California Dreaming!
- Step 1 : 216 (first attempt)
- Step 2 CK : 229 (first attempt)
- Step 2 CS : Pass (first attempt)
- GAP since graduation: 12-Years
- Non-US IMG
- First attempt at matching
- Number of interviews: 2
Here's the success story of a non-US IMG who battled marital strife, low board scores, a 12-year gap, and only 2 interviews to get her dream residency in California!
Dear Dr. Barone,
I am an IMG that just MATCHED on Monday. I can’t express enough the satisfaction, pride, happiness and nostalgia I feel at this moment. First, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all these years of constant encouragement. Second, I would like to share my pathway to let my colleagues from around the world know that dreams may come true with hard work, perseverance and resilience.
While I was preparing for STEP 1 in an academy (not Kaplan) everything was going perfect until my uncle passed away. It was hard to not to be there with my father in this hard time, and also it was hard for me to not to say goodbye to my beloved uncle. I took one day to grieve and the next day I went back to classes. Obviously, my rhythm of study slowed down a little and I was sad, but I promised my father that I will be strong… After I ended that short period of classes, I started to study at Kaplan. At the beginning it was hard to follow the videos in English and I found myself repeating them over and over. But eventually I improved my English (practice makes you a master!).
I was doing pretty good but started to stress too much. I started to slow down and while I was almost ready to take Step 1, I was paralyzed by the idea of taking it and failing…so I kept studying for it. Almost at the same time a new group of students arrived and with them bad energy came. They started to compare students, to criticize them and that started to stress me a lot! I felt very asphyxiated and I felt like I was being observed because they will criticize every move you take…this really affected me, and I started going down on my scores. I know it seems silly and immature, but that can happen to you and I don’t want you to be affected by this.
Lesson #1: Don’t let other’s state what you should do or not, and don’t let them affect you!
Lesson #2: Take your own time! Don´t compare to others, everybody has different times and stories!
Lesson #3: Don’t criticize others, and don’t let them criticize you!
I started to feel frustrated and that lowered my scores even more… I started to miss my family and it did not help that my husband was traveling most of the time, so I started wondering if it was worth it to leave everything behind for this “new life”.
This went on circles, and the relationship with my husband was deteriorating because I complained of his lack of support and he complained about “my lack of compromise” (I swear to God that I spent all day long studying at the library or academy, but due to several issues my concentration and energy were pretty low). We ended up separating, unfortunately.
I had been studying for a long time for the step 1, and I could not find the right score on the simulation tests to take it. I remember one classmate telling me that I am great, and that I should trust myself more. I thank her from the bottom of my heart. She believed more in me, than I did. I was so scared to fail it that I went over and over the material.
Lesson #4: Trust yourself!
I decided to take a deep breath (break) and went back to my country to study for step 1. Amazingly my scores started to go up and up! And thankfully I was able to save my matrimony. As soon as I took my step 1 there, I came back to the US.
After a long time of struggling, I finally passed the STEP 1! I felt a huge weight out of my shoulders and I thought that from there nothing was going to stop me! After a 2-week vacation, I started to study for Step 2 CS; until one morning I received a call from my sister telling me that my young, sporty, lovely father passed away from a heart attack…
Lesson #5: Even though you are very busy, please take a time to tell your loved ones (even over WhatsApp, e-mail or by a phone call) how much you love them and do it often! …
I flew back to my country and decided to live with my grief there -- cursing my destiny for not being able to go forward!
Time passed, and I gradually became better. I had to honor my father who was more than anything a resilient warrior. I had nothing else to do but follow in his foot steps. Being conscious of all the time gap since my graduation date and my family grief…I decided to “refresh” my graduation date by doing residency in my country. I call it: “Hitting two birds with one stone”
During residency I studied for Step 2CK and 2CS (took step 2CS here, during my residency vacations), I was assigned to a clinic that I helped improve dramatically, acquiring a lot of experience (of course this was mentioned in my personal statement!).
As soon as I ended residency I came back to the US, and problems came back! Nobody answered positively my e-mails and calls with an opportunity for an observership. Fortunately, I had a good friend who convinced me to keep insisting, so I did, and finally got my first rotation! During that rotation two hospitals answered positively. One of these doctors introduced me with a colleague who kindly accepted me for another rotation!
Lesson #6: It may be frustrating but keep calling and sending e-mails to Hospitals for an observership! Someone will answer positively! And once you are there, do your best and more, to show how competent you are!
MATCH season started and I prepared a beautiful personal statement. I had the advantage that I had already completed the residency in my country in the specialty that I was applying for, and I described all the great improvements I performed at my assigned clinic. I hired a professional editor to help me with my redaction and grammar.
Coming back to the story, I had 4 LOR -- good enough, right?... Well I only received rejections the first months, which surprised me a lot, I had no idea what was happening! I was already a specialist. Well this was a mystery until one secretary sent a rejection letter and in some part of the letter mentioned that it was due to my “old graduation date”. I wrote her back telling her that I just graduated from residency in 2017! But she was sad to say that the requirements are for Medical College graduation not residency. I was devastated, my idea of “refreshing” my graduation date was not working! I was in the same position as I was 3 years before but now with an older graduation date! This desolation lasted 5 minutes until I played my last card… I decided to write the programs telling them that I recently graduated from residency, in the case they did not read my whole application, I was letting them know I was “fresh in knowledge”.
At the same time, I shared my preoccupation with a doctor I was rotating with and also shared that I was applying to only three states. The answer was not positive at all and the doctor told me that in my case it was impossible to MATCH in the state I wanted to... California. I replied to this doctor that I will fight until the end for what is my dream. Interestingly this same doctor later saw my potential and passion and invited me to do research so that I could improve my resume.
Lesson #7: Don’t let people decide what you can or can’t do! Only you know your potential.
Lesson #8: Please apply broadly (don’t take the risk I took!).
Going back to the “recent graduated from residency” letter to the programs, as soon as I sent them to each program (I applied to 45) after 30 minutes I got my first invitation! I don’t know if it was a coincidence or if it was a consequence of my letter (anyway…Thank God!). I was more than happy because I remembered one story of success on Dr. Barone's website that said: “all you need is one.”
Luckily, early this year I got my second interview at the program that was my first choice! Can you believe it? Hopefully I matched there!
As you can read, my story of success had a tortuous pathway with many detours, and I wanted to share it because everything is about perseverance. I had many obstacles, but I always tried to find a solution to overcome them, and I feel that is the key in my case.
I wish you best of luck, but most of all passion and perseverance. Nothing great comes easy.
- M. E. March 14, 2018
Dr. Barone: Wow! This is an amazing story. With only 2 interviews what magic did you use to get a match?
I think I am very friendly, highly empathetic. And it helped me that I was already an specialist. Another thing that I remember doing is that I was very polite and respectful.
The residents who interviewed me were impressed. I talked to the residents a lot. I read that is good to let them know you well. Also that they are looking for a nice coworker. So I was amenable, and even joked with them.
Also it helps that since I am older, my behavior is more mature. I asked tons of questions, I talked about starting projects with the doctors that I interviewed with... and they could tell my intentions were authentic, because I improved my clinic very much during my residency, and of course I told them that!
One other thing I remember, is some of the other residency applicants were laughing too loud and talking over the phone during lunch with the Program Director! And other little details that seem obvious to not to do! But they end up doing. So it is good to practice for the interview!
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