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Advice to IMG


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Hello. I'm an IMG, graduated in Russia and I'm immigrating to Canada soon. I have a 4-year working experience as a non-invasive cardiologist and I'd like to continue with my profession here. I realise, how hard it is to get into medicine as an IMG, so I'd like to hear your opinion on it. I definitely see two ways. The first, is to try to get into medical school and start all from the very beginning. I'll have a Canadian MD diploma and more chances to match with the desired speciality through CARMS in that case. The second is to go through an IMG programm, pass exams and "win" (it'll definetely be a prize:) one of the very few residency positions. I accept, that both of them are quite arduous, but which one seems more realistic and better to you? I appreciate all your advices on it.

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Hi there,

 

At this point (as you probably know) you're not too late to apply through CaRMS for this year's application cycle. There are a number of positions which are newly available to first-round applicants like yourself. If you haven't done so already you should look at each program's requirements and see what you need to do to be considered.

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

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Kirsteen, I can't go through CaRMS, because I haven't passed any exams yet. What am I trying to do now, is to find the appropriate way to persue my goal. I have researched both ways and I know the required stuff well, but still can't choose the best for me. May be it's just the matter of conscious and doesn't connected with the external things. Does going into medical school seem realistic in my case? Or it'll be waste of time trying to do this? I guess, that this way is an ideal one with a definite end point. But I just doubt about my chances.

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Kirsteen, I can't go through CaRMS, because I haven't passed any exams yet. What am I trying to do now, is to find the appropriate way to persue my goal. I have researched both ways and I know the required stuff well, but still can't choose the best for me. May be it's just the matter of conscious and doesn't connected with the external things. Does going into medical school seem realistic in my case? Or it'll be waste of time trying to do this? I guess, that this way is an ideal one with a definite end point. But I just doubt about my chances.

 

Hello,

 

A friend of mine is an IMG and applied to take the qualifying exams a number of years ago. She passed both sets without too much hassle but was faced with few available positions in her field (Obs/Gyn) and no first-iteration IMG match. Given that things have now evolved I would say that it is easier to apply now than then. All that being said though, the competitiveness of individual applicants is difficult to judge. You might wish to contact individual programs for their advice in this regard.

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

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Thank you Kirsteen, your advice sounds encouraging. As I understood, you'd better recommend going through the IMG program anyway, than entering Medical school again.

What about your friend, has she got a residency then?

Hi there,

 

I can't comfortably recommend either route at this point given that I haven't investigated both thoroughly, sorry.

 

As for my pal, she ended up entering a residency in the field of her choice in the UK, which is where she is now.

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

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Light,

 

In the canadian francophone schools (Sherbrooke, Laval and Montreal), there's a programme called DHCEU (for Diplômé Hors du Canada et États-Unis), which is for IMGs wanting to do residency in Canada. You basically have to do the 2 last years of the MD curriculum (clerkship), and you receive a MD degree without having to redo the 2 first years (there's a graduate from Roumania with us). I don't know if a similar program exists in english Canada, but it could be worth it to check it out (McGill may have this program).

 

Maxime

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