Hello everyone..I have always been very interested in urology since i entered med school..I am determined to work as long and as hard as it takes to match..--->MY CV:Graduated April 2013..I am an IMG Green Card (Permanent Resident) Holder of the US.I graduated from a non US Med schoolCame in the Top 1% in my university in every year of med schoolI gave Step 1 in mid/late 2013 and got 268I gave my Step 2 recently and got 274I was doing research & was working as a junior resident in Urology in my home country while i was doing so..I have 3 original articles in General Surgery with 3 US co-authors..one of em is a very senior doctor on the east coast of the US...they had a US university funded project in my country and i participated with em...we made 3 papers together with me as first author...all published in WOrld Journal of surgery (PUBMED indexed)2 case reports in urology...also first author..GOAL:- Apply and match in Urology in 2016 match (not the coming match season...the one after it)- If i dont get into Uro..do a surgery prelim and reapply with a stronger CV for 2017--->Future plan: I will be going to the US in 6 months NOVEMBER 2014 (cant go earlier i have a contract here,,please dont suggest that)....I WILL ALSO give STEP3 since it will boost my CV..and i have sufficient time.. i'll give my Step 2 CS and then i have a few options for which i need someone's opinion..->My US contacts...-->2 MAJOR CONTACTS1) The US doc i made 3 pubs with..is an Ex-WHO medical director in his field..also Ex-Director in his own institute..He is professor of department of surgery in the same institute... I can do research with him for 3-6 months and get a paper ..Also his university categorically has mentioned that they accept IMGs for sub internships (in gen surgery and probably urology too)I have a great relationship with him...so am damn sure he will write the best LOR ever for me.. 2) I have a contact with a very prominent person in the AUA who will help me into research/shadowing/etc at a university/hospital where I can possibly match..-->MANY MINOR CONTACTSI have friends from my university who are residents in IM and peds and psych (the regular IMG branches) at many hospitals...they range from PGY-1 to Chiefs...all of em will be ready to help me get atleast an interview and put in a good word in the Uro dept..POSSIBLE FUTURE LINES OF ACTION:a) WORK 3 Months with Gen Surgery doc in Research..(so that gets me 3 months US Research Ex)Nov-JanThen do a sub internship in general surgery in the same hospital..(That gets me 2 months US Clinical Ex..)Feb-MarchThen go to the Urology place where my AUA contact gets me in and spend the rest of my time there in research/clinical whichever way they think i can participate..April-onwards-till June (till i get into Uro or PGY-1 SurgeryI could work with the guy i made those pubs with...he is really senior and i could get a great LOR since he knows me well.CATCH: He is a gen. surgeon not urologist...i dunno if gen surgery LORs help.. b) GO directly and work in Urology from Nov..CATCH-- I cant get an LOR from the Gen Surg Doc..whom i have a great relation with..he is kinda my mentor...if i just work 3 months he ll be ready to pick up the phone and call PDs in places I have a good chance of matching..IN ADDITION PLEASE GIVE ME ANY HELPFUL THOUGHTS/COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS...(please no sarcastic comments/ IMGs never match comments...I know of a few IMGs who matched in the last 2 years...I really would appreciate genuine help...thanks a lot ! :-) )PLEASE HELPTHANKS.
First, congrats on making it this far. Your steps scores are insane and will certainly put you on the radar for programs urology or not. In your position, to realistically be able to match into urology, I would try to get into a prelim or even categorical general surgery program at a hospital that at least has a urology residency and ideally that you would rotate with during your pgy-1 year. Programs will know you are brillant but they want to see how you'll perform clinically at an academic hospital in the US. if you work hard, you will get recommendations not only from the surgery folks but also if you play your cards right you should be able to develop some kind of relationship with the urology department. It's definately a hard road, but like you said there are dedicated IMG's that have made it happen in the last 5 years even though its so competitive.