easier to enter america to appear CS or its the same. from the information i gathered the MHA at univ of british columbia at vancouver is highly regarded. can u plz tell me that the MHA program of which all universities in america are highly regarded and have excellent job prospects?
hi there digidoc..........
nice and informed post.as usual.......
i spend everyday abt 1 hr to read ur blogs/forum and see new queries and replies....
im planning for Gen Surg reesidency..
but i dunno which masters course( either MS{which discipline} or MPH to take which will offer me the best exposure wrt gen surg coursework, research, and faculty.