Indian doctors going USA For Residency-Dr Pavan's Blog

Indian doctors in US ; Fellowship and Practice in US

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:14:00 +0000

Hi Guys,

I have seen lot of traffic on my blog searching for "Indian Doctors in US" of course which is the main theme for my Blog!
I started this blog just out of fancy keeping myself in mind who is obviously an Indian doctor.
I started my life searching here and there how to get into US medical system.Today I wanna post a blog what are our chances of getting into this system.

If you are a Medical student you can do electives here.In any branch you want and which is like doing our Internship/House surgency in India.but just doing only selective departmenmts which help in our chosen career.For e.g., if you want to pursue Internal Medicine...You can do any IM related i.e., Gastro or cardio "Elective" in any med school.These days getting electives are also getting tough.Some are paid and some are non-paid.Once you are done you will be having hands-on clinical experience which helps you in smooth transition into residency.But you wont get any degree here that you have done electives but,Some LORs(Letter Of Recommendations).

If you are a Physician ,have done Internship and got MBBS degree,you are not eligible to do electives in US.
OR
If you are a MD or MS Physician the fate is same but here comes the option of PRACTICE in US
Residency is what we call post graduate training in India or simply PG

In Order to practice in US u need to get state license which requires at least 2-3 yrs of "Accredited American Graduate medical education"(RESIDENCY) according to AMA(American Medical Education) found ...HERE

and if u r Board Certified it adds to authenticity and value ...!

Basically to practice in US one need NOT ! be BOARD CERTIFIED according to certiFACT

"Board certification is a voluntary process and over 80% of the physicians in the U.S. are board certified; however, a physician is licensed by the state to “practice medicine and surgery” and board certification is not a requirement for licensure. A licensed physician may practice in whatever area of medical interest they have and can legally hold themselves out to be practicing in that field of interest without necessarily having obtained a residency or fellowship providing advanced training in that area. Board certification, however, means that the physician’s skill and knowledge in the specialty/subspecialty has been examined and tested and meets standardized requirements"
"Most International Medical Graduates need to complete some required training in this country before they are able to take a particular board’s exam if all the postgraduate training was completed in another country. Exceptions are made and vary with each board. (Some boards may accept Canadian and/or United Kingdom residencies. Call the Member Board for further information on this.)"

also

"If a doctor is "licensed to practice medicine" does that mean he/she is certified?

No. Obtaining a medical license and being certified as a medical specialist by an ABMS Member Board are two different and separate processes. A license, legally required in order to treat patients, is issued and required by the state or territory in which a doctor practices medicine. A specialty certificate is issued by a medical specialty certifying board, which is valid nationwide. Although certification is not required for an individual physician to practice medicine, most hospitals and managed care organizations require that at least a certain percentage of their staff be, " board certified." Today, approximately 89% of licensed physicians are certified by one or more ABMS Member Boards."

You must have gone through atleast 3 years of residency training apart from CME credits and other requirements) and cleared the state specialty board examination.For e.g., ABIM (American Board of Internal Medicine) has to be cleared to be BOARD CERTIFIED in US in the case of IM

But I came to know that if you have done residency here,You can start practicing here as affiliated with a hospital called "HOSPITALIST" and you will be given 3yrs time to clear the board exam.
At the beginning of residency people apply for Initial Medical licnsure and its requirements vary by state and if you are an IMG
In order to get this initial licensure, you have to finish USMLE Step 3 and which in turn requires the clearance of step1,2(CK ,CS).
For clearing STEP3 the criteria vary by state.some require at least one year of residency training,where as some don't need any special requirements.
So in order to practice here,you need to finish all the USMLE steps includin Step3.

More info can be found here

This is what mentioned on FSMB(www.fsmb.org)

"In the United States and its territories, a license to practice medicine is a privilege granted only by the individual licensing authority (i.e., "state medical board") of the various jurisdictions. All decisions regarding acceptance of USMLE results and/or licensure eligibility are made by the individual state medical boards of the United States.

It is important to note that eligibility to sit for the USMLE Step 3 for a specific state medical board does not automatically signify your eligibility for medical licensure in that jurisdiction.

To obtain complete licensure information, you should contact the state medical board directly where you intend to seek your medical license. The FSMB provides a listing of all state medical boards and their contact information."

Here is a sample Licensure for Alabama state http://www.albme.org/Documents/540-X-3%20ER.pdf

and the website is http://www.albme.org/

If you don't wanna practice in US but want to do Fellowship (which is Superspeciality in India)
Most of them require the residency in US.So ,for them Indian PG is not valid.
But here is an exception for some fellowships like Ophthalmic Oncology and Emergency Care (i dont have the complete list and it will be on Individual hospital websites for how to get the list see below)where you can directly apply for them.you don't have to go through all the USMLE steps.Even you dont have to go through all the ERAS process.(For ERAS go through my other blogs).
Once you are done you can use that training in your home country but cannot practice herer.

For these list of programs,

1.go to http://www0.ama-assn.org/vapp/freida/srch/
2.select "Choose specialty"
3.select the "Subspecialty/fellowship" you are interested in
4.select the "Choose Location" select the states you wanted
5.Click on "Optional Criteria"
in National Resident Matching Program: select DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN NRMP
in ERAS drop down select DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ERAS
These are the programs have their own criteria like "atleast 3 yrs of PG training back in home country"
Now you have to contact the individual programs.

Indian Doctors who came to US back in 70's 80's have done radiology and some competetive specialties.Now its real tough even to get into residency.

Those who want to do residency and then Fellowship...read my other blogs..

Hope this Helps
Pavan
_________________________________________________________________
*i've done background research for myself.It may be incomplete or may have some flaws but for most part its how the system in US is.If you have any doubts or comments post them.Once I start my residency I will know more abt the system!

Read or Listen to latest 4 largest medical journals !!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 22:50:00 +0000

This is a collection of articles I have found interesting in the weekly editions of the "big five" medical journals: NEJM, JAMA, Annals, Lancet and BMJ (a few more journals are included occasionally). Please see the end of the post for a suggested time-efficient way to stay up-to-date with the medical literature.

Medical Journals tab: A screenshot of iGoogle with RSS feeds from the major medical journals.

1. Subscribe to the RSS feeds of the 5 major medical journals (NEJM, JAMA, BMJ, Lancet and Annals) plus 2-3 subpecialty journals in your field of interest. RSS is a Really simple syndication where u will get the head lines of latest updates to your desktop....

2. Read the journal on the day it is published online, for example, NEJM on Wednesdays.

3. Listen to journal podcasts. Click here to subscribe the podcasts of the 4 major journals in iGoogle . Add the subscriptions to yourigoogle. Igoogle is little advanced than classic google search. just type www.igoogle.com in your browser and login with your gmail account. you can add the links of podcasts in your igoogle.
Alternate way is open reader.google.com and add the links i am giving below

1. NEJM,
Feed: http://podcast.nejm.org/nejm_audio_summaries.xml

2. Lancet,
Feed: http://podcast.thelancet.com/lancet.xml

3. JAMA,
Feed: http://jama.ama-assn.org/misc/jamapodcasts2006.rss

4. BMJ, (the podcast is not active now).

5. Annals,
Feed: http://media.acponline.org/feeds/annals.xml

just copy the links and go to "add subscription" in Google Reader and add the links given

Hope You read these journals and apply them for better patient care !

Dr Pavan

Question Yourself before Chosing USMLE !

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 21:27:00 +0000

Hi Friends I wanted to post a blog on how USMLE can be
The questions you must ask to urself before coming to US or taking USMLE.....

First let me clarify that USMLE is a longer process than expected. It takes years to get into the system.Its money consuming and it tests ur patience.you will be facing lot of hurdles and there will be moments of despair and loneliness and deserted feeling.i am not scaring u its the truth.The competition is that severe.The people coming here are not just the graduates of foreign med school.Some people are even taking MPH or certain other courses just for the sake of getting residency.There is no genuine reason behind doing MPH(Master's in Public Health) 'cuz they r not gonna continue it as their career anyway.But being in US with legal status to work, some of them are doing research and even having publications.Also for being here,they r learning the culture of this country which helps them get absorbed in to this system quickly.So,that shows the level of competition.I don't suggest u do F1 courses.But they have some edge over ordinary IMG's.Of course u can work as a volunteer in any research with your Non-Immigrant visa too (Like B1/B2) but the chances r slim.
The questions U shud ask to urself are :

Are you academecially bright or hard woker to get good score?'cuz score bring you interviews and ur communication skills help u get selected in the interview
Are you financially sound?-Its gonna cost you a ton - Can be upto a maximum of $25000
Do u have relatives here in US? They will help u for food shelter and may get you some observership or even recommendation?!
Are you patient enough? - It takes years as I said atlest 1-2 years and as you know its a once an yearly process and the interview process it self takes 6months
Do you have moral support? As I said some times u get lost in this alien country....so u need good friend it can be your spouce or some one who can give u very good advices..
Do you have good communication skills?- I mean if you r shy U cannot go anywhere / do any thing in this country.Apart from that getting into residency requires this vital skill...thats what make you get selected for the interview...

Hope This Helps....!

Pavan

The top 20 things I've learned from intern year... Also entitled.... What I wish I knew before starting intern year:

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:16:00 +0000

Hi Guys I resumed My Blogging Again! I will add the ones i found on other sites...........

The top 20 things I've learned from intern year...
Also entitled....
What I wish I knew before starting intern year:

1. Love your Drug Reference book/Harriet Lane/other med handbook of your choice.
I was terrible at doses initially. The truth is that most doses you really don't need to keep in your head and it's immensely helpful to have them within an arm's reach. You can also use an online database like Micromedex. The only downside - each attending has their own special preferences when it comes to meds.

2. Be thankful for the Peds ER nurses.
They are good teachers. From paperwork and how the tube system works, to the meds and studies the attendings are going to want - they know what's up. This lesson also applies to your NICU, PICU, and long time Peds wards nurses who are experts at their job. (If you're not in pediatrics, that's ok - I'm sure there are some good adult nurses too ;-)) That being said, sometimes you need to follow your gut on patient care decisions, despite what anyone says... (see #16)

3. I get really tired around 4am.
It is inevitable. Staying up for 30 hours straight is not normal... no matter what anyone says! You will figure out what time is most difficult for you. For me, my 4am battle against my eyelids necessitates a run to the cafeteria for coffee! (exception: see #7)

4. On the phone, "Dr. So-and-so" commands more respect than "Kelly."
Enough said.

5. Sleep is not overrated. (related to #6)
Take the time post-call to catch up on sleep. Yes, even if you have a family and people demanding your attention at home, you need to take care of yourself in order to be there for them. No guilt, sleep whenever you can!

6. All of life's problems seem better after consecutive hours of sleep, preferably 6 or more.
Avoid emotionally charged situations when you are sleep deprived.

7. Coffee doesn't help after a certain point.
Sadly...

8. Donuts (and, insert your preference of other really bad for you foods here) taste really good at 3AM.
You will make excuses like, "It's ok, I'm on call," or "The calories don't count after midnight," or my favorite, "You deserve extra dessert when you're on call!"

9. When you don't think you can do something, take a deep breath, run through it in your mind, and exude confidence.
You can do whatever you put your mind to. If you still don't believe me, "fake it 'til you make it."

10. Sleeping 17+ consecutive hours is actually physically possible.
Especially after a few months of q4 call and built up sleep deprivation!

11. "Food is love and sleep is everything."

12. Drink water, water, and more water.
It is a sad state of things when you realize that you haven't actually peed all day. This happened to me more times than I care to think about and usually during ICU months!

13. It is ok to cry.
There will be a day, maybe post-call, maybe not, when you feel more than overwhelmed. Everyone has their moment and you're not alone.

14. Make time to do the things you love.
You will be busy and you will be tired, but you have to stay human! So, go for a run, read a non-medical book, go see a concert or movie, pick your favorite!

15. Sometimes questions are more powerful than answers. (Yes, I stole it from the TV show Heroes.)

16. Becoming comfortable with making decisions is tough, but you will get there.
One of the biggest changes you experience during intern year is the sheer volume of decisions that you are continually making. From a simple order for tylenol to a decision to call the PICU for a child deteriorating in respiratory distress... Over time your level of comfort with decision making evolves and you become more confident and convicted about things, even if it is simple.

17. There is always someone to ask if you don't know the answer.
A senior resident, nurse practitioner, or if it comes to it, fellow or attending, are happy to help you out when you don't have all the answers.
It is not a weakness to ask for help, it is a sign of self-awareness, strength, and comes from a true desire to care for your patients.

18. Med students can be annoying. (Don't worry, some are pretty cool too!)
I know, I know, we were all med students once! And I'm sure I had my nails-on-the-chalk-board-like annoying moments; with the earnest "teach me" attitude, I didn't realize the sheer volume of menial work that residents, and interns in particular, had to do. Giving them a patient related job (like calling an outside hospital to track down info or helping with the new "mom talks" in the newborn nursery) is one tactic to help your med students when you're feeling overwhelmed.

19. Residency changes you.
It is an unavoidable and perhaps necessary change. Like all intense periods in life, you are bound to experience situations that affect the way you approach life and future interactions with patients, families, and your own family and friends. You are challenged to reflect on your own world views, solidifying convictions and/or beliefs... and perhaps changing them in the process.

20. "The days are long, but the years pass quickly.
I've realized this truth most acutely during my last few weeks of intern year, as I say goodbye to so many of the wonderful residents with whom I
have worked. I feel sad to see them leave our institution because they have invested so much time and knowledge in me this year. I suppose it is the nature of residency and our prolonged training process that results in this continuous turnover... but nonetheless, I will still miss them all.

So with that, I say good luck to all who come after me. Looking back, I wouldn't trade this experience for anything...
well, maybe a significant amount of money!

I'm ecstatic to see the new interns doing their orientation this week... and I'm trying not to seem too excited, so I don't scare the pants off of 'em!

Only 1 day left until my intern year is officially DONE!
___________________________________________________________
* courtesy from http://community.livejournal.com/med_residents/22372.html kelly #kellsmd#

Video Collection useful for CS exam

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:59:00 +0000

Hi Guys,

I found this quiet informative website which I felt useful to most of us …This is the best work of Jim Martindale !

Use search function of browser to look for the key word or press CTRL and F key simultaneously.Read my other blog on CS video too Here

I copied the links directly from them to make it easy what’s there on the site exactly and it’s in fact an ocean of videos and information!…Even though I removed a lot of links,the main site has almost everything on it !

The website is MARTINDALE'S
THE "VIRTUAL" ~ MEDICAL CENTER
CLINICAL - PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS& CLINICAL SKILLS

The contents are here….

PHYSICIAN & HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS GUIDELINES

Ethics ~ End-of-Life Care ~ Sterilization & Disinfection ~ Hand Hygiene ~ Latex

Bioterrorism ~ Infectious Disease Discovered During Examination ~ Needlestick

COMPLETE PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS: HEAD TO TOE
(Basic & Advanced)
(Text, Images, Videos/Movies & Audio/Sound)

Pregnancy, Labor, Delivery, Neonatal, Newborn Exam, etc.

Pediatric Exam, Infant Exam, Toddler Exam, Child Exam, Adolescent Exam

Adult Exam

STETHOSCOPE – AUSCULTATION How to Use the Stethoscope for Cardiac & Pulmonary Examinations
Cardiac Auscultation (Heart Sounds) & Pulmonary Auscultation (Lung Sounds)
(Text, Images, Simulations, Videos/Movies & Audio/Sound)

CLINICAL SKILLS
(Text, Images, Videos/Movies & Audio/Sound)

Clinical Laboratory Tests

Fluids & Electrolytes

Immunization Schedules

PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS & PROCEDURES: BY PHYSICAL AREA
(Basic & Advanced)
(Text, Images, Simulations, Videos/Movies & Audio/Sound)

Abdominal Exam

Cardiac Exam

Chest, Lung, Pulmonary Exam,

Dermatology Examination & Procedures

Emergency Exam, Medicine & Procedures

ENT Exam, HEENT Exam, Face Exam,
Thyroid Exam, etc.

Eye Exam, Ophthalmoscope, Fundoscopic Exam

Geriatric Exam,
Patient Activity Assessment, Geriatrics Manual
(Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Rigit Repetition Test,
Gynecological Exam, Clincal Breast Exam, etc. (even though u wont get on CS exam)

Hearing Exam, Ear Exam,
Otoscopic Exam, Hearing Test

Musculoskeletal Examination, Orthopaedic Examination
(Neck Exam; Shoulder Exam; Back Exam; Spine Exam;
Wrist Exam; Hand Exam; Nail Exam; Elbow Exam; Hip Exam;
Knee Exam; Ankle Exam; Foot Exam, Girdle Exam; Gait Exam)

Neurological Examination
(Mental Status Exam-MSE, Sensory Exam, Coordination Exam, Gait Exam, etc.)
Neuromuscular Exam ( Electroencephalography (EEG)
Electromyography (EMG) and Nerve Conduction
Lumbar Puncture Procedure, Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Examination & Analysis)

Physical Examination & Treatment
for Sexually Transmitted Infection/Disease

Radiology Exam

Anatomy Dissection Laboratory

Anatomy Center ~ Pathology, Forensics & Virology Center ~ Anesthesiology & Surgery Center

Prescription & OTC Drug Databases ~ Clinical Calculators ~ Medical Center

(Desclaimer..I am not responsible for the content and copyright of the destination site and I provide these links for educational purposes only.after all it’s the purpose beyond that main site itself.)

Process of Securing Residency....and the Steps u have to take...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:01:00 +0000

How to start and go about the process of securing a residency
position:

1. Pick your desired residency (internal medicine, surgery,
radiology etc.)
2. Send away for an ERAS (Electronic Residency Application System)
application
3. Research your destination hospitals (see AMA's FREIDA online)
4. Complete and dispatch the ERAS application to ECFMG
5. Register as an independent applicant with the National Residency
Matching Program.
6. Watch the Automated Document Tracking System (ADTS) for the
progress of your ERAS submission
7. Call/e-mail the hospitals that have received your ERAS
application, and ask about interview schedules. Request early
decisions based on your need to complete international travel
8. Attend for your interviews
9. Rank your favorite programs in NRMP's ROL (rank order list)
10. Submit your rank order list by internet to the National
Residency Matching Program
11. While awaiting the match results, research your visa options and
send for the licensing application packs for the states that you
feel most likely to match with.
12. Obtain your match results (or enter the scramble if unmatched)
13. Sign and return your contract
14. If immigrating on a J1 visa, get the DS2019 form from ECFMG and
apply through your local consulate. If immigrating on a H-visa,
you'll need to get your state license completed first (requires your
ECFMG certificate and a copy of the signed contract with the
hospital)
15. Organize accommodation, flights, cargo etc.

Usmle In Detail... How to Secure Residency...U'll Find The Path Here!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:50:00 +0000

How to start and go about the process of securing a residency
position:

A review of the necessary ingredients:

1. The Exams

The USMLEs (United States Medical Licensing Examinations) are a set
of medical exams designed to evaluate your readiness to safely enter
the American medical system. The organisation that watches over the
application of foreign nationals to the American Medical system is
the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) and
they administer the USMLEs outside of the USA.
USMLE are multiple choice exams that are now only held on computer.
There are three parts, or steps, to completing the USMLE exams. The
computers that you can take them are available in a large number of
cities across the world on every working day of the year - you
Register with the ECFMG who administer the test internationally, and
reserve a place at your local centre for a time when you feel ready
to take the examination. Your nearest site can be found here.

The first part, USMLE step 1, is a multiple choice exam consisting
of about 300 questions taken over eight hours in one day at the test
center. The step 1 covers all of the basic sciences - Anatomy ,
Biochemistry , Physiology , statistics, Behavioural science,
Microbiology , Pharmacology , Pathology , ethics - and it is
typically taken in the first half of the medical school curriculum
at a time when these subjects have been covered. Scores are reported
as two digit (NOT %) and three digit scores. The percentage required
to pass is determined based not on a population curve, but on the
relative difficulty of the items as determined by the test
committee. That pass % is then set as being equal to a two digit
score of 75. The mean three digit score is 200. Many programs look
for two digit scores of at least 80-85 for entry. 66% of
international medical graduates pass this exam with each sitting,
while 91% of US medical students do.
The second part was recently divided into two parts, USMLE step 2ck
(clinical knowledge) and USMLE step 2cs (clinical skills). USMLE
step 2 ck+cs is the examination that American medical students take
before being allowed to graduate from medical school. USMLE step 2ck
consists of a similar one day computer based examination, and covers
all of the clinical sciences including medicine, surgery,
Paediatrics , obstetrics and Gynaecology , Psychiatry , forensics,
emergency care, ENT , Ophthalmology , tropical health, ethics. It is
usually taken in the final year of medical school, or beyond. 75% of
international medical graduates/students pass this on first sitting,
while 95% of american medical students do.
The USMLE Step 2cs examination is a newer requirement for ECFMG
certification. The USMLE step 2cs is an expensive ($1200)
examination is held in only a few American cities throughout the
year. It brings examinees face-to-face with ten simulated
('standardized') patients - ie actors pretending to have specific
complaints. You are tested on your ability to rapidly assess a
patient, communicate your thoughts to them, and to write a note
about your assessment and plans. Application is presently through
the ECFMG only. As of November 2002 (when the exam was called the
CSA), the pass rate was 80%, with 60% of failures being due to
language difficulties. As a result of this new examination, the
TOEFL will no longer be required. However the USMLE step 2cs will
have an expiry date for the first time.

USMLE step 3 (application on FSMB) is taken by American students
during their residency program within a year or so of graduation.
International students only need to take the USMLE part 3 if they
plan to immigrate on a H-1B visa (recommended over a J-1). This exam
is only given in the United States, requiring you to travel here to
take it. Also, only a few states (California, Connecticut,
Louisiana, New York, Utah, or West Virginia) allow you to take the
part 3 in their jurisdiction without being in an American residency
program. It is largely similar in scope to the USMLE step 2 with
more emphasis on practical management. The computerized test can be
taken geographically in any US state at a testing center as long as
you are sitting the test FOR Connecticut or New York. Application is
through the state medical board. This means you can take the test in
New Jersey having applied to the state medical board of Connecticut,
and having passed the exam, use that result to start residency in
Massachusetts.

The English Examination is not run by ECFMG any longer. If you have
taken the CSA you will be required to take a TOEFL (test of english
as a foreign language) examination. If you take the USMLE step 2cs,
you do not have to take an additional english examination. The TOEFL
is run in most countries by the Educational Testing Service. Click
here for more information on the TOEFL examination.

2. The ECFMG Certificate

This sounds straightforward but can be unexpectedly time consuming.
The ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates)
certificate is a document proving that you have fulfilled the
education requirements needed to practice medicine in the USA.

The Necessary components are to have
1. - your medical degree and transcript verified by ECFMG (can take
a long time)
2. - passed USMLE 1 and 2ck
3. - passed the clinical skills assessment (or step 2cs)
4. - passed a TOEFL english examination (or step 2cs)
5. - paid ECFMG in full
All of these components must be valid at the time when you apply for
final certification. This certificate testifies to the fact that you
have fulfilled the requirements for entry into clinical training in
the USA.
Remember that the ECFMG certificate is only valid as long as its
components (eg USMLE step 1) remain valid; each component has an
expiry date. Your ECFMG certificate must be VALID when you apply for
a visa or start your training. The english examination component
expires after two years. Remember that if you have to revalidate
your english test, the results of a repeat english examination will
take some time to be processed to revalidate your certificate (this
delayed my visa application).

3. ERAS
The electronic residency application system (ERAS) is a method of
centralised, computerised application for residency. After you have
paid the required application fee and requested a 'Token' via the On-
line Applicant Status and Information System (OASIS), ECFMG will
send a unique identification number ('a Token') by e-mail. This
Token will permit the applicant to access the AAMC's ERAS website to
complete his/her ERAS application on-line. Simultaneously, you'll
have to mail photocopies of your supporting documents to ECFMG. On
this online site you have to
a. enter your personal details in a standardized curriculum vitae
b. enter a personal statement
c. designate the residency programs you wish to have your
application sent to.

The supporting documents that you have send in the mail include
1. your photograph
2. your examination transcript and
3. your letters of reference
4. your dean's letter /medical student performance evaluation

Foreign medical graduates send these paper items to the ECFMG who
act as your "dean's office". They scan your paper documents and
photo, match it to your online application items and e-mail the lot
to the residency programs you selected. You can select up to four
letters of recommendation to each program. You can follow this
process on the Automated Document Tracking System (ADTS) which
allows you to see when your application documents are downloaded by
the residency programs. ERAS, the ADTS and the NRMP are all run my
the AAMC (American Association of Medical Colleges). You should
complete all of the ERAS application procedures as soon as possible,
but by December 1st in your year of application at the latest.

The question of where to apply is frequently asked. Almost all
hospitals will take the best applicants they can get, no matter
their origin. There is therefore no such thing as 'FMG friendly'
hospitals, only hospitals that cannot recruit american graduates,
and have a preponderance of FMGs working there. You would do well to
try and avoid such institutions since there is often a reason that
they are deserted by American grads. If you do want to find such
places, you can find them listed in the unfilled list at
scutwork.com. The best advice is to discuss your plans with
colleagues who know your field, and get their advice about where you
would best be suited. You can use resources on AMA's FREIDA online
to narrow your search, and obtain contact information.

4. Interviews

The most difficult part in your application will be securing an
interview. Many program directors find it difficult to evaluate
foreign graduates, so are reluctant to make the effort to interview
them: there is certainly little doubt that there is substantial
variablility in the quality of graduates from disparate medical
schools.

There are no guaranteed methods to getting an interview at any of
the top hospitals. However you can increase your chances by
- doing an elective
- getting good USMLE scores
- doing well in your own medical school - having a research
publication
- having very strong letters of reference ffrom your dean and
referees

Never assume that your application is actually being reviewed by the
hospital you applied to. Make sure you get in touch with the program
coordinator after you have seen them download your items from ERAS,
asking when you can expect to hear about whether you will be given
an interview. All program directors are listed in the AMA green
book, and online at FREIDA. It is true that planning international
travel is more complicated than local travel, so you really will
benefit from an early decision. If you do get an interview, you
should be able to negotiate a day that works in your interviewing
schedule, but this can be variable.

The interview day itself usually starts the night before, where
you'll be hosted to a casual dinner with members of that residency.
This is where you get to ask all the hard questions about what life
is really like working in that hospital and program. Many residency
programs do look for FEEDBACK from those who have met you at these
dinners, so be on your best behavior.

The actual interview day will usually involve hearing a presentation
about the program, going to morning report/conference, and then
meeting individually with some of the selection committee during the
day. You may not be scheduled to meet with the program director
themself, but it is worth asking (given you have travelled so far)
to meet directly with them at the end of the day, to find out how
you got on, and whether you're in with a good chance at this
program.

Do follow up with the program director by email or letter after you
have left to solidify your intent or interest.

5. The Match

The Match is a centralised computer program that matches a
physician's highest ranked residency program with a hospital that
ranks them highly.
It is organised by the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP) .
Not all of the available spots are listed in the Match, and some of
the more competitive specialities participate only in the "Early
Match". See the NRMP site for more information. As an international
applicant, you must Register as an 'independent applicant' before
December 1st of your year of application at the latest

What happens in the Match is .....
(1) You apply to the programs in the hospitals that interest you
(2) those programs that are interested in you will invite you for an
interview
(3) after the interview, the hospital ranks you among all those
they've interviewed
(4) After all your interviews, you rank the programs that you want
and
(5) on a certain date in March, all of these preferences are chewed
on by a computer and the hospitals are matched with the applicants.

Those that do not 'Match' are notified two days before the official
results and can participate in the 'Scramble' where unmatched
physicians contact unmatched residency programs by phone and fax in
an attempt to find jobs. You can find the list of programs that
failed to fill all of their positions at scutwork.com or click
here . For more info on the scramble process click HERE.

You will optimise your chances of matching by...
(1) Being organised and ready
(2) having good grades, USMLE scores and references
(3) performing well at interview
(4) having done an elective at the hospital you're applying to
(5) knowing about your visa plans

Residencies can fill their positions in the match, before the match,
or in a brief 'scramble' after the match. On the Monday of match
week before the specific match results are available (always a
Thursday), unmatched applicants and unfilled programs are told (by
email) that they did not match/fill, and the listing of unfilled
programs is released. Unmatched applicants then have those next
three days to convince program directors of unfilled programs that
they are the right candidate to fill that job. Most use faxes, and
phonecalls since program directors are usually so overwhelmed as to
ignore email.
You can obtain a position before the match too. This happens when
programs are sufficiently impressed with you (or sufficiently
desperate for applicants) that in the days or weeks after the
interview, they offer you a position directly, providing you agree
to withdraw from the match right there and then, and sign the
paperwork. This works well for less competitive candidates who are
very unsure about their potential to match through the ranking
process, and are happy with the offer.

6. State Medical Licences

After you've successfully matched you need to secure your medical
license and your visa. The medical license is specific to the state
of your employing hospital. Information on contacting the state
medical boards is included in the USMLE /ECFMG [bleep] of
Information, and is also located at the Federation of State Medical
Boards Web Page. States differ significantly on their processing
times and requirements for licensure. You should check out the
details, including requirements for USMLE 3 eligibility at the AMA
GME handbook . (contact your residency program for further details)

7. Your Immigration Visa

Doctors who have graduated from foreign medical schools seeking U.S.
residency training (who do not qualify for permanent resident status
in the U.S.) usually seek either of two visas from the Immigration
and Naturalization Service (INS), the J-1 or the H-1B visas. Several
recent events affect the use of those two visas by foreign
graduates.

7A. The J-visa

The J-1 non-immigrant visa permits completion of an accredited
residency or fellowship program of up to seven years duration which
leads to board certification. Following this, the resident *must*
return to his/her native country or country of last residence for a
period of at least two years. ECFMG issues a form called a DS2019
which tells the consulate that you are eligible to enter the US. The
American consulate in your own country will decide whether to issue
the visa.
Your governmental health office must sign a document indicating the
need in your home country for physicians trained in your prospective
speciality. Occasionally (this is often an issue for Canadians) the
country does not recognize a need for residents in a particular area
and refuses to issue the form, but for most it is a simple
formality. J-1 visa applications are usually processed quickly,
though some countries have a longer processing time due in part to
the events of Sept 11, 2001.

It is important to note that coming to the US on a J-1 visa
absolutely limits you to staying here only until the completion of
any training (be that six months or five years) up to a MAXIMUM of
seven years. This is a training visa, so you cannot use to practice
independently as an attending. If you think there is a chance that
you would like the opportunity to stay in the USA after your
training, you should take the USMLE 3 and come on a H1B visa.
There are four ways to stay in the US on a 'waiver' of this two year
home residency requirement. For most, the only practical way to
avoid having to return to your home country is to agree to practice
in an underserved area for three years after you have completed your
training. These positions are competitive and the competition for
them is expensive. Again, please consider coming on a H1B visa to
avoid these problems.

7B. The H-1B Visa

The H-1B visa allows the prospective trainee to avoid the J-1 visa
requirement to leave the U.S. for two years by petitioning for
permanent resident status in the U.S. while in residency training.
An applicant for an H-1B visa must be

(1) ECFMG certified (ie have passed USMLE 1, 2ck and 2cs);
(2) must have ALSO passed USMLE step 3 AND
(3) must hold a license to practice in a U.S. state before
application (it takes about three weeks to get a training license
after your match).

Residency programs decide individually which type of visa they will
support for their candidates for residency training. Previously most
did NOT support H-1b applications, although the new visa laws passed
in October 2000 mean that now many that previously did not offer
them should do so. You should ask your programs directly which they
will consider for you. Remember that many have the default position
of refusing such visas (and even note such decisions on residency
and hospital websites), but if you learn about them, and talk to the
international officers at these institutions, many will reverse
their decision and apply for this visa on your behalf.
Currently all academic institutions have unrestricted access to H1B
visas, without a cap. This means that your H1B visa is likely to be
easily available, and processed quickly (though some can still take
up to six months). A standard H1b application can still takes about
2-3 months for processing, so to be ready for a July 1st start, you
have to be quick about your license and your visa application right
after you match, unless you use expedited processing which can be
achieved by paying an extra $1000 , and the visa will be approved
within approx 14 days.

You will have to think carefully about which visa is right for you.
Note that the Match takes place in mid-March, and for a July start
you would likely have only a short time to secure a state medical
license and submit your H-1B visa application.
Some good visa sites for physicians are as follows:

Here is an overview of the process

8. Costs

• USMLE 1 $825

• USMLE 2 $800

• (USMLE 3 $670 + travel [only if H-visa sought])

• CSA $1200 + travel

• ERAS $185 (Minimum)

• NRMP $40

• State license $240

• Interviews $1000 + travel

• ESTIMATED TOTAL $5,000 + travel to the US (two trips if H-visa
sought - one for USMLE 3, one for CSA with interviews)
• (total cost can run upto $10,000 depending on how long you stay in
US and how many programs you apply to)

9. What about Observerships?

Many residency programs look for letters of recommendation from
American physicians when reviewing applications. Medical students
can get these when they are on electives in US hospitals. It is
harder for those who already have their medical degree, since
observerships are much less developed than electives.
If you are thinking of trying to come and experience American
medical practice as an observer for a few weeks, the best thing to
do is to contact the departmental head of your preferred specialty
at a hospital that interests you. Your letter should contain an
introduction about you, and go on to explain what you hope to
achieve by spending time in an American Hospital. You could talk
about exploring differences in educational strategies, in medical
practice, or system organization. I would not specifically allude to
objectives such as getting letters of recommendation or applying to
residency. Assure the departmental head that you will obtain your
own liability insurance. You should include a copy of your
curriculum vitae and a photo. If possible, use contacts from home.
If you don't hear back, make personal contact with email or
telephone.

10. When should I go?

This is a tough question and there is no "right" answer. What is
certain is that if you want to get registered with the Board of the
Speciality that interests you, you must do all your training from
PGY-1 (post-graduate year one) to speciality in the USA. So for
example if you aspire to cardiology and be able to practice as a
cardiologist in the USA you must spend 3 years of Internal Medicine
Residency followed by 4 years of Cardiology Fellowship. While you
can do your basic medical training in your home country and join a
US fellowship, you will not be able then to practice as a
Cardiologist, as you cannot be 'board certified' without completing
a residency first. The point to remember is that if you just want to
spend 4 years training in the USA, you can just go over for a
fellowship - while if you want to practice in the USA you have to go
over for the whole lot

Get RSS Feeds for Any Medical Journal from Pubmed

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 01:51:00 +0000

MedPDA.net used the newly launched PubMed feeds to get RSS for any journal. He also explains how to set up the feeds yourself in the post How-to: RSS feeds for medical journals.

JAMA and Archives Have RSS Feeds Now

General and Internal Medicine

New England Journal of Medicine: RSS
Annals of Internal Medicine: RSS
JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association): RSS
BMJ (British Medical Journal): RSS
Archives of Internal Medicine: RSS

Nature: RSS
Nature Medicine: RSS

Hematology / Oncology

Blood: RSS
Journal of Clinical Oncology: RSS
Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI): RSS
Haematologica: RSS
Bone Marrow Transplantation: RSS

References:
PubMed RSS feeds are now live
Getting RSS feeds for most medical journals - MedPDA.net
How-to: RSS feeds for medical journals - MedPDA.net
Use Plucker to get Journal RSS feeds in your PDA - Palmdoc.blogspot
RSS tutorial for STFM Board. Family Medicine Notes
A really simple guide to a powerful tool: RSS. BMJ Career Focus 2006;332:244.

(Source: www.medpda.net & http://casesblog.blogspot.com/)

Download or Hear Hindi/Telugu Jodha Akbar Songs VBR 320 KBps

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 09:04:00 +0000

To Download Jodha Akbar Songs Click Here.......

"JODHA AKBAR"

Telugu JODHA AKBAR Songs.....
CLICK THE LINKS BELOW FOR DOWNLOADING Telugu JODHAA AKBAR MOVIE SONGS

1. Azeem-O-Shaan
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5. Mann Mohanaa
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6. Aamanee Ruthuve (Instrumental)
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To Hear Songs Online... Push Play Button Here...

Free Physical Examination Videos-For USMLE Step2CS

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:12:00 +0000

Hi Ppl I am adding a list Physical Exam Videos From The Same Free Site www.learnerstv.com....
Although i posted these on other Blog..i felt these will be useful to the Final Yr MBBS Students and USMLE Step2 CS......The List Goes Here...

Video Lecture Description	Sub-Category	Time	Click to view video
Physical Examination-Abdomen-Part1	Physical Examination	8m 45s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Abdomen-Part2	Physical Examination	11m 22s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Breast-Part1	Physical Examination	9m 34s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Breast-Part2	Physical Examination	9m 57s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Upper Extremity-Part1	Physical Examination	12m 14s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Upper Extremity-Part2	Physical Examination	13m 23s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Knee	Physical Examination	12m 14s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Lower Extremity	Physical Examination	11m 45s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Female Examination from Head to Toe-Part1	Physical Examination	14m 10s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Female Examination from Head to Toe-Part2	Physical Examination	6m 43s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Female Examination from Head to Toe-Part3	Physical Examination	13m 42s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Female Examination from Head to Toe-Part4	Physical Examination	10m 58s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Cardiac Examination-Part1	Physical Examination	14m 18s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Cardiac Examination-Part2	Physical Examination	11m 24s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Male Examination from Head to Toe-Part1	Physical Examination	11m 28s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Male Examination from Head to Toe-Part2	Physical Examination	8m 53s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Male Examination from Head to Toe-Part3	Physical Examination	8m 58s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Male examination from Head to Toe-Part4	Physical Examination	10m 00s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Neonatal Examination.-Part1	Physical Examination	12m 36s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Neonatal Examination.-Part2	Physical Examination	11m 24s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Neonatal Examination.-Part3	Physical Examination	13m 14s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Detailed Neurological examination-Part1	Physical Examination	12m 42s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Detailed Neurological examination-Part2	Physical Examination	10m 27s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Detailed Neurological examination-Part3	Physical Examination	9m 30s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Detailed Neurological examination-Part4	Physical Examination	10m 03s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Detailed Neurological examination-Part5	Physical Examination	11m 48s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Detailed Neurological examination-Part6	Physical Examination	7m 44s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Detailed Neurological examination-Part7	Physical Examination	9m 50s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Respiratory Examination-Part1	Physical Examination	7m 57s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Respiratory Examination-Part2	Physical Examination	8m 58s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Thorax Examination-Part1	Physical Examination	10m 27s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Full Thorax Examination-Part2	Physical Examination	9m 17s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Oral Presentation-Part1	Physical Examination	8m 39s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Oral Presentation-Part2	Physical Examination	6m 22s	Click to view video lecture
Physical Examination-Oral Presentation-Part3	Physical Examination	9m 56s	Click to View Video Lecture

To View TheVideos U need Real player & Flash Player installed on ur Computer...

u can get them Here....

Free Medical Video Lectures, Animations, E-book Download links....

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:52:00 +0000

Hi Guys I am Posting a New Blog With A Site providing LOTS N LOOOOOOOOTS Of videos,e-books,Video lectures......

Here is site which provodes Online Education to all...

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The Medical courses include Anatomy and Physiology, Immunology, Epidemiology, Infectious Diseases, Dermatology, Genomic Medicine and more...Click to view Free Medical Video Courses. There are excellent animations which will help learners understand the concepts easily. Click to view Free Medical Animations. We have provided download links of medical e-books. Click to view Free Medical e-book download links. For medical students preparing to take licensing tests like USMLE, we have provided hundreds of free live online tests with instant feedback and explanations. Click to take Free online test.

An IMG Experience.....

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 23:45:00 +0000

I am Posting the story of a poor immigrant who managed walking up the hill on residency and finally succeeded ....Thanks To Intelligentdoc For sharing this With me...
And i hope this will be Inspirational to our members....

An IMG Experience

I graduated in 1998 from medical school and was not able to start my residency right away. In my country, residencies are not paid, so the majority of residents have to live with their parents or be sponsored by their wifes/husbands, coming from a humble family, and being single, that was not my situation.
I immigrated to the US in 2002, and started to re-learn English, those were tough times, no job, no english, and not a single clue about how to continue with my education. Finally after spending 2 years learning english and understanding the intrincacies of the ECFMG Certification - Match I decided to start, by then I was already 28 Years old, been out of medical school for 5 years, and the worst part, I wanted to do Surgery.
Talking to a lot of people, I quickly realized that things were going to be harder than I thought, I got a job as a computer programmer (!), and started from there, the long hours in front the computer, so far from what I love (my patients) made study every day a difficult task. after a couple of months fighting against the routine I was able to get started.
Setting up goals
The first thing I did, which, I think was key to success, was to stablish a detailed plan, all the way from Step 1 to residency. I joined several forums and was aquainted with the general timing of the exams, I learned that in order to be ready and on time, I would need to have my last exam done by the end of September (1st Rule of thumb), and that would allow me to start my residency by june Next year.
I decided to go in order, Step 1, CK, CS, that mean that I would tackle the hardest one first and would work my way through Step 2 without much problems.
Step 1
I decided to study for a full 8 months for step 1, and here comes my second rule of thumb for the USMLE: You will never be as ready as you would like to be for the Exam, just set a timing goal and adhere to it, if you wait to set the dates for the exam once you are ready, most likely that time is going to be more than what you really need.
After gathering the materias, I took the kaplan 150 question practice exam just to see and gauge an starting point. The results were not any good, I was close to 38%!!! in some of the areas, and my best score was not better than 60%. I took the decision to distribuite the time as follows:
6 months reading the Kaplan Lecture notes (3 Huge books by then)
1 month reading and reviewing First Aid
1 final month exclusively doing practice questions.
In between I started doing the Kaplan Qbank in tutor mode, that helps a lot, but in the end that final month was to be done simulating the actual conditions of the exam, in weekdays I use to do timed blocks of 50 questions and in the weekends try to do as many blocks as possible. In the final days of review I was doing an average of 75% in kaplan, enough to pass the Exam, I took the exam in the end of 2004 and got 85. It was not the score I would like to have, but I was relieved it was over.
Getting into a hands on clinical possition - Possible?
Just after getting my results on the exam, I was told by a friend that there was a position available for Foreign Graduated Physicians in a Hospital in Miami, the position is called House Physician, the state of Florida let people like me work as physician, mostly doing History and Physical exam in patients that either are going to surgery or are admitted in the wards. I was able to secure a position and started seeing patients again. Check in your state with the local department of health, they may have this type of position available.
Step 2 -
I Started to study for Step 2 a few weeks after taking Step 1. for step 2 I used only Kaplan Lecture notes and USMLEworld, after reading the book I did every single one of the 2000+ questions, and was able to repeat at least 800 of them. My final score for USMLE World was 58%, I was confident that this score would guarantee at least 90 in the exam. I spend 5 months preparing the exam, and I still remember taking Step 2, Everything seemed so easy, I got 92, almost 93.
Having fun, that’s what matter
By then I had been on my job as a physician for 6 months, doing at least 12 - 15 Cases a day, Step 2 CS was going to be a breeze, I prepared the exam for 15 days, mostly reading the material of First Aid, and the USMLE video, took the exam in Atlanta, in September, Last year, just as I had envisioned 2 years before… The first case was difficult, because I was very nervous, as soon as I exit trhough the door, somehow I realized that my dream was fulfilled, there were only 11 doors, between me and my ECFMG certificate, I just needed to have some fun in between. Results arrived 4 weeks later, I was a certified physician now.
Here comes the difficult part… maybe not
Getting into Surgical residency was going to be hard, I knew, my scores were not perfect, I had no research experience, and my age (30) and the time after my graduation (7 years) was a handicap in my application, but first I needed to get the Letters of recommendation, and after receiving 2 negative answers from attendings, I was able to get letters, from the chairman of the Surgical department at my hospital, a prominent Laparoscopic surgeon and the medical director of the hospital.
Next step was to compose my Personal Statement, it got to be something that while being true to myself also allow me to get the attention of the committees, I received help from a friend who was able to capture my ideas, and at the end the result was better that I was hoping for. I applied for a whooping 92 programs nationwide on the national residency matching program, spending close to $2000 in the process, I did this trying to cover my deficiencies with a massive ammount of program applications.
and then I started to receive emails from the different programs, the first 30 Emails were negatives, something like “thank you very much for applying, but you are not getting an interview here” It was November last year, when a friend told me that someone got into surgery after completing an Observership in a very big and important hospital in my city. despite everybody telling me that it was going to be near impossible to get a position in such that institution, I decided to try to sign up for an observership.
I was lucky enough to fill a position of someone who had already signed up but was unable to attend, that was the only spot that was available for the next 6 months in the trauma unit of the hospital, I was there 3 months, Dec, Jan and Feb, working around the clock with the Surgery intern and the Senior Resident.
At the same time I applied for residency in that hospital, and talked to the Senior Resident, letting him know that I wanted to stay for my residency. Somehow, they called me for interview, I was astonished. it was the end of 2005 when I got my interview, minutes before I was going to talk to the program director, the Senior resident Popped in and talked to him privately for a couple of minutes. My interview was a breeze.
Now, after writing this, I am heading to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, FL; to finish the paperwork and to do the physical, I signed the contract in December,2005; 3 months before the match, and I will be starting my residency in General Surgery in June… Although I am anxious, I know that everything is going to be all right, I am confident that with hard work and the help of who is now my wife, that has supported me since I was in my country, I am going to be able to go through my residency, being successful, but most of all, having fun, enjoying it, as I have enjoyed every single step of the way, experiences, that happen only once, but last for a life time.
By the way, I was called by 13 different programs across the nation, never went to a single interview!
Hope This Helps...

Dr Pavan

Interview with Dr Anil Chauhan, Radiology Resident, USA

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 23:43:00 +0000

Hi Guys This Is the Experience Of An Indian Doctor From AIIMS(All India Institute ff Medical Sciences) who procured Residency in Radiology Here In USA..I hope This Will be Useful & i added this in the Best Interests of UR Members...This Is Experience No 2 Read Experience 1 HERE

Author: AshB,(Posted On A famous Indian Forum Which Deals with Entrance Exams Thr)

Dr Anil Chauhan secured a Radiology residency position at the University of Minnesota, USA in last year’s match. Radiology is a highly competitive specialty in US and is extremely difficult for an International Medical Graduate (IMG) to get into. When i was thinking of someone who has achieved such a competitive residency spot in USA and we could of think of no better person than Anil. he is a graduate of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, Anil came about as very pleasant and humble yet clear headed and motivated person during the interview. He has been eagerly helping people with his advice about various aspects of USMLE, research and competitive residencies. He shares with us here his pearls of wisdom on the ever confusing path to US.

Q. How do you feel about your success?
A. It feels great because finally my hard work and perseverance has paid. My struggle for 3 years has finally yielded fruit.

Q. How has your journey been?
A. When I look back, it brings mixed feelings to me. I see my story as of an average guy who dreamt big. This is just the start of my long journey but I have crossed the first and biggest hurdle. I have come across lot of different people who influenced this journey of mine in different ways. I decided to go for US during my internship. I got immense support from my family, my mentor at AIIMS and friends, all of which served as a fuel for me. They gave me the strength to fight the odds and face the people who were sceptic about my aim. On many occasions, both in India as well as US, I came across people who discouraged me and advised me to seriously rethink my plans. There were times when my dream seemed impossible to me, but by god’s grace I was able to keep my will and strength to go on and here I am in front of you with a Radiology residency.

Q. Whom do you attribute your success to?
A. Of course the foremost is my family. I can’t forget to mention my mentor in India, my mentors in US and my friends. I would also attribute my success to my teachers at AIIMS. These people were my perpetual support who always boosted my confidence.

Q. What do you think was the secret of your success?
I will give credit to my hard work, patience, research experience, ability to produce ideas, focused approach, goal directed strategy for 3-4 years and overall wishes from family, mentors and friends.

Q. What factors do you consider important to get a residency in US?
A. It changes from year to year. The common factors are scores, strong Letter of Recommendations (LORs), research when accompanied by significant results. Over the last few years US clinical experience has emerged as a very strong factor and can’t be ignored.

Q. How should one go about getting a residency in US?
A. It is a multi-faceted approach. One should start working on it as soon as you are sure of it. Try to finish your steps in time but remember, you can’t afford to compromise on scores and you can’t afford to fail in CS. Try to be involved in research and learn how to do it. If you are really good at it, you can do some research on your own, like a meta-analysis with a small number of studies. USCE is extremely recommended in present scenario and one should have at least a few months of United States Clinical Experience (USCE) before the start of application process. One new approach these days is coming up, better known as research electives. It is for people who decide to go to US in 2nd or 3rd year. It is available at some top universities and proves to be really helpful in future. All this put together also helps in getting strong LORs, which comprise another important aspect of application process. There are a lot of other things, which seem unimportant at times but in reality, play a significant role, like acquiring up-to-date information, setup and improve networking, and getting done with all paperwork on time. These should be started long before preparation for the steps.

Dr. Anil Chauhan

Q. How much time and what resources do you advise for the USMLE Steps?
A. Usually, 4-6 months are considered enough for taking single step. One should have enough free time for 2-4 weeks before exam and stress should be avoided. NBME's self assessment tests are a wonderful tool to assess your actual level of preparation. They are considered the most reliable predictors of your scores. USMLE CS exam preparation usually takes 2-3 dedicated weeks. USMLE Step 3 exam preparation is variable and depends on how busy you are with application process. It should take less time for step 3, if you are fresh with step 2 CK knowledge. Resources for USMLE Step 1 are Kaplan vs. miscellaneous books (including High Yield Series, BRS Series, Lange books for different subjects). Either of them is a good option but reading more than one resource for one subject is not highly recommended. For USMLE Step 2 CK it is mostly Kaplan and few important topics can be read from CMDT. I’ll sum up CS preparation as ‘practice, practice and practice’. UsmleWorld question bank has very good questions for every step, including step 3 and also gives decent feedback about your preparations.

Q. What timeline is usually good for a residency application?
A. It is best to be ECFMG certified before application process starts. Most USMLE aspirants tend to delay steps without solid reasons due to option of changing the dates as many times as you want, but it proves detrimental in the long run. If you finish it early, then you will have enough time for observership, research etc. This does not mean that USCE should be considered at the end; it can go along with the preparations.

Q. Is it important to have Step 3 completed before application?
A. It is certainly desirable but not indispensable. A good USMLE Step 3 score can help to reduce the impact of previous low scores. Most of the times, people take it later in the year to be eligible for H1B visa. However, don’t take this exam lightly under the impression that merely passing it is enough. This leads to lot of people to fail the exam due to suboptimal preparation. This is the toughest step of all and tests your knowledge as well as speed. You should be sure enough about your preparation because a failure can be a big setback to your US residency application. A good Step 3 score can certainly enhance your chances of getting interviews. USCE also helps a lot for USMLE Step 3.

Q. What tips would you give to a USMLE aspirant currently in IInd MBBS?
A. I appreciate the IInd MBBS USMLE aspirants for being clear about their plans so early. They should try to read American texts and just not stick to books required to pass professional examinations. Besides that, try to be thorough with the basic concepts which matter a lot in USMLE steps. At this stage, they should try to get involved in research with prominent faculty members which are known to produce results. The thing that you should consider is that whether you would be able to get a publication in an indexed journal and in time. Even if you can’t get decent publications, this experience will help you to produce results in future, specially while in US. You should focus on learning various aspects of research and I consider literature review the most important part for a beginner. Research Elective (RE) is the emerging option for these which help them a lot in building their CV and getting strong US LORs even before completing MBBS. Another advantage RE is that it might be feasible to enter even the big universities like Johns Hopkins, which otherwise are out of bounds for us, in addition to the fact that such electives maybe available for lot less fees as against the clerkships in US universities.

Q. What tips would you give to a USMLE aspirant currently in Internship?
A. An intern should first decide when he wants to apply for match and prepare accordingly. There is no harm in waiting for one more year if your steps are getting delayed significantly. You should also try to get involved in research as I have outlined in my previous answer. Keep looking for rare cases for case reports which is easy and quick. According to me, Radiology and Pathology departments have plenty of such cases but you should keep looking at other places too. You should get the maximum USCE at same or different programs as this has been important selection criteria recently. I would suggest, stick to an IMG friendly university program for observership, preferably near the interview season because it immensely increases your chances of getting into that program.

Q. If someone gets a low score in steps, what are the options?
A. Scores matter a lot. They are definite screening criteria for match process. You should see three digit scores and not two digits in most cases. More than 240 is excellent, above 230 is considered pretty good while 220 is usually considered above average score and gives you a decent chance to compete even with people with higher scores if you can spruce up other aspects of your CV. However, one should not lose heart at all. Few things should be considered carefully; Scores are not the only criteria but very important criteria in screening. Other less competitive specialties like psychiatry, paediatrics or family medicine may still be gettable with low scores. You should also work hard in building your CV. You can decide to spend one extra year to do this. You should start with clinical experience. You can do medical research in USA, either voluntarily or as research job. Try to publish articles, present papers, collect LORs, have a lot of USCE and have a great network. Try to contact your seniors or people through your US faculty or fellows or residents in same or different programs.

Q. What do you think about the GRE route for a US residency?
A. It is a very controversial issue. Overall, MPH gives you an additional degree which is considered a positive factor in your application, but in itself is not sufficient to get you a residency. MPH programs vary a lot in terms of workload, chances of getting clinical or research experience and good LORs. And finally chances of getting into residency at the same place. I won’t go into the cost and visa issues which everybody is aware of.

Q. How difficult it is to get a Radiology residency in US for an IMG?
A. From the perspective of an IMG Radiology is highly competitive and extremely difficult to get into. There are two major problems, first is lack of Radiology experience for an IMG especially during under-graduate (UG) years. Second is the small number of positions, which makes it more competitive. There is one more thing that in case of competitive specialties in US, people prefer the candidates whom they know in person. Radiology being so competitive, this tendency to interview people who have had some sort of encounter with them increases. This, coupled with other factors like need for good research and recommendations, increases the need for a multifaceted approach that goes much beyond just good scores. Another aspect of the difficulty is the dilemma of your backup branch. Anybody going for Radiology has to be prepared with a Plan B. But, since the application form is single for all your specialties, it is very tough to make your application good for Radiology as well as something like Internal Medicine or Pediatrics. At times you manage to end up with both applications looking like your backup plan. Hence it’s better to go all for Radiology to make your application stronger but then that hurts your chances of getting into Internal Medicine or Pediatrics if you don’t get Radio.

Q. Are there any alternative routes to a Radiology career in USA?
A. First is doing MD radiology from India then follow it up with a fellowship. After four years of fellowship at the same hospital, you may become eligible for the Board certifications and can thereby bypass the residency process. Radiology fellowships are much easier than Radiology residency in US because many Radiology residents tend to prefer private practice or direct academic posts to fellowships.

Second is through a Nuclear Medicine residency in US and then applying for a Radiology residency. But this has its own pitfalls, like there are only 15-20 nuclear medicine programs, most of which are advanced positions. Many of these programs are not IMG friendly and look for specific nuclear medicine and/or physics background. However, I would like to suggest that one should choose nuclear medicine only if you are interested in it.

Q. Describe your Research experience?
A. My first research exposure was in community medicine during my third year and I pursued it for 2 years. After a pause due to final professional examinations, I started looking for research opportunities at AIIMS and started research work in Oncological imaging. I never took a break from research after that and since then it has been part of my life. Most of my research is oriented around imaging in cancer, especially molecular imaging. I have published papers in indexed journals, had oral presentations and poster presentations in different conferences in USA and managed to bag a research award from a pioneer American organization. I also pursued research at University of Minnesota and our team was able to produce significant results which also caught the attention of radiology media. My research experience over this time had significantly improved my ability to generate new ideas and this worked for me.

Q. How important is research in getting competitive residencies in US?
A. Research is very important and it gives you definite edge over other applicants. But you have to understand that research can lend a big boost to your residency application but will not fetch you a residency all by itself. The most important aspect in research is an indexed original article and it is far better if you are the first author. It becomes more important if you want to get into academic or university programs and you are more inclined towards fellowships. The more competitive the specialty the more important is the research component of your application.

Q. What are your future plans?
I would love to pursue my career in molecular imaging involving MRI and PET. I plan to go for a fellowship in Oncological imaging and/or Body Imaging. I want to be in academics with teaching and research in a esteemed university.

Hope This Helps..

Dr Pavan

(Disclaimer:I am in no way related to or legally responsible for the content posted here and of the websites the above links take you to. I just came across this content from certain websites while browsing the internet at random. I have no idea about the copyright or authenticity of the contents in these websites)

Various Forms Necessary For Usmle Application Procedure

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:55:00 +0000

Hi Guys I am going to post this Blog on Various Forms That are related to USMLE Application

IWA - ECFMG's Interactive Web Application -For Online application Of Step1,2Ck and CS

Form 183 - Step1 Paper Application that must be sent along with online part

Form 186 - A.K.A CIN Certificate Of Identification Form -Paper application form of Step2 CK and CS sent along with online form...Once accepted,It remains valid for 5years

Form 187 -IWA Document Submission Form - Must be accompanied with Any Papers other than Application that u sent by Mail..It Guides our documents to the right place(For ex:Clinical clerkshps/Form 182) ...For Medical diploma u shud send Form 344,345 also along with this(See Below)

Form 182 - Request to Change Applicant Biographic Information -Like DOB/ Name Change...Must be sent with supporting Documents

Form 176 - Paper Form for Requesting a USMLE Step 1 / Step 2 CK Eligibility Period Extension..Must reach EXFMG before 25th day from the last day of ur current slot and u will get the next threee consecutive months.U can apply only when u enter the eligibility slot period which u already have.U can apply extension only once per slot.

Form 344 - ECFMG Medical Education Credentials Submission Form -Must send accompanying the Medical diploma(Photo copy) when u submit the later along with Form 186 & 187....Works as a check list

Form 345 - Medical School Release Request - Must Send 2copies along with Form186,187 Accompanying Medical Diploma...One Copy Comes back along with Medical Diploma to ur Medical School For Verification...

Form 900 - Payment Form - Pay application fees/Eras fees to ECFMG thru paper Form(These days it became obsolete)

Form 172- Request for an Official USMLE Transcript-This is for regular Individual Personal Request..Feesis 50$ For 10 copies of Transcripts..For Step3 / State Licences Use www.fsmb.org/cvs (ECFMG’s Certification Verification Service)

So For Step2 Ck Application u have to send (Including for Verification)

Form186

Clinical clerkship

form 187

Medical Diploma Photocopy

form 344

form 345

Hope This Helps !

Dr Pavan Kumar Bhamidipati

USMLE Application procedures and Various Forms...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:36:00 +0000

Hi Guys! I will be posting the Application Procedures Here..

Before applying to USMLE Step1 u must be Registered with https://iwa2.ecfmg.org/

Alert! : Dont Give any Wrong info or do practicals with this one! Whatever u give..It will be PERMANENT!

Precautions to take where most ppl do mistakes!:

1.Date Of Birth (see date and month clearly)

2.First and Last Name : Remember LAST NAME is ur SIRNAME and indicate Middle name as a seperate word IF u have it the same in ur PASSPORT(forget about ur other certificates..Passport is the standard one!)

3.Give a Personal e-mail account(i prefer Gmail) Without any clutter in it and use it exclusively for urUSMLE purposes...

It will take 2-5 days to get ur account activated..

This is ECFG/USMLE ID...

Now Step-1 & Step2ck Applcation Process..

Open www.ecfmg.org

Select Step1 application by selecting"Begin a new application"

And u hve to fill a 10-12 page application

Finally u get 2part Application..

These two parts to the ECFMG IWA application are

The On-line Part of the application: the part you submit to ECFMG electronically, and
The Certification Statement (Form 183): the part you send by mail to ECFMG if you are a medical school student

The Certification of Identification Form (CIN) (Form 186): the part you mail to ECFMG if you are a medical school graduate

Documents u have to send with them...

1.Send Form183 With ur photo attested and Signed my Ur Medical School Dean/Principal

Send Form 186 with Photo attested and Notarised if u r a Graduate

2.For Step1 Send Clinical clerkship For the First 3yrs MBBS to show that u have been thru The basic sciences departments(mandatory/Better if u sebd it!)

For Step2 CK Send this clinical clerkship with all year's Clerkships as a list with ur College's Official Seal on it

3.If u have Name Change / DOB Change send FORM 182 -Biographic Information Change Certificate

ie.,If u submit wrong order of ur name/wrong DOB u can change it with this form and u have to send a supporting document for this..Like passport/Birth certificate etc..

Along with Step2CK application (Form 186) send The Medical Diploma...

It will come back again to your college for Verification...

Read Dr D's Credential Verification process ...HERE

For Step2 CS

If u have already applied for Step2ck and sent ur CIN ....Once the CIN gets approved it will be valid for 5years...

So No need to send anymore Paper applications along with your online applications..

If Not.. if u are applying for CK b4 CS Its the same as for the ck application

For Step3

U have to Select a state like Conneticut and apply for that state where there r Minimal/No Requirements...

Here u have to Apply thru www.fsmb.org once u pay the money u will get a form called CERTIFICATION OF IDENTITY (CID) form u have to attest a photo on it and send it after u get it Notarised..This is the only Form u have to send in the case of Connecticut's Application.For some other States u have to send State Licence and other documents along with it..

Read abt Step3 application procedure by Dr.D ...HERE

Remember for sending the Clerkships,Medical Diploma along with ur application u shud send a Form Called FORM 187(Document Submission Form) (except for Step3)......Which Guides ur Forms to the Rt place..

So..All put togetherFor an application For Step2ck u have to send..

1.Online part of application (once u pay amt it is automatically submitted)

2.Form 186

3.Form187

4.Clinical Clerkship

5.Medical Diploma(No need to send transcripts now)

I will be Posting a Blog with all the Forms Together Later...

Hope this Helps...

Dr Pavan Kumar Bhamidipati :-)

EMSWP-News From ECFMG...Online Verification of Student/Graduate Status....

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:34:00 +0000

It seems like refreshing breeze on a Mid summer's Afternoon !!..
Ya....! I Feel like it Cuz i know the pains i went thru in getteing my self verified by Ecfmg...WTH...Its a 2 month process almost!During our days of snail mail ....It used to take 2 months for this process...Now ECFMG seems to wokeup and updated its barbaric Methods Of Verification Process...My Friend Got verification Twice and even ECFMG withheld his Step1 Scores Until they got his Status verified..After that before feeling a sigh of relief he again got Status letter for which he had to verify again !!!...

Coming to the Point ...From its recent newsletter from Ecfmg(Issue 126--Read that HERE)..We came to know that on its website...It Introduced a new feature called... EMSWP ECFMG Medical School Web Portal..Through which International Medical schools (Ya especially for them) can verify the status of an ECFMG applicant....

Procedure is...

1)The Medical Colleges apply to the ECFMG EMSWP administrator for User Id to Gain access to the EMSWP system..by applying to emswpadmin@ecfmg.org (I tried to login with my id but i failed ;-) )

2)Next when the examinee applies online for the first time at the end of applying he will be indicated whether his college participates in this program will be provided with a one time CIN Form-candidate Identification Form / Certification statement depending on his graduation status (U know what it is if u have applied as a graduate ...Read abt my forms HERE)

3)Once The CIN form accepted by ECFMG it stays valid for the next following 5 years

4) The examinee can take steps directly from the IWA online without any need to submit further Identification forms everytime he applies for an exam..

5)so the Scheduling permits come fast and makes the entire process a Breeze !

The bad thing is ECFMG will not register a student for an examination until after the medical school verifies that the student is enrolled and has completed/will complete the basic medical science component of the medical school curriculum ...It will affect his selected Eligibility Period if this process gets late ...and u know there is no deadline for this verification process !!and colleges can take their OWN TIME !.

No More paper hassles....!
Read Further abt this ....HERE

Hope this helps !

Dr Pavan

Craziest X-rays !

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 09:54:00 +0000

A dentist found the source of the toothache Patrick Lawler was complaining about on the roof of his mouth: a four-inch (10-centimeter) nail the construction worker had unknowingly embedded in his skull six days earlier.

This X-ray shows a boy who swallowed magnetic pieces of a block one at a time. When they hit his stomach, they reconnected.

Elsie, a 6-month-old Saint Bernard, swallowed a 13-inch serrated knife in September 2005. After an operation, the pup had an 8-inch scar but was otherwise fine.

A film shows PVC plumbing pipes inserted in the bones of a deceased person as part of an alleged body parts ring.

Doctors in Pakistan removed a whole lightbulb from a prisoner's anus June 28. The man said he awoke with the problem, but doctors weren't sure.

X-rays from Central Prison in Raleigh, N.C., show items such as bed springs and batteries that prisoners swallowed to gain trips to outside hospitals.

A An 6-inch pair of surgical scissors appears in the abdomen of Australian Pat Skinner in April 2004 -- 18 months after her initial operation.

A nail gun shot six nails into construction worker Isidro Mejia's head during an April 2004 accident. He not only survived but was expected at the time to recover fully.

An alien face seems to appear in the X-ray of a duck, which died in May from injuries it had when found.

On 2004, dutch actress Georgina Verbaan confounded critics who doubted the authenticity of her jugs by publishing impressive x-ray profiles on her website. The results are conclusive proof that the 25-year-old did not surgically enhance her breasts in advance of a €200,000 photo shoot for the December issue of Dutch Playboy.

Python Gulps Down Queen-Size Electric Blanket. It took surgery to save a 12-foot Burmese python after it swallowed an entire queen-size electric blanket - with the electrical cord and control box. Veterinarians Karsten Fostvedt and Barry Rathfon performed the two-hour operation.

Step3 How to crack CCS...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:17:00 +0000

Hi guys i found this one posted on a forum and i brought it with the permission of the author ...to this forum hoping it will be helpful our members...i will add more experiences....

If you are travelling across timezones, arrive at your exam city two days prior to adjust. It is a long and tough exam, requiring max concentration.
Day 1 is tougher, I feel. There are seven one hour blocks of MCQs. On either day, you have 1min 15 secs per question, and you’ll need it because the questions are long.
-Because of the above, ALWAYS READ THE ANSWERS FIRST!
This will focus what you are looking for when scanning the question. For example, the actual choices may be about what ethical decision to make, but the body of the question will contain lots of technical waffle.
-Focus your studies on satellite/office settings. This is the bulk of the exam. In fact, those of you with family practice experience will love Step 3.

Day 2 includes ~3 shorter blocks of questions, followed by CCS.

Now on to CCS which is what this posting is mainly about:

-The CCS is really good fun to do actually! Very enjoyable.
The cases (nine in all) are usually quite easy to diagnose. The issue is how to manage them appropriately.
-Before doing the actual exam, you MUST play around with the five sample scenarios that you are given by USMLE. You should also do practice scenarios and think yourself through the case.
-When you start, you are given a one sentence introduction, like: “a 45 year old white man attends complaining of severe chest pain.”
Next, you will be shown the History of the Presenting Complaint, plus PMH, DH, Allergies, FH, ROS, etc.
Up to this point, you have no options, you just have to read through and note the key points.
Before you leave this page, you should do the following:
-Decide on a NARROW differential diagnosis (yes, even before any physical exam has been done).
-Make note of allergies, so you don’t accidentally administer the wrong Rx.
-Make note of risk factors like smoking, obesity, hyptn, etc., and at the end of the case, you will win points by COUNSELLING your patient about these. [in the Order page, you can type ‘counsel’ and click, which will show you all the choices of things to counsel on]
If pertinent, you can also end your case by ordering sensible screening tests, like mammography, pap smear, etc
Okay, now that you have read the full history and decided on a narrow differential, you must next answer this very important question:
Is the patient stable?
ie. will I need to do anything right now?
If yes, do not waste time proceeding to the physical exam, this is inappropriate. Imagine yourself physically there. If you had a man with severe chest pain before you, would you do a thorough exam first? No. You’d immediately bang on some oxygen, pulsox, iv access (for pain relief, among other things), EKG and portable CXR. Don’t forget ABCs, ever.
And if indicated, do not forget obvious tests like: ABG, PEFR, serum glucose, urinalysis!
They are so routine that you might forget about them.
And another important point, what if this happened in an ‘office’? You could get away with applying oxygen and perhaps an iv line/analgesia (if the simulator lets you), but you must very soon ‘move location’ to ER, where you can carry out further management.
If your patient is quite unwell, you will be justified to do lots of emergent things before the actual physical exam. Once you have done those, move on to the PE and click which systems you want examined. A cardio/resp/abdo exam should always be in there, I think, .. plus any other relevant ones.
Once you have read the PE findings, you will be able to narrow your differential even more. And, for example, once the CXR & EKG & blood results come back, you will have a primary diagnosis.
This will be the time to start specific management.
If you have ordered a number of tests and are waiting, you can move the clock forward to get those test results.
If your management is working, you will get feedback like ‘the
patient appears less breathless’ or ‘more comfortable’.
If you’ve gotten the diagnosis & therefore the management wrong, you may see feedback like ‘the patient is getting more breathless’, etc.
Remember the location! If your patient is quite unstable, eg. acute heart failure, MI, DKA, pneumothorax, MOVE THEM TO THE ICU. (In the USA, generally DKAs and pneumothoraces are cared for in ICU). If necessary, give them a central line, or PA catheter, or arterial line. If immobile, remember heparin.
If you see a well patient in an office, with a minor complaint, there is no need to rush. You have time to examine them. Then order any tests if necessary. If you need those test results to get your diagnosis, don’t leave the patient hanging around in your office all day and all night!
Every test you order will show you what time/day it will be back. In an office, most blood tests take about a day. So, send the patient home (with analgesia or whatever else needed) and give them an appointment to come back when the test results are ready.
Particularly in an office setting, you may need to see your patient two or more times over a few weeks, to make sure they are getting better. So, for example, if you see someone with Fe deficiency anemia, don’t just give them some ferrous sulphate and counselling, and not see them again!
And always remember to counsel them as required, eg. drug compliance, smoking cessation.
Altering patient location also applies in the reverse. If your patient on ICU is much better.. send them to a normal ward.
Remember that you will not benefit from overtreating. If you
do an invasive or expensive procedure when not warranted, you risk losing points.
You are expected to be the primary physician to the patient.
But in general, you will not be able to carry out specialised things like evacuating a subdural hematoma. So, if you need to order a specialised procedure, you will need to involve the relevant specialist.
By typing ‘consult’ in the orders page and clicking, you will get a choice of specialists.
BEFORE you refer to a specialist, you must have enough evidence of your reason for referral, otherwise they won’t come. I’ll clarify, if you see a patient with a cough, the pulmonary meds will most likely decline your referral. But if you perform imaging on the chest that shows a discrete lesion,
not only will you interest the pulmonologist, but perhaps also the oncologist. So my point is, you must have solid evidence for a referral, eg. by imaging.
Once you refer, you may find that they go ahead and operate on the problem...

Thanks to intellidoc who posted this...

This i give as experience1

I will post series of advises n experiences from now onwards....

Dr Pavan

Google Docs A good site for PDF document creation& conversion,Save n Share!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:16:00 +0000

Hi Guys as the point of converting word to Pdf arouse i know a better alternative for that ...Its Nothing But Google documents....(Click on the images below to see them)

The Link is ...http://docs.google.com

This is also a free service and unlike pdfonline.com..It has no limitations...

its very simple and Handy...as most of us r having Gmail Account .....u can see an option on top left of ur account named "DOCUMENTS" click on it

u ll be guided to a window where u have to sign in again with ur Gmail id ..This is one time setup...

Once u log into it...

U can see the sample page how it appears after u log into ur account...

1)Upload Word documents, OpenOffice, RTF, HTML or text (or create documents from scratch).
2)u can use its inbuilt editor to edit/format your documents, spell-check them, etc. when u feel the out put of ur pdf document is not good , like misalignments,border problems etc.,
3)u can directly save them in ur Google Docs and u can even Share That with ur friends
4)U can download them into pdf by clicking on"FILE" and "export as PDF"..the file is downloaded immediately to ur computer!

If u click "PUBLISH"it will be published over internet with a URL(I mean a website link) is given which u can share with ur friends..when u click it u can see the File directly !

Unlike PDFONLINE.com its not time taking and u can save ,share,edit documents....and its delivered as a download directly to ur computer when u click Export as PDF...rather than sending to e-mail..

Hope this Helps

Dr Pavan

Take a 7Hr Sample Test at Lippincott Williams & Wilkins....For Step1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 08:09:00 +0000

Hi Guys I hope my Posts....
Usmle Materials And Usmle Test,Ekg material are Helpful...

Now U can Take a sample 7hr test At Lippincott Williams And Wilkins website...
Now click the following link and Register for it..

Click HERE

It comes in two modes ..Test Mode n Review Mode...

Strategy for The Match -2009

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 10:04:00 +0000

So when put together all of the things in a time line fashion...FOr example if u would like to apply for Residency Match-2009...

U shud be..

Registered With ECFMG to get ECFMG/USMLE ID-Takes Upto 7days sometimes

Applied For Step1 in October2007 for the slot november-Jan

Took exam In December2007

Apply for Step2 CK and CS For the Slot Feb -April (For CS its 1year slot) in January2008-Send CIN form(Form 186 with Medical credentials if u Get diploma by that time)

Verification is almost 2 month process ..Mean while prepare for nex exam..

(Read the Blog on Credential Verification By Dr D HERE)

Took exam in March/April2008

Start process for Visa in April/May2008

Apply for and attend Visa Interview In MAY2008

Start to US and Take Step2CS Exam in June/ by July5th 2008

Gather LOR's ,Pay ERAS token fee(75$) and get AAMC ID-July1st/August 2008(Myeras opens o July1st)

Send documents thru post (U may even send early !) Between July1st- August1st 2008..

August is the main month Prepare the IMG friendly lists/Gather the Programs u like,Prepare Personal statement,Prepare CV add colours and essenses to it...

Dont Submit CAF ("Common application form" until u feel its complete) -'coz once u submit it it's locked...And it reflects ur Entire Qualifications,etc.,

Apply to Programs u like On the Night of August31-2008 after 12PM

And assign LOR's to atleast one programs 'coz they wont appear even If they r scanned unless they were assigned...

And from there to see the time line go to my blog..

Mean while dont forget to apply for Observerships/Externships 'coz they take long time to get a chance and they r a plus to ur CV..

I hope Most of u are already in the Middle of this path...And GL to all of u !

ERAS Calender for the Match-2009

Date	Activity
May 2008	ERAS 2009 Applicant Manuals will be available for PDF download by chapter or in its entirety on our Web site. Schools may begin to generate and distribute MyERAS tokens to applicants.
July 1, 2008	MyERAS Web site opens to applicants to begin working on their applications. Osteopathic applicants may begin selecting and applying to osteopathic training programs only.
July 15, 2008	Osteopathic training programs can begin contacting the ERAS PostOffice to download application files.
September 1, 2008	Applicants may begin applying to ACGME accredited programs. ACGME accredited programs may begin contacting the ERAS PostOffice to download application files.
November 1, 2008	MSPEs are released to ACGME accredited programs.
December 2008	Military Match
January 2009	Urology Match
February 2009	Osteopathic Match
March 2009	NRMP Match results will be available.
May 31, 2009	ERAS PostOffice will close to prepare for the 2010 season.

(Data obtained from ERAS Website.. Go the Original Page ...HERE)

With Regards

Dr Pavan

Get Ready For the Next Match Season -2009!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 09:58:00 +0000

Hi Friends I wanted to Post a comprehensive Time Line of preparation for upcoming match...

Lets come in retrospective way..According to time line...

For The admission in 2009 july the procedure for the upcoming match starts on september 1st2008-Called 2009 Match

The procedure is like this..

ERAS is the post office which scans all of our documents(LOR's,CV,Personal Statements,Photo,Transcripts,ECFMG certificate) and send them to the programs to which we apply..

After we send documents...They'll reach in 3-14 days(depends on the method we sent it)...

After that ERAS takes around 15days to scan and keep them online..

So u have to send all doc's atleast 1 month before September1st to ERAS

After u finish off Step1,2ck and CS and completion of ur verification (If its done previously) U ll get your ECFMG certificate in Just 1week...

But Step2CS results come for every 3 months To get results by september1st u shud've taken exam by July5th

For that u shud have got the Visa by then...It takes 1month for the Visa Document preperation and attending the Interview..So u shud be ready by June1st with atleast Step1 Score(With Ck score added to it,It will be good)...

Score reporting takes 21days minimum...So u shud be ready with Step1 exam taken in the Month of April or May

If it were Step2CK u will take atleast 3 months for preparation From Step1 Exam/Score date So u shud've taken Step1 By December..

But to apply for Step1 It takes 14days For ECFMG to accept our Form183(Our Application for Step1 With our Principal's signature) and another3-5days and postal delays etc., so u must be applying in October for the exam in December...

I suggest most of you to apply for Step2cs while applying for Step1/Ck as it is so difficult to get a date for CS.

For My strategy for preparing for Match-2009 See the Blog...HERE

Videos For Usmle..

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 08:32:00 +0000

Hi Guys, Because of legal issues i had to remove the Kaplan videos...Anyhow i am giving the links here...

Kaplan Ethics Part1

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4564948952311982236

Ethics Part-2

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2706705514826234261

For the entire series click on one link below and u ll see the entire list of videos In the right side pane...

Biochemistry-1

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5462149774934234579

Biochem-2

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6875240636373413381

Cariac Output http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5762610678107884461

The Other Useful Website is ..

Microbiology & Immunology

Antomy n Physiology Basics

Important site for more Videos is

http://freeusmle.com/default.aspx

(Disclaimer:I am in no way related to or responsible for the content of the websites the above links take you to. I just came across these websites while browsing the internet. I have no idea about the copyright or authenticity of the contents in these websites)

Online tests,EKG Full Material...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 08:29:00 +0000

http://www.learnerstv.com/onlinetest/medicine/index.php ...Medicine And other

http://www.med.uiuc.edu/question/.. various subjects

http://www.med.umich.edu/lrc/coursepages/M1/humangenetics/genetics/...

Genetics including Problems! (Like hardey -Weinberg...)

Immunology http://www.immunologyclinic.com/

ECG/EKG http://www.ecglibrary.com/ecghome.html Complete Ecg

Snell's Neuroanatomy..Good Questions! http://un-knownz.blogspot.com/2008/01/snells-clinical-neuroanatomy-...

Take 50 question sample test here.

PHARMACOLOGY Tests: http://www.som.tulane.edu/departments/pharmacology/medpharm/exams.html

Step1 Only---Customizable tests ! HERE

An Img Experience...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:24:00 +0000