<p>Hello everybody, I am a soon to be university student from Italy. I want to be a CT surgeon, and I want to finish my studies and work in the US. As far as I know, it's best and easier to take my degree in Italy, then take the ECFMG Certification and eventually join a residency in the US; what would you suggest I do in order to join the best residency and which, for you, is the best available? That's because universities in Italy rank pretty low worldwide and want to prove that I'm worth it, especially in a highly competitive environment like this one.
I am highly ambitious about my future, and sure want to work my ass off!</p>
<p>Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>CT surgery is fellowship level specialty. This mean you must first successfully complete a a general surgery residency before you can be considered for a CT fellowship.</p>
<p>Your ability to match into a general surgical residency will depend on your USMLE score and letters of recommendations from your surgical attendings. </p>
<p>It’s extremely difficult for foreign medical grads to match into competitive medical specialties. (And general surgery is a competitive specialty.) If at all possible you need to arrange to do some rotations at US hospitals before entering match in order to garner some letters of recommendations from US surgical program directors.</p>
<p>Wow… Didn’t expect this. </p>
<p>Could be worse though. Thanks for your help, I’ll make sure I do all that’s necessary to eventually be what I’ve wanted to do for as long as I can remember!</p>
<p>
There are thoracic surgery residency programs. (<a href=“ACGME - Accreditation Data System (ADS)”>ACGME - Accreditation Data System (ADS)) A friend of mine just matched into one. You can also do a fellowship following general surgery.</p>
<p>You’ll want to join the Match program. You should check out the website for match stats and things for internationals, which are unfortunately pretty low.
Could you go to school in the US? I know you said you thought it’d be easier, but I’m not sure it would be if you really want to work in the US.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nrmp.org/”>http://www.nrmp.org/</a>
<a href=“SOAP | NRMP”>http://www.nrmp.org/residency/soap/</a>
<a href=“http://www.nrmp.org/residency/i-am-not-a-us-allopathic-senior/”>http://www.nrmp.org/residency/i-am-not-a-us-allopathic-senior/</a></p>
<p>Any of the integrated surgical subspecialty “residency” programs (such as the thoracic surgery one IWBB posted, but also exist in vascular and plastics) are going to be extremely competitive - far more than the average general surgery residencies. And while it’s admirable that you think, prior to even starting post-secondary education, you want to proceed to CT surgery, but honestly you’re getting ahead of yourself. Focus on your current studies.</p>