hitesh
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So, here's my bit abt the clinical electives in US.
1. Most require you to have passed step 1. So, to broaden ur options, take and pass step 1 before u apply, if possible.
2. Many require you to buy ur own malpractice insurance. I'd recommend not spending that extra money and going for the ones that provide you with malprac. Again, if u are open to buying it urself, u can have even more options.
3. Many places require toefl scores. some may accept step1 passed instead. the place where i am at right now, did require toefl.
4. All the information is available on the internet. Here's a good place to start your research http://services.aamc.org/eec/students/
5. It takes time to fulfill all the requirements and to do the paperwork, the slowest step often being the immunisations. So, plan ahead
6. Most will require you to buy health insurance as well.
7.they all want you to be in FINAL YEAR OF MEDICAL SCHOOL, with some rare exceptions
8. To summarise, when u start looking, look for
- if the university accepts students from non lcme accredited programs.
- if they require step 1 passed / toefl
- if they provide malprac insurance / health insurance
- what are their immunisation requirements
- What visa do they want you to be on . It could be a B or F1 or even a J visa.
- application and tution fees
- application deadlines
9. What to do
- Just go to http://services.aamc.org/eec/students/ which gives you a brief summary for all the universities, with their webpage URLs
- Visit all the websites, see if you are eligible, and if you like it, just download the application materials and apply
- Most also have the Phone nos and e-mail ids of their elective co-ordinators, in case you have any doubts. Personally I found calling them up much better than e-mailing, with the exception of Northwestern University. They have the most well organised elective program ( after HMS) and they reply to ur emails almost instantly.
Hope this helped, questions are welcome
Edited by hitesh on 04/03/08 - 04:03 PM
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| angel^Doctor
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excellent post . I would only add few things:
- Also check if the program require dean's letter or recommendations letters since these need a lot of time to think about recommenders from your home country and obtain dean's letter
-You may also want to check accomedations and transport , espcially if you are travelling to the city for the first time.
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| Mario
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Ya nice posts... I recently did my electives in 8th semester and hope could come across such concentrated advise at 1 place before that.
I am doing my final year of med school, which will be finishing in Feb next year. Then here in India we have to do a year of internship to get the degree, and I am thinking of doing electives again during that time. Can give the CS also at the same time.Can I still be seen as a final year med student by US universities?
OR having passed my final year I am restricted to do observership??
Any idea if electives during this time will be counted in the 1 year period?
Thanks...
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| hitesh
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yes, you're in your 'final' yr of med school when you are doing your 'internship' in India. So, yes you can 
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| Mario
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thanks.. that helps a lot.
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| Mario
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Hey any idea if colleges in India accept the electives during the internship year as part of the "one year" ??
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| abdo
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i wanted to know whihc is beneficial in ur cv electives or obserevership?
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| hitesh
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Akshat: well, I really didnt look into it, cos i was pretty sure that my college wont.. But, what you need to do is, to talk to the registrar or the equivalent of your med school. But unless your med school has an exchange student affiliation program with the particular university which you'd be doing your electives at, I do not think they would recognise the time spent in US towards completion of your 'internship'. I did hear of AIIMS having such a program with UCLA but I am not sure. So, though its unlikely, you'd be better off checking it with your college dean/registrar and if they're new to the concept, you might just wanna explain them a bit about it. Good Luck!
Abdo: Electives are way better than observerships. For more info, just read the other posts on this forum.
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| Mario
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Hitesh: will be finishing my final yr in Feb 2009. Not given any steps yet but have got LOR's and USCE. what are my chances for being ready for the 2010 Match?
OR in other words, Can Indian Med students get into residency program immediately after finishing their internship or they are destined to waste an year.. coz of the so many deadlines?
Thanks again...
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| hitesh
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Topics: 62
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For 2010, you're going great. Just dont procrastinate taking your steps. Plan well.
For 2009, I'm sorry, you cant make it! But the good news is, No one from India ever has made it to residency the same yr they pass out. So, you're doing fine.
The only way it might be possible would be: you graduate by dec of previous yr ( which is the case with many med schools in India) , you take step1 and step2ck before your 'internship' is over. Also, travel to US for CS and interviews during your 'internship' but still manage to get 'attendance' for the time you missed ( which is possible in some med schools in India). You graduate by dec31st. And then, you manage to somehow get your paperwork of graduation and ECFMG certification done by mid-feb and participate in the match. and then hope to get matched... (yeah right! :rolleyes
Now, for one that was just me thinking aloud. I dont think anyone has ever done that. Two, it seems mostly theoretical. There are a lot of problems in that 'theory' , mostly with logistics. and lastly, This in any case cannot apply to you since you'll graduate in Feb'09.
So, dont fret abt 'wasting' an year. If you really care about it, take ur steps asap, be ecfmg certified and use that time to get some research experience/ USCE.
Hope it helped, Good Luck!
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| Mario
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ya that helps.. to know that it is our fate only... But i am only finishng my final yr by feb 2009 and my internship will therefore finish by feb 2010.i am not thinking of the 09 match but the 2010 one only. Can I make it for that, given that I will at the most be able to finish my internship by Feb 2010 ?? (ie if they count my time off for CS and interviews)
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| hitesh
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Topics: 62
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Well, in that case, Just read 2009 as 2010 and 2010 as 2011 
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| Mario
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...I thought so. but was just being over optimistic.
So for applying and sitting for the match, you need to have your graduation paperwork complete? If i graduate in Feb 2010, can not I sit for the match, if I have my ECFMG certification done?
Also at what point of time, one has to request the university for sponsoring the H1B Visa. Before or after selection. What is the best time to sit for USMLE 3 in respect to the application process and the H1 visa?
Thanks Hitesh for all the information.
Hope i can be of some help too... how far are you from that elusive residency?
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| hitesh
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Topics: 62
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Well, You need your final medical school diploma/degree to be able to get ecfmg certification. So, if your med school gives you the degree before you begin your 'internship' (some med schools in India do), then what you're saying might be doable. But in that case you will not be able to do elective rotations during your 'internship', since you'd be a graduate already.
Abt the step 3 and visa issues, dont care abt it. You've still got close to 3 yrs before u need to worry abt that.
I'll be applying for 2009 match
I am glad I could be of some help. Good luck!
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| Mario
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All the best for the match hitesh
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| Mario
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hey, whats the difference between externships and electives, apart from the fact that 1 is for graduates and other is for students?
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| Mario
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And yes, I asked a few NRI students in my college here. They will be finishing internship in april next year. They were of the view that they are eligible for the 2009 match, as long as they get the degree before the July 1 start date
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| hitesh
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Topics: 62
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ty akshat..
abt, the diff between the two, that is the only major difference. the others are with the work profile, eligibility requirements, visas, etc.. which vary a lot depending on where u r going.
To the best of my knowledge, you need to have a medical school diploma to be ecfmg certified, and u have to be certified my mid feb of the yr you're applying for. About your med school policies, you need to find that out yourself.. ecfmg will not certify you just cos your NRI collegues thought so.  So, try and find info from a more reliable source like ur resgistrar/ dean and ecfmg.
Good luck!
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| Mario
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hmmn... ya went to the ECFMG and the NRMP sites. They also put 27th Feb as the deadline, by which ECFMG should certify to NRMP that we have completed the exam requirements... and that we have to be ECFMG certifies before residency begins. But yes, no where they clearly addressed the issue of graduation day and one's eligibility together. It's ok... anyways don't think that will be able to clear all the steps in the internship year. All the best for the CS too!!
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| hitesh
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Topics: 62
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thank you!
I'm not sure what this might mean. "You must document the completion of all requirements for, and receipt of, the final medical diploma. ECFMG will verify your medical school diploma with the appropriate officials of the medical school that issued the diploma and request that the medical school provide your final medical school transcript. " 
You might wanna check this out yourself here
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