For those of you who are without interviews you need to take a step back and really evaluate

yourself as
a candidate.

The fixable reasons for no interviews are the following:

No US clinical experience
Application submitted after October 1
Not ECFMG certified at time of application
Application only to a limited geographical area
Not applying to enough community hospital programs

Non-fixable reasons for no interviews are the following:

Poor scores (below 210 on Step 1 or 2 or any exam fail including Clinical Skill exam).

If this is not your year, think about what you might be able to do to fix the problem. You cant change
your scores if they are low. A good score on Step 3 will not rescue a poor score on Step 1 or Step 2 or a
CS fail.

Now I know of a candidate this year with low scores who got a pre-match and several candidates with
amazing scores who got pre-matches. Hopefully many more of you will match this year.

Anyway, if your scores are over 210 and you have no interviews but you have no US clinical experience,
well you need to get some US clinical experience and reapply. If there are things you can fix (other than
scores/ attempts) then fix them.

Observerships at places that take IMGs may be helpful. If you do an observership at a place that takes
primarily IMGs then the program gets to see you for days at a time and get a sense of you as a person.
The observership wont allow you to see patients and show your clinical skills but people can get to know

you. You may very well get an interview at that program if they liked you. Observerships at university
hospitals give you an opportunity to see a big hospital in action.

The process is difficult and will only get more difficult over time. In the past, about 75% of applicants got
in to a residency over 5 years of applying.

If after fixing what is fixable and you have applied without interviews then it is time to start thinking of
doing something else or going home to practice.

The views expressed in this post are those of Kenneth Christopher, MD and do not necessarily reflect
the views of Dr. Christophers employer Partners HealthCare.

Categories: Application, Internal Medicine ResidencyTags: IMG, internal medicine, interview, match,
residency
Observership List
January 3, 2012kbchristopher3 comments
As promised, here is an up-to-date list of observership opportunities at programs that are IM friendly. I
have confirmed that these programs do have observership programs.
I advise you to do observerships in several places if possible and focus on those programs that have a
history of taking IMGs.

Observerships at Large University Hospitals

Tufts University School of Medicine
Johns Hopkins
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiology Cindy Cabral, Fellowships Coordinator
ecabral1@bidmc.harvard.edu
University of Pittsburgh Critical Care Medicine
Michigan State University Program
Cleveland Clinic, Ohio International Physician Observer Program and Global Clinical Observer Program

Beth Israel Medical Center, University Hospital for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Integrative Medicine, Anesthesia/Critical Care)
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Pulmonary Medicine)
Thomas Jefferson (applicant must have letter from Thomas Jefferson Faculty member to be accepted)
George Washington University Hospital
University of Miami Observership Program (Foreign nationals may be eligible for a 3-month
Observership Program) Contact Olivia Cata (ocata@med.miami.edu)
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Outpatient observership and application (must have faculty sponsor)
Observerships at hospitals with Internal Medicine Programs that have taken a large % of IMGs
Griffin Hospital Program
Cleveland Clinic (Florida) Program
Mercy Health Partners/Mercy St Vincent Medical Center Program
Long Island College Hospital Program
Providence Hospital Program
Michigan State University/Sparrow Hospital
Hurley Medical Center/Michigan State University Program see FAQ page, contact
wcampbe1@hurleymc.com
Georgetown University Hospital/Washington Hospital Center Program Call the GME office (202) 8777227
Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center Program
Providence Hospital and Medical Centers Program
St Johns Mercy Medical Center Program
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Lower Rio Grande Valley RAHC Program IMG
physicians currently enrolled in training programs
Drexel University College of Medicine/Hahnemann University Hospital Program Offers a Structured
Preceptorship which is expensive

Other Observership opportunities

Michigan State University-Sparrow Hospital
Florida Hospital Medical Center Program contact Nicole Yates, Residency Coordinator
Nicole.Yates@flhosp.org
Baptist Health South Florida
Washington Hospital Center
Harbor Hospital Baltimore, MD. A valid ECFMG certificate is required to qualify. Contact the coordinator
Terry Kus terry.kus@medstar.net
University of South Florida
Methodist Hospital Houston TX
Allegheny General HospitalWestern Pennsylvania Hospital Internal Medicine Residency Program
Allegheny General Hospital AGH Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
West Penn Hospital WPH Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Kindred Healthcare Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Norton Hospital Louisville, Kentucky
Mercy Miami Hospital Miami, Florida
Jackson Memorial Hospital/Jackson Health System Program
Moffitt Cancer Center Tampa, FL and here
Meridia Huron Hospital, East Cleveland, OH See Internal Medicine Residency Application
Requirements section

Associations offering Observerships

American Association of Physicians of Indian origin (AAPI) Clinical Observership Program
The Oklahoma State Medical Association has created an observership program. The 12-week program
will be made up of three to six rotations in various specialties.

Updated 8/21/2012

If you do find a link that no longer works please send a message to kennethbchristopher@gmail.com
The views expressed in this post are those of Kenneth Christopher, MD and do not necessarily reflect
the views of Dr. Christophers employer Partners HealthCare.

Categories: Internal Medicine ResidencyTags: IMG, observer, observership, rotation

IMG Friendly Internal Medicine Program List
December 20, 2011kbchristopher2 comments
For those of you new to the matching game and those of you who are looking ahead to next year I
wanted to share a free list of IMG friendly Internal Medicine Programs posted by sama-sd.org. I dont
have a personal or professional relationship with sama but have not seen such detail on IM programs
posted before so I thought it best to bring the list to your attention.

While not complete in every detail, the list includes programs that have historically matched IMGs. Note
that the contact person and phone numbers may not be up to date. The urls that I tried worked. Some
of the programs only take a few IMGs some programs take mostly IMGs. The university programs will
take fewer IMGs than the community hospitals. Some university programs take very few IMGs, some
take more.

The list was put together by sama-sd.org. I have not verified the content or information on the list. It is
up to you to decide where to apply and what Program criteria fit you. Look at the Internal medicine
programs according to percentage of IMGs list as well to see which programs have high percentages of
IMGs.

The list is meant to be a starting point in your quest for an interview in internal medicine. I hope that the
information is helpful.

The following links are excel and word files where you can find the information. Alternatively you can
visit the sama site here.

IMG Friendly Programs Application List

Internal medicine programs according to percentage of IMGs

The views expressed in this post are those of Kenneth Christopher, MD and do not necessarily reflect
the views of Dr. Christophers employer Partners HealthCare.

Categories: Application, Internal Medicine ResidencyTags: categorical, IMG, internal medicine, match,
residency application, residency list
Slow Elimination of International Medical Graduates
November 21, 2011kbchristopher4 comments
According to the American Medical Association, IMGs make up one fourth of the physician workforce in
the United States and more than one quarter of resident physicians. In addition, IMGs are more likely
than graduates of US medical schools to serve in medically underserved areas and in primary and critical
care.

I see on forums people lamenting that the reason that they are not getting interviews for residency is
that there are now more AMGs because more medical schools have opened in the recent past.

This may have a small effect this year but has some truth for tomorrows applicants. Over 85 percent of
existing medical schools have either already expanded their first-year enrollment or plan to expand
within the next five years

The following figure shows what will likely happen. By 2019, the number of AMGs will equal or be
somewhat higher than the residency slots that are available in the US. It is interesting that the amount
of the proposed increase of AMGs is similar to the numbers of IMG PGY1 residents. The following
projections are from the AAMC.

Medical school enrollment has already increased by 13.2 percent as of the 2010-11 academic year. The
AAMC estimates that almost 800 first-year students will attend these new schools in the academic year
2012-13, based on future enrollment figures. Enrollment is projected to increase by 27.6 percent by
2015. Existing medical schools have increased the numbers of students and new US schools are opening.
The trends seen already are not in IMGs favor. Between the 2005 and 2009 matches, the percentage of
IMGs who submitted rank lists and matched dropped from 54.7% to 47.8% for US-IMGs and from 55.6%
to 41.6% for non-US IMGs. Once these new US students graduate it will get progressively more difficult
to attain a residency slot as an IMG. I see it as unlikely that the US government will expand funding of US
residency programs to increase the size of residency programs.
All this adds up to the slow elimination of the IMGs as residents by 2019.

The views expressed in this post are those of Kenneth Christopher, MD and do not necessarily reflect
the views of Dr. Christophers employer Partners HealthCare.

Categories: Internal Medicine ResidencyTags: IMG, match, residency

What are my chances?
August 8, 2011kbchristopherLeave a comment
Let me get out my crystal ball.

The what are my chances question is not one that can be answered as I do not have enough data.
One can predict the probability of matching based on Step 1 scores or a combination algorithm.

Remember one can not underestimate the importance of data. According to the NRMP 2009 data the
probability of matching in Internal Medicine (IM) is 35% if you have 3 interviews, 50% if you have 5
interviews, 75% if you have 10 interviews. That makes sense you have to interview to match. Many
people are lucky to get 1 interview which corresponds to a 25% chance of matching in IM.

Regarding Step 1 scores, for those who do interview in IM, the probability of matching in IM with Step 1
200 is 27%, Step 1 of 220 is 45%, 240 is 63%. Information on step 2 scores is not present as many AMGs
dont take step 2 prior to applying.

What can I do to improve my chances? Just over half (1092/2113) of those who match do not have any
Abstracts, Presentations, or Publications which suggests that if you are strong enough as a candidate,
publications/research dont matter.

The views expressed in this post are those of Kenneth Christopher, MD and do not necessarily reflect
the views of Dr. Christophers employer Partners HealthCare.

Categories: Application, Internal Medicine Residency, USMLE ScoresTags: IMG, internal medicine,
match, research, residency, step 1, step 2, what are my chances
Couple Matching for IMGs
August 5, 2011kbchristopherLeave a comment
I get asked about the chances for couples in the match.

The NRMP gushes about couples chances for the match but Im not convinced that this is the golden
ticket for IMGs.

Couples enjoy great success, with match rates above 90 percent every year since 1984. In 2011, the
match rate for couples was 94.6 percent, up from 93.4 percent in 2010. About 79 percent of couples are
U.S. seniors, and their match rates are quite similar to those of their classmates, varying within 1 or 2
percentage points each year. Couples have the option of one partner indicating a willingness to go
unmatched at a certain rank on the rank order list if the partner matches to the program linked to that
rank.

The problem is that this data might not speak to IMG couples. About 79 percent of couples are U.S.
seniors. I cant take this to mean that 21% of couples who match are IMGs. The data does not include
US grads (3% of matched not in med school at the time of match) or DOs (6% of matched). Extrapolating

the data, 290 of the 4600 IMGs (US AND non-US) who match are in the couple match. I strongly suspect
that most of these are US IMGs.

Remember that only 40%-50% of IMGs who interview match. I dont give special consideration to IMG
couples. I dont advice couples to couple match. You are only as good as the weakest link (either yours
or your partners). If your partner has multiple attempts on the CS exam and low scores, neither you nor
your partner will match. If you must couple match do opt for the following option: indicate a
willingness to go unmatched at a certain rank on the rank order list if the partner matches to the
program linked to that rank.

So the couple match is not the golden ticket to residency.

The views expressed in this post are those of Kenneth Christopher, MD and do not necessarily reflect
the views of Dr. Christophers employer Partners HealthCare.

Categories: ApplicationTags: couple, IMG, match, residency application

2 digit USMLE scores are going away
August 4, 2011kbchristopher1 comment

So the two digit score is going away, sort of.

From ECFMG Reporter issue 169 May 2011: Starting July 1, 2011, USMLE transcripts reported through
the ERAS reporting system will no longer include score results on the two-digit score scale. USMLE
results will continue to be reported on the three-digit scale. This affects the Step 1, 2 CK, and 3
examinations only; Step 2 CS will continue to be reported as pass or fail. These changes do not alter the
score required to pass or the difficulty of any of the USMLE Step examinations.

This doesnt have any effect on the applicant as most programs use the 3 digit scores in their filters
anyway. What it does mean for the IMG community is a frame shift in the thinking of what the scores
mean. What this means is that 99/99 will become a thing of the past. No more he is a 99/99 so he

must be good. A 99 two digit score represented about the top 20% of scores, not the 99th percentile.
True 99th percentile is a three digit score of 260 according to a nice analysis by My Dominant
Hemisphere. This was a big point of confusion for a lot of people for a long time. The only people I ever
heard mention the two digit score were IMGs. And the mention bordered on obsession. The two-digit
scores were designed for the state medical boards and will still be reported to the states and to the test
taker but not the residency programs.

On the two-digit scale, the minimum passing score is always a 75 but with the 3 digit score it depends on
the distribution. Minimum Passing three digit Scores for last year were Step 1 188, Step 2 CK 189, Step 3
187. My advice is to think of your scores in the three digit form and compare them to the NRMP data to
see in which specialties that you might fit.

The views expressed in this post are those of Kenneth Christopher, MD and do not necessarily reflect
the views of Dr. Christophers employer Partners HealthCare.

Categories: USMLE ScoresTags: IMG, step 1, step 2, Step 3, USMLE

Number of Programs
August 1, 2011kbchristopherLeave a comment
I was speaking to an IMG who is now a fellow at my institution and asked about the application strategy
that they used. This individual focused on programs that took IMGs from his medical school. By using a
network of medical school alums who did residency in the US, this IMG was able to find programs that
were welcoming. The number of programs applied in this persons case was 30 which resulted in a
match in IM at a small community hospital program. That got me thinking, for an IMG, how many
program applications is enough?

If we look at figure IM-4 from the NRMP we see some interesting insights into the match for IMGs. The
data is based on a survey given to all applicants (AMGs and IMGs) that sent in a match list (those that
interviewed). 45% of Independent applicants (IMGs) who submitted rank lists returned the survey so
the data is probably representative.

The Median number of applications submitted for those who matched was 60, for those who did not
match was 66. The way to understand Median in this data is that about half the matched IMG
applicants have less than 60 applications, and about half have greater than 60 applications. The Median

numbers of interviews offered to those IMGs who matched was 8, for those who did not match it was 2.
If we look at AMGs who matched to their first chosen specialty, the median number of applications was
18 and interviews 10.

75% of IMGs ranked all programs where they interviewed compared to 48% of AMGs. This makes sense
as few IMGs have loads of interviews. Not surprising, a major factor for ranking programs for IMGs is H1B visa sponsorship and board pass rates. 10% of those IMGs who responded ranked one or more
programs where they applied but did not interview. This is a lot more than AMGs and I dont have a
reason for the difference.

So applicants successful in obtaining interviews apply to a large number of programs but get fewer
percentage of interviews per application (13.3% for IMGs versus 55.5% for AMGs). I dont think that we
can extrapolate the data to say that if you are an IMG an you apply to 100 programs you will get 13
interviews. My advice is to apply to programs where you have the best chance. Target those places
where IMGs are featured on the programs website, where you meet the program criteria, and where
medical school classmates of yours are doing their residency. If a program takes one IMG every year
and you dont meet the program criteria then dont apply to that program.

The views expressed in this post are those of Kenneth Christopher, MD and do not necessarily reflect
the views of Dr. Christophers employer Partners HealthCare.

Categories: ApplicationTags: cost, IMG, internal medicine, match, nrmp, residency application
Low USMLE scores
July 29, 2011kbchristopherLeave a comment
A question that I was sent via email. What are my chances in Internal Medicine with scores below 85?
What can I do to improve my chances?

Not great and not much Im afraid. Lets look at the numbers. From a prior post you know that 26.8% of
all non-US IMG applicants will match. Also remember that 34% of non-US IMG applicants do not
interview in any field.

In internal medicine, the NRMP published data from 2009 on USMLE scores and matching for IMGs
(starting on page 96). This is a very helpful resource in determining where you fit into the matching
game.

For starters, lets use the three digit score as the two digit scores are being phased out. Now, the mean
step 1 score of all IMGs (non-US and US IMGs) who match in internal medicine is 222 and the mean step
2 is in the 226 range. (For conversion from 2 digit to 3 digit see here)

For those with a step 1 score of 200 and below, only 13.0% of IMG applicants who interview match in
internal medicine. Remember there are a lot of people who apply with step 1 scores under 200 and
dont interview so if we take those into account, the match numbers in IM for step 1 scores under 200
are terrible. Looking at those with a step 1 score of 210 or less, only 25.6% of those who interview
match in IM. Still not great.

Lets look at step 2 scores. For those with a step 2 score of 200 and below, only 19.9% of IMG applicants
who interview match in internal medicine. Remember there are a lot of people who apply with step 2
scores under 200 and dont interview so if we take those into account, the match numbers in IM for step
2 scores under 200 are not good. Looking at those with a step 1 score of 210 or less, only 23.2% of those
who interview match in IM. Again not great.

I dont interview for Family Medicine but if you look at the mean step 1 score of IMGs who match is 201
and the mean step 2 is 205. For those of you with lower scores, Family Medicine may be easier to
match in but has fewer residency spots. Similar to Internal Medicine, Family Medicine is saturated with
applicants.

No amount of research, publications, MPHs, or observer experiences will rescue poor step 1 and 2
scores. Good friends of mine had great research, student clerkships, observer experiences, perfect
English and connections but did not match due to low scores.

The message is that poor scores are very difficult to overcome.

The views expressed in this post are those of Kenneth Christopher, MD and do not necessarily reflect
the views of Dr. Christophers employer Partners HealthCare.

Categories: USMLE ScoresTags: categorical, IMG, internal medicine, match, residency, scores, step 1,
step 2, USMLE
Cost of Applying to Residency
July 28, 2011kbchristopherLeave a comment
How much does it cost to apply for residency? If you are an IMG who applies broadly to lots of
programs, it costs a lot.

Looking at the AAMC site for residency application costs, the fee schedule is broken down as follows:

Number of Programs Per Specialty: Up to 10 $75, 11-20 $8 each, 21-30 $15 each, 31 or more $25 each.
There are a total of 455 family medicine programs. There are a total of

396 internal medicine programs. If you interpret applying broadly as applying to all programs then the
numbers are a little scary.

Family Med 455 x $25 = $11,375

Internal Med 396 x $25 = $9,900

Total for all $21,275!!!

I often hear of candidates applying to 140 programs. For those who will apply for 140 programs total
you are looking at 140 x $25 = $3055. That of course is a small fortune for most of us. I have always
thought that applying for such a large number of programs makes little sense for anyone. The vast
majority of candidates do not have the credentials for most of the programs that they apply for.

So how do you decide where to apply? Most programs post their requirements on their websites.
Importantly you can also look at their roster of accepted residents to see if there are any IMGs as the

medical school is usually listed. This will take some time of course but it is time well spent. See my post
on IM Program lists for free lists of programs and programs that take a high percentage of IMGs.

There are commercial sites out there that will tell you which programs your application data is likely not
to be filtered out. Examples include http://www.matcharesident.com or http://www.infoimg.com/ or
http://www.residencyplace.com/. Some have lists for a particular circumstance (programs that require
No minimum Scores for applications). There are also special services that create a list where your
USMLE scores, US clinical experience, visa requirements, years since graduation are compared against
most programs. I dont have a personal or business relationship with any residency list service and have
not taken appropriate measures to ensure the correctness and reliability of their data. I have not found
an objective source to gauge the quality of the data provided. If you use a list service, I dont think that
you should spend more than $100. I dont specifically recommend you use a service, I just want you to
be aware that the service exists.

If your scores etc only match a few places it makes the most sense to concentrate on those places. From
my previous posts you know that it is very hard to get any residency for IMGs (less than 30% of
applicants match). There is no data equating number of programs applied to versus matching. I dont
see the logic in spending $3500 on 140 programs when $500 on 20 programs where you meet criteria
will give you the same outcome. If you do your homework you will save yourself a significant amount of
money.

The views expressed in this post are those of Kenneth Christopher, MD and do not necessarily reflect
the views of Dr. Christophers employer Partners HealthCare.

Categories: ApplicationTags: cost, IMG, residency application, residency list

Is it hard to get a residency in IM?
July 25, 2011kbchristopherLeave a comment
I have close friends who are IMGs and did not match in Internal Medicine. I thought that they were
strong candidates although I did not know their scores. I could not understand why they did not match.
One friend of mine did not get any interviews. At the time, I did not realize how hard it is to land a
residency spot for an IMG. In this post I am going to explore the latest data from the NRMP to show you
how hard it is to get into internal medicine.

Looking at the data from 2011 match, the overall match rate for US IMGs who sent in rank lists was 50.0
percent and for non-US IMGs who sent in rank lists it was 40.9%.

Who sent in rank lists? Those candidates who interviewed.

Lets look at the NRMP data in a different way.

A total of 10,118 non-US IMGs applied in 2011. 34% of these applicants did not send in a rank list
meaning that they did not interview or withdrew their application. Only 2,721 of the total non-US IMGs
who apply for any residency successfully match (26.8%). Nearly three quarters of non-US IMG applicants
dont get a residency spot.

Lets look at the Categorical IM data more closely as this is what many of you want to do.
For Internal Medicine (Categorical) there were 5,065 filled spots. The breakdown of the filled spots
includes:
3,022 USGrad; 309 DO; 2 Canadian; 5 5th pathway; 512 US IMGs; 1,215 non-US IMGs.

A total of 10,118 non-US IMGs applied.

6,659 non-US IMGs interviewed and sent in a rank list (65.8% of those who applied).
2,721 non-US IMGs matched (40.9% of those with a rank list).
1,215 non-US IMGs matched in IM.
12.0% of all non-US IMGs applicants match in Internal Medicine.
18.2% of non-US IMGs that sent in a IM rank list match in Internal Medicine.

A total of 5,708 US IMGs applied.

3,769 US IMGs interviewed and sent in a rank list (66.0% of those who applied)
1,884 US IMGs matched (50.0% of those with a rank list).
512 US IMGs matched in IM.

9.0% of all US IMGs applicants match in Internal Medicine.

13.6% of US IMGs that sent in a rank list match in Internal Medicine.

The data is not present on how many of the applicants apply to IM so I cant give you the percentage of
people who apply to IM, how many are ranked and how many match in IM.

However, with the data present, I can say that nearly three quarters of non-US IMG applications that are
filed with ERAS dont get a residency spot in any field. Also, just because you have an interview only
gives you a 41% chance of matching. The total numbers are sobering and help understand why it is so
difficult for people to get Categorical IM residency spots.

Categories: Internal Medicine ResidencyTags: categorical, IMG, internal medicine, interview, match, rank
list
Taking Step-3
July 22, 2011kbchristopherLeave a comment
A question from an IMG who is a US citizen: Taking Step-3 is not mandatory for me before residency. I
understand that Step-1 scores are most important and Step-2 scores are a little less important. If Step-3
is not required, does taking it have a benefit on my application? I suppose if I fail the test it would hurt,
but if I score a 99 vs an 85 does it make any difference?

When I look at applications I dont look at Step 3. The AMG or US citizen candidates I see dont have step
3 as they usually take the exam during residency. I dont know how step 3 scores correlate to residency
and ABIM board success. In a 2005 study (Academic Medicine 2005;80(10 Suppl):S21-4), investigators
found associations between Step 3 scores and Step 1 / Step 2 scores (good test takers are good test
takers) and PGY-l performance evaluation score (whatever that is). In my experience, it is not helpful for
me to know what your Step 3 score is. On the other hand, if you fail Step 3 before you apply then
something is wrong. My advice in your case is to take step 3 before residency but after you have
matched. It is hard to study for step 3 during the intern year, you just dont have the time.

Facts about Step 3 that most of you know:

Step 3 is not required for ECFMG Certification.

ECFMG Certification is required to take Step 3.

Passing Step 3 is required for an H1B visa.
The majority of states require some residency training before taking Step 3. From what I can find,
Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Nebraska, New York, South Dakota,
Texas, Utah, Washington and West Virginia all allow IMGs to take Step 3 before residency.

I took my Step 3 in Rhode Island during residency but before fellowship. I was just happy to have a day
off and not be post call. I got a nice big headache after the exam.

Step 3 scores do not matter for fellowships, as long as you have passed. If you are going to take it, make
sure you study hard. The 20092010 Step 3 data shows that for IMGs the pass rate is only 79-83%
whereas the pass rate for AMG MDs is 94-96%. Everyone tends to think that Step 3 doesnt matter, is
easy or just doesnt have time to study for it during internship. Yes all of these thoughts are true but if
you use them as excuses not to study you may not like your score

Categories: Application, USMLE ScoresTags: IMG, residency, Step 3, USMLE

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Protected by Copyscape Plagiarism ToolAs promised, here is an up-to-date list of observership

opportunities at programs that are IM friendly. I have confirmed that these programs do have
observership programs.
I advise you to do observerships in several places if possible and focus on those programs that have a
history of taking IMGs.

Observerships at Large University Hospitals

Tufts University School of Medicine
Johns Hopkins
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Cardiology Cindy Cabral, Fellowships Coordinator
ecabral1@bidmc.harvard.edu
University of Pittsburgh Critical Care Medicine
Michigan State University Program
Cleveland Clinic, Ohio International Physician Observer Program and Global Clinical Observer Program
Beth Israel Medical Center, University Hospital for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Integrative Medicine, Anesthesia/Critical Care)
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Pulmonary Medicine)
Thomas Jefferson (applicant must have letter from Thomas Jefferson Faculty member to be accepted)
George Washington University Hospital
University of Miami Observership Program (Foreign nationals may be eligible for a 3-month
Observership Program) Contact Olivia Cata (ocata@med.miami.edu)
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Outpatient observership and application (must have faculty sponsor)
Observerships at hospitals with Internal Medicine Programs that have taken a large % of IMGs
Griffin Hospital Program
Cleveland Clinic (Florida) Program
Mercy Health Partners/Mercy St Vincent Medical Center Program
Long Island College Hospital Program

Providence Hospital Program

Michigan State University/Sparrow Hospital
Hurley Medical Center/Michigan State University Program see FAQ page, contact
wcampbe1@hurleymc.com
Georgetown University Hospital/Washington Hospital Center Program Call the GME office (202) 8777227
Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center Program
Providence Hospital and Medical Centers Program
St Johns Mercy Medical Center Program
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Lower Rio Grande Valley RAHC Program IMG
physicians currently enrolled in training programs
Drexel University College of Medicine/Hahnemann University Hospital Program Offers a Structured
Preceptorship which is expensive

Other Observership opportunities

Michigan State University-Sparrow Hospital
Florida Hospital Medical Center Program contact Nicole Yates, Residency Coordinator
Nicole.Yates@flhosp.org
Baptist Health South Florida
Washington Hospital Center
Harbor Hospital Baltimore, MD. A valid ECFMG certificate is required to qualify. Contact the coordinator
Terry Kus terry.kus@medstar.net
University of South Florida
Methodist Hospital Houston TX
Allegheny General HospitalWestern Pennsylvania Hospital Internal Medicine Residency Program
Allegheny General Hospital AGH Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
West Penn Hospital WPH Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Kindred Healthcare Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Norton Hospital Louisville, Kentucky

Mercy Miami Hospital Miami, Florida
Jackson Memorial Hospital/Jackson Health System Program
Moffitt Cancer Center Tampa, FL and here
Meridia Huron Hospital, East Cleveland, OH See Internal Medicine Residency Application
Requirements section

Associations offering Observerships

American Association of Physicians of Indian origin (AAPI) Clinical Observership Program
The Oklahoma State Medical Association has created an observership program. The 12-week program
will be made up of three to six rotations in various specialties.

Updated 8/21/2012
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The views expressed in this post are those of Kenneth Christopher, MD and do not necessarily reflect
the views of Dr. Christophers employer Partners HealthCare.