FAQ #4 - About timing, electives, and the match

From KY :

Are the chances of getting a match is higher if I sit for the steps as an undergraduate or after I graduate?
It doesn’t matter whether you sit for your Steps during medical school or after graduation. The end point, the USMLE score, is the most important, regardless of whether you obtained it during medical school or after.

Is it true that the most important thing to do is to get an elective done in the States as an undergraduate while I'm still a medical student?
If you want to get an elective position in the U.S., best is to do it while you are still a medical student. This way, electives are more easily available. After graduation, you can only get observerships or externships as your “U.S. Clinical Experience”.

Are 2 months enough for electives?
Generally, yes. But of course, if you can afford to go for more, I would recommend you to do so.

Can you please tell me something about the match? My friend told me that there is only one match which happens in September every year. Thus, it is important to complete the elective, Step 1, Step 2 CK and the Step 2 CS by August in order to apply for the match in September
Yes, every year, U.S. med students and foreign graduates apply to the match in September.

I am a third year medical student. My plan is to do an elective as a third year medical student in Malaysia, finish my fourth year, do an elective for 2 months in the States in 2014, finish my final year, graduate in May 2015, sit for the Step 1 by the end of 2015, sit for the Step 2 CK by April 2016, complete the Step 2 CS by August 2016, apply for the match in September 2016. What do you think about this?
Your plan is good. However, if I would recommend that you sit for the Step 2 CS when you do your electives in the States in 2014. At the same time, I would also recommend that you start preparing for the Step 2 CK now, and take it BEFORE you graduate – perhaps 6-8 months before graduation. This is definitely doable as ALL U.S. medical students also take the Step 2 CK before they graduate, some even in the third year itself. Don’t worry on not being able to answer its questions because the Step 2 CK focuses more on diagnosis and investigations, as compared to the Step 3 which focuses more on management. You do not need the Step 3 to apply for the match. Then I would recommend that you study for the Step 1 immediately after you sit for Step 2 CK. This way, you can take the Step 1 by July-August 2015, and have your results ready before the Match. You can then apply for the 2015 match. This is the ideal plan, if it don’t work out, you can always postpone the exam and go back to your original plan.

Welcome to USMLE Malaysia

2006 - 978 house officers per year.
2009 - 3,150 house officers per year. Number of medical schools increased to 28.

In 2013, it is estimated that more than 6,000 graduate doctors will be joining as house officers. The number of medical schools has increased to 36. This is the biggest problem facing Malaysian healthcare now, the overflow of houseman. It's effects on training is also becoming more evident. There are also limited positions for one to train to become a specialist.
 
Many do not realize the postgraduate training opportunities that one can obtain in the U.S. Common myths include:
1) US postgraduate training is unpaid (false)
2) It is hard to get a spot if you are not a citizen or PR (false)
3) Its impossible for a Malaysian graduate to get to the U.S. for training (false)
4) Specialist training in US is not recognized in Malaysia (false)
5) I need to go to the U.S. to sit for the USMLE (false)

The purpose of this blog is to help you discover that the pathway to residency to the U.S. is 100% possible as long as you put in the hard work, effort and have the right study strategy. The few Malaysians who attempted the USMLEs are already doing their subspecialist training in the U.S., and some have even returned to Malaysia and are currently practicing as consultants in Malaysia.

A good way begin your journey to understand the USMLE is to go through the list of topics available on the right side of this blog.

I wish you all the best in your journey of discovery. If my posts have helped you in any way, I hope that you will click the "like" button available on this blog, and hopefully help more med students and doctors discover this blog.

- Jamie -
 

FAQ #3 - about Step 3, program directors, extra-curricular activities, MoH, and duration

1. Did you complete Step 3 and then proceeded to apply to the US? Is it mandatory to finish Step 3 as an IMG to improve your chances of securing a place?
I did not complete my Step 3. It is good to have Step 3, especially if you have low Step 2 CK scores. It also does improve your chances.

2. Do the directors look at your Step 1 score ONLY or do they also consider your medical school transcript?
Well, this depends on the program directors. Most will only look at your Step score as they would never have heard of your medical school before. Plus, it is hard to standardize a foreign medical school from India vs one from Brazil – for example.

3. Does extracurricular activities play an important role? I do not hold any significant positions at my university. I love volunteering and such I do a lot of volunteering. Will a good Step 1 score help mask this area?
Step 1 score is definitely the main factor. This is because usually when US med students apply, they will only have their Step 1 score, and not Step 2 (they apply at the start of their 4th year). Extra things other than your score will just help you make you “unique” among other applicants. If they want to compare two applicants with equal step 1 score, then they will look in other areas such as volunteer activities.

4. Is a publication important? At my university, we have US graduates coming to talk to us about their experience and they stress the importance of publishing a paper. This is quite tough, as I am not aware of such opportunities to participate in research as undergrads. May I know if you have published anything and could you tell me how I would go about with obtaining a position?
I did not publish any paper before getting a position. Yes, research indeed will help improve your chances of getting in, especially if you have a lower Step score, or if you are aiming for a University based program.

5. Will it be possible for me to come back to Malaysia with a US residency degree and work with the government sector?
Absolutely. There are many US-trained specialist already practicing in University Malaya Medical Center and UKM Medical Center. Do keep in mind that you can even come back to work even if you quit housemanship midway. When you work with UM or UKM, you are hired by the MoHE, not the MOH. If you have not quit housemanship halfway, you can apply to the MOH. You can also apply to the MOH if you quit halfway, but you will rejoin under the contract basis. Most specialist trained overseas will want to work in UM or UKM only though.
Also take note that most Malaysians trained in the U.S. usually head directly to Singapore or Australia. Many will also just continue staying in the U.S. Depends on what are your priorities.

6. Do I have to wait a long period after graduation and before obtaining a place in the States? Could you tell me the duration, is it around 1 and ½ years? How long did you have to wait after you graduated and till you start your residency program?
It depends on whether you have completed your USMLE Steps, and how fast you can prepare for it. Every year, residency application opens in September. If you miss the boat, you will have to apply the following year. It is best you plan your strategy depending on which month you graduate from medical school.

FAQ #2 - about observerships, finance, and Kaplan

Question from SS

1) I have just passed my first week in Year 3, with no prior knowledge or prior experience in USMLE syllabus. Will it be too late for someone like me to just to start preparing?
It is never too late to start preparing. However, you need to be disciplined and commit your time and energy in it. It is no “walk in the park”.

2) May you share your study schedule with me (inclusive of your study time for your University's syllabus)? How many months will it take with intense maximum preparation to finally sit for Step 1?
I studied it part time, alongside my university’s syllabus. It took me about 4-5 months of about 5-6 hours per day to prepare for my Step 1.

When is the USMLE exam held? When should I register for Step 1?
You can register for the Step 1 anytime, and the exam runs all year round. This means that any week of the year, there may be someone taking the exam in KL. Now, the thing is that you need to “book a seat” in the KL test center. You can only book a seat after registering for the exam. I would suggest you register about 3-5 months before the date you want to take the exam.

3) About observership in US, can you get it if you're just a med student?
If you are a medical student, you can get an elective seat. Observership positions are for those who already graduated.

4) I'm currently a self-sponsored medical student and PTPTN is not doing much help either. Still actively hunting for loans and scholarships so finance is an issue for me. How much did you spend for your preparation for:
a) Step 1 alone
b) Step 1, Step 2 CK & CS.
For Step 1 and Step 2 CK, I spent money for (1) Study materials, (2) Online Question Banks, (3) Exam fees. It would be about USD$900-1000 for each step.
For Step 2 CS, you need to spend money to travel to the U.S., stay for a few days, and take the exam. In total, I would say about USD$3000-4000 – from exam fees, to flight, to accommodation and travel.

5) Should I purchase a recent version of Kaplan Lecture Notes? Should I began with Kaplan or FA? Do you still have stock for the Kaplan Lecture Notes series?
Currently, the most recent Kaplan Lecture Videos is the 2009 version which you can get from Rachel. The most recent Kaplan lecture note is the 2012 version, but it is actually no different than the 2009 version as well – other than how they arranged the chapters. You will need to ask about the lecture notes from Rachel.