The International Medical Graduates' Guide to U.S. Medicine: Negotiating the Maze (Paperback)

by Louise B. Ball (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
International medical students and graduates will find this a thorough, technical description of how to obtain ECFMG Certificates and visas needed to train in or practice medicine in this country. From training as a fellow to sponsoring a relative and meeting requirements, this provides specific, technical details essential to understanding the process of certification and the bureaucratic rules which govern it. -- Midwest Book Review

The path for international medical graduates to obtain visas and licenses to practice in the United States is a maze with multiple paths leading eventually to the same point. Each individual's situation requires a distinct approach. The information available from government sources is difficult to apply to an individual case and does not provide an overview of the process. The overview offered in this text is intended to help the international medical graduate identify the correct sequence for himself or herself and minimize wasted time. The text addresses common problems, giving a clear path to follow in those situations. For international medical graduates seeking to train in the United States and program directors seeking to recruit them. -- Academic Emergency Medicine

Product Description
Prepare for the arduous task of getting a U.S. visa for medical training and a Green Card. Learn the various paths to U.S. graduate medical training and licensure. Scenario-based discussions provide a straight-forward approach to the various situations IMGs encounter. Discussions illustrate how U.S.- and foreign-citizen IMGs can obtain a U.S. medical license, including details about the various steps and barriers each group encounters. Identify the pitfalls lurking for IMGs, those who want to hire them, and sponsoring family members. This book lists the steps to take, the resources to use, and the mistakes to avoid when dealing with the INS, the ECFMG, and state medical boards. This book may save you years of turmoil! Find the answers you seek and the path to U.S. medical practice.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Galen Press; 1 edition (June 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883620163
• ISBN-13: 978-1883620165
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,037,060 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great information on visas for international MD graduates, October 18, 1999

By A Customer

This book helps you prepare for the legal requirements needed in order to stay in a residency in the US that most of us don't consider until it is too late. It covers not only topics concerning international graduates originally from another country other than the US, but also helps those with speciall situations, like american citizens who graduated abroad or international students who graduated in the United States. It is a definite first step.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars IMGs are no dummies...., January 24, 2002

By	B. Olalekan "smithsonian2000" (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I wonder if there are any mysteries in getting into residency in the US, as a foreign medical graduate, to warrant a book on the subject.
The facts are as follows: to secure a residency position in the US as an FMG,
1. Get good scores on the USMLE exams. The higher the better. This is the most important factor, overall. Aim to score above 85 in each step, at the first sitting.
2. To get good scores, you need to read the relevant books. Those British books will not be of much help. Get Kaplan's materials, or buy them used on eBay. Or use other similar materials
3. If you can, enrol in an externship program in the US. Three to six months are enough to get you acquainted with the American system.
4. Send in your application as required (through ERAS), and call later to schedule interviews.
5. While preparing for your interview, and depending on your choice of specialty, read through Fred Ferri's "Care of the medical patient" (for internal medicine); it's probably the best book for practical medical care; or "Consultation Psychiatry" (for Psychiatry positions); or any other concise books. The point here is, never go for any of these interviews with an "empty head".
6. Get information about the hospitals (yes, you need this for the interview). You are interested in knowing the methods of interviews (individuals vs panel); specialty of the medical director (she'll most likely gravitate towards her specialty during the interview); what the usual questions are (vary little from year to year--current residents will help you here).
7. Get into residency.

That's it, folks.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars starting point, October 30, 2001

By	"5cas" (Kingston, Ont Canada) - See all my reviews

I ordered this book as a canadian looking to get information on getting through the red tape to visa's, USMLE's etc. This book is more designed for the noncanadian MD and some of the information seems not to be up to date or entirely clear. The most useful thing i got from this was the addresses of the individuals i could contact to ask questions for myself.