15 November 2011
Posted in
Pearls in Ophthalmology
by Matt Brucks, MD
“As long as your CV looks good, programs don’t care about your visa status.”
“Some programs don’t want international medical graduates regardless of visa type.”
“You should apply to twice as many programs as the average person.”
These are some of the conflicting rumors I heard as I neared the residency application season. You are probably already aware that International Medical Graduates (IMGs) have numerous barriers to cross in the process of obtaining a seat in an American residency program, but what about the non-IMGs living in the U.S. on a visa? As a Canadian citizen, I fell into the latter category. I’m not the only one; there are many Canadian students attending American medical schools throughout the country.
Allow me to clarify the term International Medical Graduate. Common sense may lead you to believe that IMGs are medical school graduates that either didn’t graduate from an ACGME accredited American medical school, or did but aren’t American citizens. In reality, they are:
1) M.D. graduates of American and Canadian institutions are not considered IMGs in either country, and
2) Non-U.S. citizens who have graduated from medical schools in the United States and Canada are not considered IMGs.1
The advantage of avoiding the label of IMG is that they aren’t required to go through the laborious process of accreditation through the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). Phew!
Since Canadian citizens don’t fall under the IMG label then they should have no issues applying for an American residency, especially if they graduated from an American medical school, right? Unfortunately, the fact that they require a visa automatically precludes them from gaining entrance into certain programs. A visa equates to more paperwork for a program, and why should they subject themselves to more paperwork? Depending on the type of visa obtained, it may also cost the program money (eg. H1-B visa)2, and Medicare-funded residencies don’t have additional money to spare in the current economic climate. To top it off, some programs, though they may not mind some extra paperwork or expense, are simply uninformed about the process of accepting a resident on a visa.
Alright, enough doom and gloom! How can you beat the odds and make it through this process with a happy ending? Here are 5 strategies that prepared me for the SF Match:
1) Inform yourself: Become familiar with the type of visa you will have for
residency. Consider talking to an immigration lawyer or your school’s International Student Services office about your options.
2) Communicate with programs: Find out which programs accept visas by visiting program websites, reading their description on Match service websites, or by simply calling a program’s office of Graduate Medical Education. For programs you are especially interested in, consider communicating directly with the program director to learn what your options are.
3) Involve your International Student Services office: They may be able to provide your potential programs with essential information. This is especially useful for enlightening uninformed programs about how the visa process works.
4) Optimize your experience: Illustrate how your unique background has prepared you to be the perfect match for their program.
5) Apply broadly: You may have top scores, publications, and experience, but understand that once they see your visa status, some programs won’t give your application a second glance. If you didn’t have time for the reconnaissance work as outlined in #2, make sure you apply to more programs than the average applicant. There are still many great programs that accept residents with visas; just realize that you may have to put in some effort to find them.
So take heart, utilize your resources, and step up to the Match knowing that it’s a hurdle that others have overcome, and with some diligence on your part, so will you.
1. ECFMG 2010 Information Workbook. 2009. ECFMG. 31 July, 2011 <http://www.ecfmg.org/2010ib/ibcert.html>.
2. H1-B Certification. 2010. United States Department of Labor. 31 July, 2011
<http://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/h-1b.cfm>.
Matt Brucks, MD, is a transitional intern at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, CA. Next year he will start ophthalmology residency at Loma Linda University Medical Center in Loma Linda, CA. If you have any questions, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
