FAQ#8: Questions regarding: Housemanship, registration

Received an email asking about various topics, ranging from timeframe to healthcare system

Question 1: Housemanship

"I would like to know if it is possible for one not to do housemanship in malaysia, and instead prepare for USMLE straight after graduating. Instead of 2 years housemanship can one take USMLE and apply for residency?"

Yes. You can opt to go straight to U.S. without going through housemanship.  When you enter the U.S., you will enter into a residency training spot immediately.  A surgical intern will focus on surgery, and never deliver babies, an O&G intern will focus on O&G, and never manage myocardial infarction.  It is immediate specialization.

Question 2: Registration

"Another thing is how and where should i register in malaysia in order for me to take my Step 1 and the remaining steps."

Try to google usmle ecfmg. They will direct you step by step to apply for the exam.  The process is very simple actually.

Question from another student:

"I am just an average student who managed to squeeze into medical school passing with an average marks. I am currently in my fourth year and I am quite frustrated with the fact that when I graduate the overflow of HO will be quite bad. So, I am opting for USMLE but I am not sure if I can do it as many previous candidates has mentioned that it is extremely difficult. What is your opinion on this matter?

I am also from a below-average family so i'm really concern of the amount of money that is involved. Can i know roughly, how much did you spend for the books, online question banks, applications and etc.?"

The USMLE exams is not impossible.  There are many more exams with greater failure rates, such as the PLAB  or AMC.  The hardest part with the USMLE is to obtain great scores.  And this is definitely doable with hard work.  What one lacks in memory power, one shall have to compensate with time.  In the end, it boils down to motivation.  So the question is, how motivated are you, and how badly do you want to obtain a residency in the U.S.? 

As for how much it will cost, it's definitely far lesser than a semester of medical school fees, and it buys you a world of opportunities.  It will roughly cost RM 1k+ for books/question banks, RM 3k for applications etc.  Again, you will never study hard for it until you actually pay for the exam. Money can be a deterring factor for one, but can be a motivational factor for another.  Not that I agree with getting well paid as a doctor, but an average internal medicine specialist in the U.S. makes around USD$ 200,000 per year, and this is just after 3 years of residency training.