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Hello everyone.Please i need an honest advice from you guys on the forum.
I want to do surgery but so far i have been invited for only Preliminary Surgery positions.Do you think it is worth doing a prelim surgery even if at the end my main goal is to become a board certified surgeon and this is only possible by finishing a categorical surgery residency
Is it worth it?
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I Dont know what is The success rate, obtaining a categorical position, but I know that virtually all the FMGs surgery residents had to start in in a prelim position for 1 or 2 years before being accepted in a categorical residency
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Thank you step3md for your honest reply.I appreciate it
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if thats all youve been invited for then theres nothing you can do accept take it if you match and then try to get into a general surgery position next year. doing the prelim is definitely better than not doing anything until the next match..youd be able to gain hands on U.S. clinical experience, LORs from residency program, and maybe even join the general surgery in the same program if you impress them enough, or gain contacts to help you get general esidency elsewhere. again, better prelim than nothing at all
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Unfortunately, the success rate for a FMG going into surgery is not that great.
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Personally, I am ranking any categorical positions higher than any preliminary positions, because I can't afford to try my luck again in the match next year after doing a preliminary GS year and end up with no job at all. I love surgery, but I also have a family. If I were single and not borderline 'old' grad, maybe it would be different. I think you have to weigh your chances to begin with. If you have failures on the steps or below average scores, doing a prelim year can't save you, change specialty. People borderline competitive for GS has often a ton of interviews in IM or less competitive specialties, I am living proof of that and many others whom I met on interviews are on the same boat. Good luck.
