alhambramd
Forum Senior
Topics: 8
Posts: 128
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Hi everyone! Im an IMG from the Philippines and I am determined to stay in the San Francisco area. Unfortunately, Im having a problem with getting a California Letter/ PTAL, because they say our clerkship is deficient in psychiatry and electives by their standards.
Is anyone in the forum from the Philippines and have gone through this process already? It would mean so much with me if you could share your experiences...
Thanks 
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| r753_2000
Forum Elite
Topics: 59
Posts: 255
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When did you graduate? I had a friend from UST who took an additional two weeks of Psychiatry after she was accepted to a Family Medicine program.
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| prego
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 15
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see my post: http://www.prep4usmle.com/forum/thread/24647
well you're supposed to get a 'deficiency' letter from the California board if you already applied. or if they didnt send, you call and ask for one (if you applied). with that letter you can go around to find hospitals that will let you do a couple weeks (or how long you need). or you can try without that letter to find an externship go to hospitals and talk to someone (dont just call)
if you want to comeback to california after residency you need to makeup those missing weeks during residency. to get California license (after residency) you still need to apply AGAIN to CA letter/PTAL.
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| alhambramd
Forum Senior
Topics: 8
Posts: 128
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Hi r753_2000, that gave me some hope. I graduated from PLM 2002. I am applying to FM programs in the bay area, but a lot of them require that I have a CA letter BEFORE they even review my application. So you're saying your frined fulfilled her deficiencies AFTER she got into a program already? I guess it really depends on what your case worker decides. I will definitely call her the moment I find out that I passed my last exam (OASIS trick or otherwise)
My main problem is that I DID talk to to the person in charge of my file for the CA letter. She specifically told me to call her ONLY AFTER I pass all of my exams, then we can begin discussing how I might fill my deficiencies.
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| alhambramd
Forum Senior
Topics: 8
Posts: 128
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I eventually went back to my primary hospital back in the Philippines and had 64 hours of Psychiatry externship as required by the California Medical Board. As soo as my analyst got the letter of completion issued by the Dean's Office of my medical school, she promptly sent me my CA letter/PTAL.
I finally got my FINAL California Letter/ PTAL (without deficiencies) mid-December. Frankly, when I opened the envelope, I was half expecting it to be in parchment paper and gilded in gold-- for the effort I put into it and for all the money I spent just to get one. What a disappointment to find that it was a regular letter printed in bond paper :P Hehe... I sent it to ERAS immediately, and they, in turn, immediately lost it somewhere along the road. *SIGH* So after the holidays, I decided to re-send another copy, which they received on time and within 12 hours of receipt, uploaded into their database.
Within 24 hours of it getting uploaded, I started receiving more interview invitations... I knew it! That was the only thing those PDs were waiting for  No really, I knew they were interested in me all along, I never had any doubts they would ask me to come over eventually  Haha!
(The truth is, I had already given up on getting more invitations mid-December, but lo and behold, miracles still happen...oh joy, oh joy)
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