<p>Hi, so I am totally confused. I was looking at some past threads and I see all this stuff about IMGs and it being very hard for them to get residencies (especially in specialties such as neurology) and what not. So can someone please explain this whole thing to me. And if possible answer any of the following questions.</p>
<p>Are IMGs internationals in general? Or people who are FROM the US and went abroad to study. </p>
<p>Is it really that hard for international born students to get residencies in the US? What about if you attended a U.S. university? And what if you attended an international university?</p>
<p>Are Caribbean med schools seen as good in the U.S. when applying to med schools and residencies? If there are any Caribbean med schools can that are highly looked up on what are they please?</p>
<p>Do U.S. schools have the same 5 year program where you receive a MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) at the end. If not, is it a good program? Would you recommend taking it or applying for med school in U.S.</p>
<p>If you are an international, what is the best route to take. Studying at "home" (if so at which levels[undergrad, med, etc.]) and applying for U.S. residencies? Attending a U.S. med school?</p>
<p>What is the problem with internationals and the USMLE? Are internationals not allowed to take some parts of the exam or something?</p>
<p>What are some good med schools outside U.S. ones?</p>
<p>Where are the good international med schools generally located?</p>
<p>Sorry for asking all these questions but I really don't know the answer to any of these and would greatly appreciate if someone could answer one/some/maybe even all of these questions. Any help at all would be nice, whether it be an explanation of the whole process and set backs which an international would face or answering any of the aforementioned questions. Thank you.</p>
<p>IMGs are both US students who go abroad to study medicine in another country and non US citizens who have received a medical degree in a country other than the US. Basically anyone who received a medical degree outside of the US.</p>
<p>Caribbean med schools are not considered as good as US schools because they have 1) a poor graduation rate and 2) a poor pass rate on the USMLE. Graduates of Caribbean programs generally have a difficult time placing into residencies.</p>
<p>US medical education is significantly different than from most foreign programs in that most foreign programs accept high school graduates directly into a 5 year vocational medical program. </p>
<p>In the US, high school graduates are expected to first obtain a 4 year academic baccalaureate degree (BS or BA) then apply for admission to a 4 year medical graduate degree program (MD). </p>
<p>MBBS degree holders may not practice in the US and will not be considered for US residencies without first passing all 3 levels of the USMLE. There may be other requirements as well.</p>
<p>IMGs take the same USMLE as their US counterparts, but tend to score much lower. It could be a language issue. It could be because US medical education covers a broader range of material and that content is tested on the exams.</p>
<p>International students who wish to attend a US medical school may have difficulties getting accepted. Many schools have admission policies the prohibit admission of international students. This is because these schools are publicly funded by state governments to train their own residents. The private medical schools which do accept foreign students tend to be among the most competitive in the US. Additionally, they are expensive and financial aid is extremely limited or unavailable. (Most US students finance their medical education with loans from the US government–these are not available to international students.) Attending a US undergraduate program will not necessarily increase an international’s chance of being accepted into a US med school.</p>
<p>An international student who does graduate from a US medical school has a significantly better chance of obtaining a US medical residency than one from a foreign medical program.</p>
<p>More about the certification process IMGs must go through –</p>
<p>[ECFMG®</a> | Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates](<a href=“http://www.ecfmg.org/]ECFMG®”>http://www.ecfmg.org/)</p>
<p>Thank you very much! Your information has been very helpful :)</p>
<p>Oh, I have on more question. Are international students who completed med school in the U.S. considered the same as internationals who completed med schools outside of the U.S. when applying for residencies? Or are internationals who completed med school in the U.S. cosidered the same as internationals who completed med school in the U.S. </p>
<p>Or, are they considered as their own class/set of people somewhere in between american students who went to an american med school and international students who went to an international med school? </p>
<p>If given a disadvantage when applying for residencies would they have as hard a time as IMGs/FMGs or would they be on the same level as the U.S. students who went to a U.S. med school since though they are internationals, they did graduate from a U.S. med school?</p>
<p>As long as the visa issue gets worked out, I’m sure internationals who do med school in the States are considered far above those who did their med school internationally.</p>
<p>^^^ reading the data, that’s my impression also.</p>