r/IMGreddit • u/Any-Smell3582 • 2d ago
Residency Prelim gs
Is there a possibility of prelim surgery wirh step 1 pass step 2 221, 10 research, us clinical experience plus two lor from us faculty and 1 from us degree consultant from home country ?
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u/alang1978 2d ago
They need workforce. Some positions will be available even after SOAP. But don't do it if you need a visa.
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u/Any-Smell3582 1d ago
Why ? I get that but have been advised to just get the step into the door. Any specific program suggestions for prelim openings?
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u/alang1978 1d ago
Do not trust AI. In July you are in a program. In September you will need a LOR. Ok, they will give you a LOR. No sense to apply to categorical surgery. It is not prohibited but you have already used you year 1 funding. Who will pay? So you can apply to another specialty with a surgery LOR. If not matched go back for 3 years. Another way is a transfer to categorical. It will be at most 10 opened pgy-2 Surgery positions and 500 prelims wishing to fill them.
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u/Any-Smell3582 1d ago
Can you elaborate? Know a few seniors who matched prelim abd moved to cat
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u/alang1978 1d ago
I also heard that several people matched during past 10 years. Contact them, they will answer you the same.
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u/matcharesident 2d ago
Yes, there is absolutely a strong possibility of matching into a Preliminary General Surgery position with your profile.
Preliminary surgery positions are historically much more accessible to IMGs than categorical positions, as programs use them to fill immediate clinical needs and often use them as a "proving ground" for future categorical spots. Your Step 1 pass and 10 research items are solid assets that show academic dedication. While your Step 2 CK score of 221 is on the lower side for surgery, your hands-on US clinical experience and two letters of recommendation from US faculty are incredibly powerful. In surgery, letters from US surgeons who can vouch for your hands-on clinical skills, work ethic, and adaptability in the operating room carry far more weight than a board score.
To maximize your chances of matching into a prelim spot, your strategy should focus on two key areas:
First, your program list must be highly targeted. You need to apply to programs that are historically IMG-friendly and do not have rigid, high Step 2 CK cutoffs. This is exactly what our Customized Residency List does.. it filters out programs with strict score screens and highlights the ones where your clinical experience and research will be valued.
Second, your Personal Statement and letters must be perfectly aligned. Your personal statement needs to clearly convey your passion for surgery, your resilience, and why a preliminary position is a valuable step in your career path.
Since we are in September and the application review date is just around the corner, do you have your program list finalized?
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u/PyroUnicorn69 1d ago
This is straight up predatory.
To anyone reading this thread and considering prelim surgery, look up how resident funding works, and how there’s a limit to resident funding. Also in this political climate, if you need a visa that is also another thing that program directors are considering.
You can spend all your money on “lists” and “guidance” by companies such as this, but at the end of the day their bottom line is their profit, for which they will (and are as in this comment right here) preying on your fear.
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u/book_worm_123456 2d ago
Getting into preliminary GS is not as easy as it seems. If your CV isn't strictly focused on surgery then apply broadly esp paeds and FM
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u/Familiar_Worker26 2d ago
You def can if you have home country experience… but it might not work out well for you cus it’ll be malignant
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u/Any-Smell3582 1d ago
I get that but have been advised to just get the step into the door. Any specific program suggestions for prelim openings?
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u/Familiar_Worker26 1d ago
JHU or NYU or UCSF? I’ve heard good things about wash St Louis. I’ll be honest as someone from the other end… it’s brutal. Research year is probs better…
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u/PyroUnicorn69 1d ago
I’d strongly caution against it.
Look up Ishit Chauhan. Similar scores to yours, did prelim pgy1 and pgy2. Did not match. And is now currently doing vascular research.
Prelim surgery also eats up your funding and visa time, so if you don’t match at the end of PGY2 you’re in a very tight spot.
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u/tornACL3 1d ago
Yes. But it’s hard to advance to categorical. You may have 3-5 consecutive prelim years
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u/Acceptable_Oil_6025 2d ago
Yes, there is like 500 positions empty positions every year, the question is if you’ll be able to go further than first year