1. Road map to U. S. Residency A seminar on tackling the match. Dr
Road map to U.S. Residency A seminar on tackling the match. Dr. Muhammad Ali Khan Dr. Faraz Khan Luni Dr. Isra’a Khan Dr. Muhammad Faraz Masood

2. Excited to carry a pager
Muhammad Ali Khan
Dow Medical College
Batch of 2008

3. Definitions ECFMG: Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.
ERAS: Electronic Residency Application Service
NRMP: National Residency Matching Program
FSMB: Federal State Medical Board

4. What is a Match? Match Process of getting into a US residency program.
Handled by NRMP
ROL (Rank Order List)
Ranking of programs by candidates.
Deadline: End of February.
Residency programs submit their ranking of candidates.
Finally the MATCH is declared on Monday of 3rd week of March.

5. What is a Pre-match? What is a Post-match?
Signing up of residency contract before the match is announced.
Post-match
Unmatched candidates are provided a list of programs having vacancies. They can then apply there to get residency.

6. Pre-match vs Match Pre-match Match
Can start the visa processing before hand.
Most University programs do not offer pre-matches.
Visa processing begins by mid to late April.
All programs enter the match.

7. Pre-match vs Match Pre-match Match
You May or May Not match.
University programs lead to all sorts of fellowships (especially if you are on J-1)
Peace of mind that you have got the job
Small programs do not usually lead to competitive fellowships.

8. Post-match Scramble
Starts on Tuesday and ends on Thursday of the match week.
One should ideally be in the U.S. to participate in it.
Realistic for people who have contacts in that particular program, have green cards or are citizens of United States.

9. Components of a successful Match
USMLE Scores - filters
Certification
U.S. Clinical Experience & LORs
Networking in the U.S.
Research experience (University calls)
Personal Statement
Time since graduation
Interview – Communication skills
Step 3
Medical school transcripts

10. 1st & 2nd Years
Concentrate on your basic sciences and academic achievements.
Extracurriculars like volunteer organizations.
Learn research methodology: use step 1 BS, attend workshops
Make a professional CV and address
Identify mentors
Start on a research project

11. 3rd & 4th Years Concentrate on clinical knowledge, Hx and PE skills.
Utilize elective slots to do more research projects & clinical electives (local or international)
Start applying to US universities for electives which you will do in 4th and final years.

12. 3rd & 4th Years Start building a contact/alumni list
Present research at seminars
Step 1 if possible
Towards end of 4th year at least have an idea of what you probably want to specialize in.

13. Final year Concentrate on Medicine and Surgery rotations
Best time to take Step 2 CS is during the period of clinical electives in US
Should have some published research by now.
By the end of final year should have done at least two U.S. electives (the more the better)
If not then do electives immediately after you graduate.

14. After graduation Concentrate on Steps Aim for certification
Keep in touch with LOR attendings
Pakistani citizens should do house job.
Prepare documents for the match.
Clinical observerships

15. U.s. clinical electives Best time to do them?
Should know how to present using SOAP format
How to search for them?
US news
Seniors/Alumni/Faculty
Google is your best friend
Step 1 requirement

16. U.s. clinical electives Cost estimate for 2 months - $2000-4000
Apply at least 6 months in advance.
Common errors: inappropriate address, informal writing style, informal CV
Alumni can be a big help

17. How to get good lors Plan to spend enough time with two attendings
Show enthusiasm and interest – be inquisitive but not excessively
Cover at least 2 patients daily and read about their conditions
Be a team player
Volunteer to give RELEVANT presentations/talks

18. how to get good lors Be friendly and make small talk too
Don’t call everyone SIR!!
Show independence in assessing patients
Don’t try to answer too many questions and make other students/residents look bad

19. How to get good lors
Ask for feedback at the end of your interaction with attending.
After feedback, explain to them your goals of post-grad training. Request LOR
Supply them with CV for LOR.
Waived vs Un-waived
Make good friends with the secretaries of the attendings!
Stay in touch

20. Local letters Ideally - U.S. trained physician
- Personalized LOR from any senior consultant.
No Generic letters!!
- Useless
IM applicants need one letter from Chief of Medicine & four in total.

21. Research opportunities
Local opportunities:
Identify faculty at AKU, SIUT, Dow
Initiate your own project
JPMA , CPSP & Ayub Medical College Journals.
International opportunities:
- mostly unpaid.
- best for people who have green cards or are citizens.
- if you get an opportunity GRAB IT, it might not knock again

22. Student conferences Oral presentations are better.
Matter need not have been published.
Try to participate in conferences which are related to your specialty.

23. Personal statement Big opportunity to emphasize your strengths!
Why did you choose this specialty?
Your personality, your strengths.
Your experience in the US
Should be one page: font Arial, size 12

24. Personal statement Get at least 6 reviews done on PS
Will go through at least 6 drafts, so start working early
Common errors: making it your CV, spelling/grammatical errors
DO NOT COPY, you will get caught for PLAGIARISM.

25. Usmle Step 3 Essential for H1b visa.
Best time to take it as soon as you reach US for interviews.
Best prep is giving it soon after Step 2 CK
Format: 2 day test – MCQs and CCS
Can influence match favorably if used properly

26. Official Timeline
July 1,  MyERAS  Web site opens to applicants to begin working on their applications. - ERAS Support Services at ECFMG will begin generating and distributing tokens to IMGs.
September 1, Applicants may begin applying to ACGME accredited programs. - ACGME accredited programs may begin contacting the ERAS PostOffice to download application files
November 1,  MSPEs are released to ACGME accredited program.
March Scramble. - NRMP Match  results will be available.

27. My timeline June July Start working on your personal statement.
Start searching programs.
Get to work on your LORs, you need 4 at least.
July
Buy the online token of ERAS. The window opens from July 1.
Start sending your LORs to ECFMG for uploading them on ERAS

28. My timeline August September October to January
Your LORs should have been uploaded at your ERAS office.
Should ideally be certified by August 31.
September
Apply to programs on September 1.
October to January
Interview season.

29. MY TIMELINE February March Submit your Rank Order List.
Match declared on Monday of third week of March.
Post match scramble for three days after the match.

30. Program types Internal Medicine Categorical Prelim General Surgery
Family Medicine
Pediatrics
Neurology
Categorical: 3 years neurology + 1 year prelim IM included
Advanced: 3 years neurology

31. Choosing programs One of the most important step of your application.
First have a budget in mind.
ERAS fee
Number of Programs per Specialty
Up to 10: $ : $8 each 21-30: $15 each 31 or more: $25 each

32. Choosing programs
Example 1: A candidate applies to 30 IM programs and 30 Pediatrics programs. Total cost would be $305 for IM and $305 for Peds i.e. $610.
Example 2: A candidate applies to 60 IM programs. Total cost would be as follows.
The first 30 costing him $305 and after that every program costs $25 i.e. his cost for the last 30 programs is $750 and total is $1055.

33. Choosing programs
Dowites usually apply to 70+ programs, AKU people apply to 40 programs.
Make a spectrum of programs when you apply
_____% University.
_____% University affiliated Community.
_____ % Community.
Do not follow anyone blindly. Do your research before you apply to programs.

34. Choosing programs What to look for in a program?
Description (university, community or combo)
Residents in the program (any dowite)
Faculty (any dowite)
Visa offered (J1, H1 or only green cards)
Fellowship offered & success rate of fellowship placements among its graduates.
Some programs will take AKU grads only from Pakistan (so be prepared for this bias)

35. Choosing programs My suggestions
Work as a team. Researching programs can be very tiring at times.
Decide your budget.
Apply very well, it is an investment.
Start calling up programs by end October & November.
Thank you cards.

36. Visas J 1 Visa (Exchange Visitor Visa)
All programs which take IMGs sponsor it.
All university programs.
Fellowships are easier to find.
Stamped for 1 year & status valid for 7 years.
After 7 years, return to home country for two years.

37. Visas J1 Visa continuation
Only during the first year you can return to Pakistan.
After that you cannot exit US or else you need to get it re-stamped.
Does not get converted to a Green card.
Need to do a waiver for three years to convert it into H1b visa.
If you do not want to do a waiver job……..get the hardship waiver, costs around $

38. Visas H1 b visa (Temporary worker’s visa)
Stamped for 1 or 3 years & status valid for 6 years.
If you get a 3 year stamp you can enter & exit US during the 3 year period.
Gets converted to a Green card.
If you have had problems with visa clearance you may get your B1 visa converted to H1 status while living in the US

39. Visas H1b visa continuation
Can be an expensive visa but is totally worth it.
Premium processing fee $ (lawyer fee $ if University does not pay)
Few University programs sponsor H1b.
More Community Programs sponsor it.
Fellowships are harder to find.

40. Total expense Electives ………………………… $2500 USMLE STEP 1…………………. $ 920
USMLE STEP 2CK …………….. $ 935
USMLE STEP 2CS …………….. $1355
Application ………………………. $
Interview season……………….. $
Two tickets to the US ………… $2200
Total $12,110/-

41. My Pearls The 3 P’s for this whole process.
P: Party hard
P: Practice harder
P: Pray the hardest
Why I chose this background?
You should always aim as high as the sky.
Your efforts should be comparable to the vastness of an ocean.
In the end it is your dream, your efforts will pay off.

42. All the best
Thank you !