encotel

[encotel]

Important thing here is the message, not the messenger. So, put aside competence issue and look at the message.

The message is that it has been highly risky for non-US med graduate to come back to US/Canada and take USMLE exams and be granted residency in the sought after field (say Surgery). There are many competent foreign medical graduates who immigrate here and give up hope of qualifying after unsuccessful tries for several years (one road block after another). I personally know a Ukrainian lady, who transitioned into IT career after several years frustration.

If the guy with 30 MCAT and so called excellent volunteering record gets rejected, then there has to be a good reason for it. There are 127 Medical Colleges in US (and further 17 or so in Canada). If the person has applied to only one, then it is his fault for not having a back-up plan, but if he has applied to multiple and still got rejected by them all, then obviously ALL these colleges think they have other candidates better suited to this field than this guy with 30 MCAT. Being a doctor is not just intellectual ability, but a combination of that with certain additional personality traints – leadership ability, communication skills, psychological maturity, compassion and empathy, ability to persevere, and much more. Simple supply and demand situation. If there is less seats than applicants, colleges can be choosy, apply above criteria, and in their view, they have chosen what they think is the best.

So, the bottom line is – if one gets rejected, the best thing to do is obtain feedback on what factors can be made even stronger and apply next time. By going to external medical schools, one ‘looses’ a year or two in taking USMLE exams / residency, anyway. Why not find out what can be improved and apply to US colleges the following year. Time better spent.

So, no sour grapes, and do not shoot the messenger. Listen to message and succeed.

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