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what to do with MD degree without residency? - muktip06
#11
Hi muktip06,

Unmatched IMG here. I kind of let go of the idea of matching after 5 years joining the match. 2004yog. Passed all steps with no failures but not competitive scores. Practiced as a general physician in home country. Came here in the US in 2012 and have joined the match for 5years but unsuccessful.

My first job here was in Home Health. More of QA in the physician's office. Then somebody told me to get a medical assistant license so I can work as a medical assistant. Go to:

https://arma-cert.org/ - This gets you some credential to show for as a medical assistant, then you can start applying as an MA.

Then while I had that, and still in home health. I set my sights in clinical research. I applied to several CLINICAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR positions through indeed. I get interviews but they all look for experience, until somebody just called me and gave a chance. I had been working as a CRC ever since in a private clinic. It will be a mix of use of clinical acumen, at least skills drawing blood, learning and training new medical equipment. Recruiting and establishing rapport with patients. Clinical decisions based on your principal investigator or protocols. A lot of other stuff to learn. Never-ending since a clinical trial always ends and a new one comes in on top of 4-6 current studies you are facilitating. Pay is okay. You can get a CRC certificate through

SOCRA https://www.socra.org/certification/cert...roduction/
or ACRP https://acrpnet.org/

Once you get certified, doors will open for you being more hireable. So you just need to get your foot in the door of research. Find people. Volunteer some hours there to understand and get first hand experience, and hopefully they can hire you when a spot opens. Or use that volunteer experience in your resume. Whether you are a new CRC or an experienced CRC, you start a job learning the protocols of a lot of studies. Your clinical acumen will be used with documentations and establishing rapport and teaching and managing patients according to the protocol. The job is good but always project-based.

After CRC- you can jump to become a CRA CLINICAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE which is on the regulatory side of research. Pays definitely well, but travel required, and not really seeing patients. Other side that I have not totally understood is jumping to the PHARMACOVIGILANCE side of research. A lot of IMG's work in that field.

As for me, while being a CRC. I wanted a more stable and dynamic field with a lot of options. I went to nursing school.

CNA is required in my state to become a nurse. earning potential $13-18/hr 8 weeks to get my certificate. You will be humbled here so take heed and there is no such thing as pride when you are starting out again. About $1200 matriculation in a private institution. I should have done it in a community college.

Applied to an accelerated BSN program. I did not get accepted. They did not give me an explanation. And I did not ask as well. I felt my ego was hurt so I felt the need to start regain my self-esteem and start all over again. They are more expensive anyway. I enrolled in a Community College. Took an Entrance test. Had to review college Algebra for that. I took Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology again with the lab. The didactics you can do online classes but the lab you can come in and they have night schedules. Had to take English 101, and Speech Communications 101. I still have to study hard because I don't want to get mediocre grades. I think I can just pass without studying. But getting A's are a different thing. Then another entrance exam to get into nursing school, HESI, which is some math and english. Took me 2 years to do all this because I am working as a CRC at the same time. I have to talk to my boss who was supportive of me and had given me some flexibility for work. Then Associate's Degree in Nursing...not easy...I really worked hard especially to get into the thinking of a nurse and fight my instincts as a physician, because it will get your answers wrong on the tests and stuff. I finished after 2 years. I am now reviewing for NCLEX. After these, doors will open.

Financially I applied FAFSA to have student loans...It is a necessary evil... You have to spend more to earn more...That also eases you up psychologically where to get money for school. Do not be afraid on loans...it is not as expensive in community colleges. About 22K for the cost of the program for 2yrs of nursing school. You start paying 6 months after you graduate on the plan you make with them. It's like paying for a 22K for 10yrs. That's not bad... also...Apply for scholarships. I thought I wasn't qualified, but I got some. I think I have received about 5k of scholarships in total. Also, I just learned, but may go a different way, some of my classmates, did not disclose they have a foreign degree. But, they started all pre-requisites from scratch...but that made them eligible for Pell grants, and not required to pay as much for tuition. For me I have to pay 100%+interest.Look into that...

It is a long ride for me. But I'm getting there soon. Don't fret. Stay hopeful. Also I found someone thru linkedin. He is a foreign MD. Worked as a CRC. He has moved up, and then jumped on the data side of research and is now a Data Analyst. Interesting Path to take. Take comfort with the knowledge and skill you have with learning. It is one of our most important skillset, having the determination, patience and the study habits to finish the rigors of medical school. We just have to translate those to gain new skills in another field since we did not have much luck with becoming a physician here.

Being a nurse, gives me a pathway to become a clinician again and go as far as an NP. Becoming a nurse and its pathways, will not limit you to the specialties you can't get into because of your USMLE scores. You can get your foot where you want to really go into. It will be a matter of where your experience as a nurse will take you. There are NP's who can go to ER, peds, mental health, dermatology, cardiology, etc... CRNA - is a different thing, but you perform as an anesthesiologist... There are also RNFA - Registered Nurse First Assistant - who performs as a first surgical assistant.. You can work as an RN while completing studies to get you BSN and then MSN-NP degrees, and still earning enough to provide for your families.

Also, when you are already working as a nurse. Try to work in a place where there is Residency Training where they can get to know you. One of my friends, whose premed was nursing and worked here in the US as a nurse did that and was able to match two years ago in California. And his yog was 2001. So.there is still hope when you are in the right place at the right time...

Also, if some of you are surgeons back home, and had some lateral trainings here or are able to get surgical exposures here as observers, another path is to be a FIRST SURGICAL ASSISTANT. Look into this website:

https://www.absa.net/

I have a classmate who was an ENT back home. Worked as a medical assistant for a surgeon here in the US. She got the surgical assistant certification, also had some robotic surgery training and now she does first surgical assisting, gives her own schedules, and bills for her hours. REALLY GOOD PAY ---Do your research. Some institutions pay by the hour, some are based on the case. She says, the first surgical assistants she work with in the different hospitals are mostly foreign medical graduates who were surgeons/OB in their countries. And they often are the same people she encounters in the other hospitals she works at. This is not just luck but placing yourselves in a position to get the connection and network, and finding people to trust you. The surgeon really helped her get her foot in the door of the hospitals after getting her certifications and let her assist in his surgeries--after she got her license that is. Not a lot of first surgical assistants I believe.

If you have amazing grades and have time and money. Go into PA school, and be a PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT. There are no shortcuts. You'd have to do whatever is required. Grades will get you to become eligible. Then there is PANCE if I said it right, a form of MCAT. Scores matter to get in to PA schools. It is a graduate school so it is expensive. You also need to be a full time student. I don't know anybody who did this though. But I guess, if you have right cards, then this is a shorter route compared to what I am doing right now.

This is already long. I hope this helps somebody else. Good luck to you all. Good luck to all who are applying for the match. I may try again to apply when I have more stuff to offer in my credentials for the program to recognize my potential. Otherwise, I'll still be in the frontlines. Stay safe everyone!




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#12
Hi @ryemd,
thanks for your knowledge and your amazing post.
I appreciate it and wish you Good luck.
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#13
great post,
I am ECFMG, no step 3. I am working as a family nurse practitioner. Any one in the same situation? Can you use title MD at your work? how about at your private clinic?
thanks for your inputs
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#14
How yo start to get a nurse license, should my medical credentials stes me for the nursing exam or should I do some studies?
Please advise
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#15
Hello sgoal

Can you please tell me about the MPH program and how you got it?
How is job market for MPH ?
Thanks
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#16
Hi Friends, I am a ECFMG certified and not matched. I also want to continue with my life, have no more money to apply for step 3 , no saving and need a job to make some money . please advice me what are options.
PS: I have many years experience in cosmetic companied and dermatology (in some level that we are allowed to practice in our home country , like botox and etc) any similar options here?
1-can we work as a assistance for a dermatologist?
2-can we work for cosmetic products companies? in what capacities?
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#17
friends please email me if you have any advice:
youngsh1979
thank you
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#18
Hello every body
great responses
How about Medical Science ?
Is it a good idea to get MS degree and then a certification if necessary and find a job
thanks
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#19
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#20
Muktip06

I am assuming that you have only applied for Match once? Whats your year of graduation? Have you taken Step 3? I am not soliciting but I am happy to provide guidance if you want. My email address is mdhelper281
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