oldoc
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 10
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Hi Everybody,
This is an awesome forum. I have been reading the posts on the forum for more than two years. I am an IMG and work in the research area. I always wanted to take the boards but have been putting the idea aside because of many different reasons (mostly unreasonable). But finally when I decided to sit for USMLE I was told that it might not a good idea because I am too “old”. I graduated in 1997 and had been practicing in my home country for only about 3 years as a pre-residence (pre-intern) before I came to US. Now it’s been more than 10 years since I was graduated and I never had the license because I came here and did not apply for one. Now my friends say that I would unlikely be able to find a residency program due to the two above reasons. Does any of you or your friends have similar experience or have any comments on this matter? I am kind-of tired being a research person and want to give a try for USMLE but am hesitant to go for it thinking that eventually this would be a wasted attempt. Any comment will be a great help for me to decide whether to go for it or not. Thank you all for the support in advance and I really, really like this forum even though I have not actively participated in the discussions.
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| oldMD
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All my friends graduated from Med school around year 1987-1990. They all got matched and doing residency or fellow right now. So go figure with this fact! The key is getting above average score if not great score, you will definitely have a match. They are in pathology, internal medicine and even radiology in top programs. These old spirits are my motivations, so I decided to do the same.
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| oldoc
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 10
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Thanks oldMD,
I was thinking that the fact that not having a license elswhere will hunt me down in the process.
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| arlete
Intern in 2009!!!!!
Topics: 30
Posts: 2,208
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It all depends on how important it is for you to be a doctor again. The greater the bet, the greater the risk, the greater the prize. I'll give up only after I've used all my ammunition. That's how important it is to me.  And I graduated in 1992!
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When men make the rules, God decides the exceptions.
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| ieltsforall
Forum Junior
Topics: 12
Posts: 72
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hi,u are not old ,kindly go ahead and best of luck for your step 1,takecare all of u
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ieltsforall
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| Meduza
Forum Newbie
Topics: 4
Posts: 8
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I graduated in 1996 in Russia and never practiced, because my kids were born and I moved here in USA. Just now I decided to try and have the same worries as you, but I know older people who did it. Just don't think about it and try to get the best score.
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| oldoc
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 10
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Thank you all of you for encouragement.
Meduza, you told that you have graduated in Russia. Were you an international student there and if so what do you think about getting the transcripts from there?
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| floresmd
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 66
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HI I'M A DOCTOR IN MEXICO ,I HAVE AN ORTHOPEDIC RESIDENCY TRAINING,I'M WORKING AS AN ORTHOPEDIST RIGHT NOW IN MEXICO,ALWAYS WORKING AS A DOCTOR SINCE I GRADUATES FROM MED. SCHOOL IN 1995,BUT I WANT TO TAKE TE MLE'S,DO I HAVE A CHANCE TO GET A RESIDENCY POSITION? THANKS FOR YOU REPLY TO EVERYONE.
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| ikenga
Forum Newbie
Topics: 0
Posts: 8
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You are never too old to start over in America. You know deep down that u would like to give US medical licensure a fair shot. I will first try my best to score well in all the steps at first attempt and then worry about residency later. If I pass all the steps and faill to secure residency I wiil at least know that I have given it my best shot.
The worst feeling u will have is not knowing what could have happend if u passed the steps. We are all in the same boat and I may well be one of the oldest on this forum being myself a 1986 IMG. The problem with going for plan B without exhausting all USMLE option is that u will invariably feel a deep sense of lack of fulfilment regardless of your achievements in non-medical fields.
Doc, gather your prep materials and go for the USMLE certifications.
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"You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take"-Wayne Gretzky
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| arlete
Intern in 2009!!!!!
Topics: 30
Posts: 2,208
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ikenga:
I couldn't agree more. Better try and fail than never try at all...
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When men make the rules, God decides the exceptions.
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| floresmd
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 66
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THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ADVICE IKENGA,IT MAKE ME THINK THAT EVERY THING IS POSSIBLE WITH EFFORT,AND DISCIPLINE,THANK YOU A LOT, AND GOOD LUCK FOR EVERYONE HERE.BEST WISHES.I'M GOING TO TAKE IT YEA!!!
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| oldoc
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 10
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Thank you very much Ikenga and arlete
I really appreciate your advice and will be in contact with all you guys. Now I have to make a study plan. Being a fulltime employee and worse, doing research would shorten my study time trumendously. But given the fact, as Ikenga said, what ever you do less than practicing in clinics would make me regrate some day in the life, So I would be really serious and will try my best.
FloresMD, let's do it 
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| floresmd
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 66
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HI TO ALL OF YOU,MY QUESTION IS, DO YOU THINK USMLE STEP 1 HOME STUDY PROGRAM WICH IS 4 VOLUME BOOK,FIRST AID,BRS PATHO AND BRS PHISIO ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO STUDY?
NEED YOUR ADVICE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH,AND GL
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| arlete
Intern in 2009!!!!!
Topics: 30
Posts: 2,208
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Do online usmleworld q-bank, too, close to the test.
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When men make the rules, God decides the exceptions.
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| supra
Forum Elite
Topics: 16
Posts: 325
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hey ,age has never been a barrier nor an excuse for doctors,lets just not worry about it.we,doctors need to keep studying/updating all our lives,isnt it?
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| floresmd
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 66
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HELLO GUYS,HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR STUDY? I WANT TO KNOW WHERE CAN I DOWNLOAD THE KAPLAN NOTES,GOLJIAN NOTES ,PLEASE RPLY ME.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU
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