noxar311
Forum Elite
Topics: 3
Posts: 305
| | 02/04/08 - 04:16 PM
| #3676 |
hi glo....residency is way cool...im so happy with my program...we have nice conferences, solid teaching and lots of research/publishing opportunities...and i absolutely love NY, although i know u feel different..i really like this place and the fast pace....there's so much stuff to do here, everyday, specially if ure into music, like I am...everyone plays here!..so u can see pretty much any band u want,eventually...and pathology really lets you have a decent life outside the hospital..im so grateful for that....
anyway...i know ull rock the step3 and you'll get in ur top choice...
everyone, keep urselves on this track..now that the interview season is over, try to enjoy the ride (i wont say relax, because i know thats impossible) and take it as it comes....ure gonna love ur residency, wherever it might be...
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Yarbles, great bolshy yarblokos to you. What you done you had no right. I'll meet you with chain or nozh or britva any time, not having you aiming reasonless tolchocks, it stands to reasonless, I wont have it...
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| tochtli
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 30
| | 02/05/08 - 01:33 PM
| #3677 |
Hello Noxar 311, my name is Ana and I would like to study pathology too, I alredy studied pathology in Mexico, I would like to know what hospitals are good to study pathology, maybe not the very competitive hospitals because my scores are not that great, but at least some decent hospitals to study it again. Is it neccesary to study the clinical pathology in all the hospitals?. In Mexico I only studied the anatomic pathology alone for 3 years. I hope you're doing very good. Good luck. 
___________________
"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go"
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| jorgeguytton
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 5
| | 02/05/08 - 11:33 PM
| #3678 |
what if i passed the usmles and i cant get a match, could i work as general doctor? in the us? and what is next thing should i do once i get a good grade in the usmle ..........im a student of 3rd year, que hacer despues ???? 
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| egomez2001
Forum Guru
Topics: 51
Posts: 930
| | 02/06/08 - 09:19 AM
| #3679 |
Hey Glo!, yes..., I´m enjoying as much as I can and doing a lot of nonmedical things that I had pending......
You´re going to do great on s3 , wish you all the best...
Noxar, it´s good to know that you´re having a blast in every aspect in NYC...
Jorge, unfortunetly we can´t work in the US without first doing residency in the US..., after u get a good grade in a step, get another in the next step, after that maybe USCE, research, LORs...
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| GLO MD
Forum Guru
Topics: 9
Posts: 818
| | 02/06/08 - 09:19 AM
| #3680 |
My first advice for you is DON'T do the USMLE's at this point in your medical education. You are still too young. I have a lot of examples I can give you of people doing the steps far too early in the game and failing it or getting a really low score and then they wait until they mature as physicians study harder and do a lot better but their failure will always be part of their records and they have problems getting IV's!! so don't ever do that!!
All the people that is deep into this game thinks that for a mexican the best time to do USMLE's is during the social service not before. It is the time when you can perform your best and that is exactly what you want.
You have to know that getting a residency position is not impossible but it is hard and if you score below the 90's you will have a harder time getting a good residency position...
My advice? start getting the books and reading them, start doing your research about this whole process. If this is what you really want try to find out if your school can let you do rotations in the US for instance doing your internship in the US like I did. This helps you like you have no idea!! so before taking the plunge and doing the USMLE's you should concentrate on getting USCE (US clinical experience) with that you will be able to get letters of recommendation that are a must right now.
You can also start doing research but focus on getting publications in american journals otherwise they are not that important.
USMLE's.... I would tell you to wait... your clinical experience is still developing and eventhough you can think that you are ready for step 1 because it's "only basic science"... believe me you are not ready.... and NO it is not only basic science... it is basic science with a whole lot of clinical science in the middle.
Concentrate on learning a lot and doing great at your medical school, being the best or one of the best in your class will also engourge your curriculum.
The point is: work on making your CV look nicer.
Do try to do your internship in the US!!
When you are done with your intership gooo for it!! start with step 1 and then step 2 don't skip because you will do worse also... remember this is a game of strategy and you need to do your very best!!
The USMLE's are the medical olympics and you would not go to the olympics if you are not prepared right? the same thing here... I've been there and I know a lot of people that is done or is doing the USMLE's and most of them if not all will tell you that you need a lot of preparation for this exams and that includes finishing your medical education so you have the best chance possible of rocking the exams.
I give you this advice because I also had the stinge of doing the USMLE's in my third year and I THANK GOD!! I did not go for it then because I would have failed miserably and my chances of matching would not even be close to my chances now that I waited and did my steps when I was at the top of my game!
Good luck and keep us posted, if there is anything else we can help you with let us know bye!
___________________
Keep your eyes on the stars, but remember to keep your feet on the ground....Theodore Roosevelt
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| noxar311
Forum Elite
Topics: 3
Posts: 305
| | 02/06/08 - 04:47 PM
| #3681 |
agreed...totally....getting a good grade in the usmle is the thing you do at the end of this journey....u are in a very good position jorge,,,most of us started studyin after graduation, which made it very painful and full of panic....we went to the olympics pretty much untrained, like gloria said......u have to optimize ur chances by trying to do everything/anything gloria said....
zaa, im terribly sorry....i just found out my mspe is my home pc,in mexico....i didnt even verify before i made the post....if it makes you any better, i dont think the mspe matter at this point, now that the iv season is over...im sory man...i dropped the ball on that one...
tochtli...there are some of programs taht woul offer you an interview...the truth is that, with this renewed interest for pathology from AMG's, is tough to get a position in any place...and almost impossible in big name hospitals, since pathology programs are usually small, taking 4,3, an sometimes only 2 residents per year....having said that, i do think that there is room for us IMG's.....the trick is in a couple of factors.1.--building ur CV,mainly with publications, wich somehow have more importance in path than in most specialties...
in pathology is veru hard to gain USCE, as u can imagine..so the closest thing to usce is an observership, which can be obtained at a number of hospitals without much trouble..
2,- knowing where to apply...it sounds rough, but forget about big names...we all fantasize with getting to a big university hospital..but the truth is that university is gonna be swamped with applications with superstar AMG's, who probably even graaduated from that school.....the brightside is that for a hospital to actually have a pathology program, it has to be of a certain size,right?, so most path programs ae in very nices places....and most, even when they're comminuty hospitals, are university affiliated, which makes a big difference in academic terms..
some programs like the fact that the applicant aleady has previous training, some other dont..so researching that point can help you apply to some more programs, and avoid applications in which they will not be interested in you....
for practical purposes, all pathology programs are 4 year apcp programs....you may find either a cp only or an ap only program (3y each) but they ae highly unpopular.....the reason behind this is that when you are out for a job, almost all your employers will ask you to be ap and cp certified, even if youre going to practice only one thing (which is kind of a lie, because u are never 100% on one side of the ap-cp border)...most ap-only programs are taken by ppl who plan to go back to their country of origin o practice...(which i highly discourage..who would want to be a pathologist in mexico?) anyway,that's a different story......
feel free to contact me for further discussion
so....where did u do path?..have u taken any of the steps?..when did u graduate from medschool?
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Yarbles, great bolshy yarblokos to you. What you done you had no right. I'll meet you with chain or nozh or britva any time, not having you aiming reasonless tolchocks, it stands to reasonless, I wont have it...
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| chemamr
Moderator and PGY2
Topics: 703
Posts: 4,442
| | 02/06/08 - 06:15 PM
1 of 1 forum leaders found this post helpful
| #3682 |
hello guys, I wanted to share this text with you. It's about a Michael Moore's movie, it's kind of interesting. Not the movie (dramatic and unreal in some parts) itself but the criticism of the american healthcare system and other counterparts. This article approaches this. Hope you like it.
Attached Files:
Sicko.pdf (286 KB, 8 downloads)
___________________
Any time something is written against me, I not only share the sentiment but feel I could do the job far better myself.
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| jorgeguytton
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 5
| | 02/06/08 - 11:10 PM
| #3683 |
ok i wont take the steps at this momento, i been working in a hospital since i was studing public accountttant and i dropped that major, cos alll my life i have that picture of me with my white uniform and tie, taking care of those people with some injure o disease, so i went with my parents and i toldem that this major wasnt fot me, they punished me , didnt give me money at all,, a week later, they apologized, and then told me its your life not ours, so what do you wanna do, i wanna go to medical, they scared so much, because they thing that medecina , it is long, yes it is, but i dont care, im happy i been working as camillero and i read the format of question of the usmles and it is not diferent of my materias exams, well i read some of kaplan, and i thought i might get a good score, but anyway i will do as you said, because that is a good advice, so, once i finished my school,what can i do, i read in this forum, people that have problems whit their titulo, so what to do, go firts with the ecfmg or directly to usmle, i will take both exams enarm and usmle, like you said guys its hard but not imposible
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| chemamr
Moderator and PGY2
Topics: 703
Posts: 4,442
| | 02/08/08 - 07:25 PM
| #3684 |
don't worry about "titulo" problems. That depends on your med school, you might not have any problems at all at your school... 2-3 more years to get your title... good luck buddy.
___________________
Any time something is written against me, I not only share the sentiment but feel I could do the job far better myself.
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| tochtli
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 30
| | 02/09/08 - 09:25 AM
| #3685 |
Thanks for your information Noxar, Yes, surely it will be very hard, well at least I think I'll still try, it's weird in Mexico anybody likes pathology and here everybody wants it. I'm from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, I studied pathology at the South Central Hospital of High Specialization PEMEX, I alredy passed the step 1 and I'm going to take step 2 very soon. I graduated on 2006. I'm here in the U.S because I got married with an american man. Well I think the only thing I can do is try.
Edited by tochtli on 02/11/08 - 02:02 PM
___________________
"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go"
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| GLO MD
Forum Guru
Topics: 9
Posts: 818
| | 02/09/08 - 10:26 AM
| #3686 |
You'll do great dear tochtli!! I am convinced that all you need to pass the USMLE's is the will to do it and well lots of studying but that comes with the will!! So you'll be able to do it for sure!! Just fight for what you want!
Dear Jorge the medical diploma depends on your medical school and has nothing to do with ECFMG or any other organization it also has nothing to do with Mexico city either ( a lot of us seem to think that everything is done there and it is NOT!!). I was able to get my medical diploma in 6 weeks record time even when my school regularly takes up to 2 years, one year at least... my advice to you?.... go talk to the real real high people tell them about your case, tell them that you need it because otherwise you will lose your chance of matching int the US (which in my case was soo truth) and that you will lose a lot of money and time!! the very day you finish your social service start your paperwork!! and keep anoying them and telling them that you need it until they are fed up of you and give it to you!! believe me schools only take a month to do the diploma but you have to be on top of it to get what you want!! Also ask for the possibility of having it borrowed while your cedula is on process (that is other reason they take a long time because sometimes the titulo is ready for months but is sitting there until you get your cedula back from Mexico city, this is the only thing that is done there)..... I told them that I gived a.... about the cedula jajaja I told them all I needed was the diploma so they gave it to me as a "prestamo" while my cedula was in process, and it was great because I was able to get my ECFMG certificate while my cedula was cooking and after a while I gave it back to my school and they only took it for 2 more weeks put a stamp of the back that means that I have my cedula already and voila! they gave it back to me forever with cedula but I was certified by then!!
So evertyhing is a game of strategy and talking to the right people and being there and calling and showing real interest, and they will do their job a lot faster than usual.
When you get your diploma you need to do some paperwork with the ECFMG, you need to send 2 copies of your diploma, a certified translation and fill out a couple of forms that you can get at their website, once they review this info they will send a verification of credentials form to you medical school.... my advice to speed the process here?? be sure that ECFMG uses a courier service to send your things back to your school instead of regular mail... regular mail takes more than a month and for 30 dlls they can send it through fedex and will be there in 3 to 5 days.... as I said you have to be on top of everything... so if ECFMG doesn't have your fedex account number already be sure to call and fax it to them and ask them to send it through express international service.
Also ask your school to send it back through courier!! and that way you can be certified in 6-8 weeks or so.
I hope this info helps, try to focus on school right now and the rest will unfold at its right time, but always remember that you are the master of your life and you can make things happen if you work hard for them and stay on top of all your things... also, never take no for an answer!!! you have no idea how many people told me... oh forget it!! the UABC never gives your diploma in less than a year.... oh forget it wait another year..... that's BS!!! YOU CAN DO IT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO!! good luck!
___________________
Keep your eyes on the stars, but remember to keep your feet on the ground....Theodore Roosevelt
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| SilatK
Forum Guru
Topics: 42
Posts: 581
| | 02/10/08 - 01:31 PM
1 of 1 forum leaders found this post helpful
| #3687 |
Para que vean!! Everything is possible!!
This guy is truely an inspirations!
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/dome/0609/top_stor...
___________________
To know is to not know..
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| GLO MD
Forum Guru
Topics: 9
Posts: 818
| | 02/10/08 - 08:45 PM
| #3688 |
OMG!!! I literally cried!!! This is the type of story that gives me the strenght to keep on going!! The road is tough and even tougher for some people but the rewards are endless!! I wish I had his email, I would tell him how highly I think of him.... my fellow from Baja California!! In deed everything is possible!!
Thank you for sharing this Silatk!! it is an incredible inspiration!
___________________
Keep your eyes on the stars, but remember to keep your feet on the ground....Theodore Roosevelt
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| JorgeC
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 15
| | 02/10/08 - 09:07 PM
| #3689 |
Hello everybody,
Mi name is Jorge, im 21-year old med student from México City, Right now im on my fourth year of med school, i study at the UNAM.
I want to apply for residence in the US. i have some questions maybe some of you guys can help me out with this...
1.- I have been planing this. Study this hole year to make my step one the next year, then study the hole next year to apply for the step 2 on my internship (5th year). I dont know if this is ok or if i have to wait more to make my step 1.
2.- I want to be a surgeon, i know its very hard (ive heard impossible), but thats my goal in life, so, i dont know if its better to apply for a residence in the US or study here in Mexico surgery and then go and make a fellowship in the US
3.- I have bought the first aid to study for the step 1 (i have already read some :P), any other book you would like to suggest?
Thank you
Im very happy to hear there are a lot of mexican students trying the sme im doing, this gives me alot of joy, arriba Méxicooooo!!!
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| GLO MD
Forum Guru
Topics: 9
Posts: 818
| | 02/11/08 - 09:24 AM
| #3690 |
Jorge here are my humble answers to your questions:
1.- Read this #3683 this is my answer to your question.... you could do Step 1 in the fourth year but I don't recommend this because you will not get your best score possible and you deffinitely need this if you are interested in surgery.... above 90 for fair chances and above 95 for much better chances....
2.- Deffinitely not impossible, difficult but doable, read this: http://www.nrmp.org/data/chartingoutcomes2007.pdf
Read the surgery part and remember we as IMG's are independent applicants, analize the graphs you can see here that IMG's have almost a 50% chance of matching which is even greater than the chances in Mexico!! Also read all the graphs and you will see the tendencies and what programs are looking for.... for instance USCE (US CLINICAL EXPERIENCE) is almost a must!! You should try to do your internship in the US otherwise expect expending a year after your social service just in doing USCE..... so try to kill two birds with one bullet and see if your school has that possibility. Try to go to the hospital in which you are most interested in and build relationships.
I should also warn you that even with USCE it is literally impossible to get a categorical position for an IMG, they will always offer a preliminary year and if you work you ass off they will give you the categorical after that. So plan on one more year beside those for the surgical categorical program.
If you are willing to pay the price it is deffinitely doable, I know a lot of people doing surgery in the US.... but all those I know started with preliminary year as I told you and did a lot of rotations in the US...if nobody know you your chances are very very slim for surgery.
3.- First aid is a must but it is deffinitely not the only thing you should study... but don't go reading Harrison's!!! that is a mistake a lot of people make.....this is not the "nacional"... there is a lot of really great books made especifically for the steps that don't have "paja"..... buy the Kaplan books for step 1 at amazon and believe me, that is all you need to score above 95.... also remember to do usmleworld question bank. But please listen to my words and don't bite the bullet yet.... work on your cv, try to do your best at school and do your best to get your internship out of Mexico.... you can always get back to Mexico after this but you have no idea what a different vision about medicine you will have if you do this.
Good luck and let us know if you need any more help!
___________________
Keep your eyes on the stars, but remember to keep your feet on the ground....Theodore Roosevelt
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| ram3
Forum Guru
Topics: 47
Posts: 510
| | 02/11/08 - 10:36 AM
| #3691 |
Hi GLO MD I am also out of money and having a hard time paying for usmle step 3 can you clarify something for me is there a deadline to apply to this test i have heard this and dont understand till when can we apply also once our application is approved we have ninety days to take this test right? please send me a private message thank you in advance
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| ZAA
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 50
| | 02/11/08 - 01:30 PM
| #3692 |
Hello every body:
Noxar thanks a lot man and no worries.
I'm still trying to make my MSPE, but I don't know how deep I need to go with the narrative part of the clerkship's evaluation.
Is there anybody else who can share his own MSPE to have a better idea on how to do it?
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| noxar311
Forum Elite
Topics: 3
Posts: 305
| | 02/11/08 - 04:43 PM
| #3693 |
i actually had myclerkship evaluations....just couple of lines about ur good bedside manners and solid fund of knowledge...something like that....
___________________
Yarbles, great bolshy yarblokos to you. What you done you had no right. I'll meet you with chain or nozh or britva any time, not having you aiming reasonless tolchocks, it stands to reasonless, I wont have it...
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| KARIME
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 104
| | 02/11/08 - 06:38 PM
| #3694 |
Hi everybody!
Thanks SilatK for sharing it really motivates my soul.
Glo.....when do you know results about all this match process?
Oh oh.....almost forgot......Chema....are you a GC holder? Noxar what about you? E Gomez?.......Medusin, how's your study going?.....Arciniega? ....sorry If I skip someone...
Welcome new people. Here you'll find ----as already you notice---very kind and altruistic persons.......willing to share their experiences and advices.
Also I'm preparing for Step 1 exam.....and the only thing I can tell you Medical Students.....Be the best in your class, worry for now about your CV, study hard...learn a lot in your Internado, and please.....Find a relax place for social service also investigate which one is already certified, so you don't have to worry about it....'cos....Oh God, for me is really hard to see 18-23 patients every day filling all the stuff, just because the Expedients must be in order.....it really is a waste of time, so......My advice....find quiet social service.....and study all year long for both S1 and S2......if you can so you need a quiet place.
Well.....Im on pharma by now... I should be starting the second reading....but.........oh boy.....I keep the spirits up!! See you soon....tell us all your life events!!!!
___________________
Eterea
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| JorgeC
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 15
| | 02/11/08 - 07:13 PM
| #3695 |
I cant make my whole internship in the US... I can only go for 3 months, thats it.
I think i will have to spend one year after i finish medicine here in Mexico, well of course if everything goes all riight.
Thank you for everything....
I will keep telling you whats new, by now ill study hard to make my step one next year...
CYA!!!!!
PS. MD GLO are you doing residency in the US,?
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| JorgeC
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 15
| | 02/11/08 - 07:39 PM
| #3696 |
Another question, the Kaplan books you are telling me to buy are this one...
http://www.amazon.com/2007-Kaplan-USMLE-Study-Pro...
Thank you again!
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| GLO MD
Forum Guru
Topics: 9
Posts: 818
| | 02/11/08 - 08:51 PM
| #3697 |
Dear Jorge:
1.- No I'm not in residency yet... that's what I'm fighting for right now!
2.-Try your best to get those 3 months! Everything helps. Do make plans for a year of rotations and research in the US after medical school if possible.
3.- I guess those books are the new edition, I really don't like the new format though. I had the edition before that and it is incredibly good and complete. Now that I think about it......  .......the home study program is different than the books that they give you when you take the live lecture which are far more complete so I recommend them, these are the books:
http://www.amazon.com/Pharmacology-Biochemistry-E...
I highly highly recommend them! It is one book for each subject!! You should buy them as quickly as you can because they usually don't sell them because it is prohibited by kaplan copyright, and the only way to get them is by paying the live lecture because they don't even sell them alone at kaplan!!! sooooo do hurry because they sell like hot bread!!
Hey Karime good to see you!! March 17 is what is called "black monday", that day I will know if I matched or went unmatched but if I do I will not know where, the 2 following days are what's called the scramble and unfilled positions are viewable for unmached applicants.... match day is March the 20th this year... this is the day I will know where I matched if I match!! Wish me luck!!
I wish you all the best on your step 1 prep, I know it is tough!! especially when you have work to do on top of it but try to stay positive and take it one day at a time!
___________________
Keep your eyes on the stars, but remember to keep your feet on the ground....Theodore Roosevelt
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| JorgeC
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 15
| | 02/12/08 - 02:48 PM
| #3698 |
Hey GLO, good luck, hope you to get into a residency programs...
share with us the good news !!!
,
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| JorgeC
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 15
| | 02/12/08 - 08:31 PM
| #3699 |
i just purchased those books GLO...
Im very excited because this is the beggining for me.. long way to go...
Thank you for the advice.
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| GLO MD
Forum Guru
Topics: 9
Posts: 818
| | 02/13/08 - 09:11 AM
| #3700 |
You are very welcome!! You will like them a lot I assure you!
I know!!! it is an exciting time!! We all started like you, I actually remember I got those books 2 years ago!! Time flies! If you need anything else please let us know!
Thank you for your good wishes I will sure let you guys know what happened to me so that you know how things are going in the match for IM these days... I also know a couple of friends applying to FM and surgery so I will let you guys know also, see you soon!
Edited by GLO MD on 02/13/08 - 09:45 AM
___________________
Keep your eyes on the stars, but remember to keep your feet on the ground....Theodore Roosevelt
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