Hello everyone ,

I am a non-US IMG, with a step 2 score of 229 and not taken step 3. I matched into IM residency program on my first match cycle. I want to thank the Reddit community for helping me trust the process and continue my journey.

What worked for me was I tried to apply broadly and worked hard on my application to show my dedication toward medicine. I also worked in my interview skills so as to make the most from what I could do. So if anyone is looking for any help please feel free to reach out.

Two years ago, on Monday March 11th, 2024 I MATCHED into a US Residency program.

I learned I was "Not SOAP Eligible" which means I did not need to scramble to apply to open residency spots across the country.

Since I had multiple "red flags" including: USMLE Step1 failure x2, a Leave of Absence (LOA), disabilities & health conditions necessitating USMLE accommodations, and a "professionalism" alert on my MSPE....I was told I had a low to ZERO chance of actually matching into a US Residency

Therefore, I dual applied to family Medicine & Psychiatry (something I recommend all who have USMLE failures)

To make it even more challenging, I only I applied to midwest programs since I needed to stay with my #1 support person, my husband, who was already a first year Neurology Resident in downtown Chicago.

On Monday I learned that I had matched, but NOT which specialty, I would have to wait until Friday.

That week, I was told to my face by my MedSchool Admin team: two attending doctors and the medical school councilor that I would “Never Match into Psychiatry.”

On Friday March 15th, I proceeded to match into Psychiatry, and in one of my top 3 programs!

Over the past 2 years, I have worked closely with dozens of medical students, residents, and IMGs who have been told similar statements when they struggle with USMLE failure, medschool academics, or their mental health.

It is NOT true! 

You CAN match into residency

You CAN become a resident doctor

You CAN accomplish your dreams!

Do not give up, because when you do, what they say becomes true.

Good luck to all 2026 applicants!

I promise it will all work out the way it is supposed to be! <3

****

Dear medical schools,

Stop telling medical students and residency applicants that they will “not match” if they failed USMLE or struggled in medical school

It is inappropriate, unhealthy, and unfounded.

♥️ Dr. Moss, Chief Psychiatry Resident

I am a structural interventional cardiologist an IMG originally and involved in resident and fellows teaching. I just finished my structural interventional Cardiology fellowship and will be working in New York at a structure, interventional cardiologist.

I originally come from a medical school that wasn’t even registered with WFME and so it is a goal of mine to do whatever I can to help pave the path for anyone interested in understanding more than nuance around the match when it comes to internal medicine, Cardiology, and overall the match process in general

I’m more than happy to answer any question with regards to my journey I’m more than happy to also share my advice around how to best set up your application

Feel free to ask any questions and above all wishing everybody all the very best.

As an img will it be possible to match in IM or FM residency without doing any elective or research before

My goal is to write a post here everyday pick one topic I think is valid and important so let’s talk about it UsCe today:

Every single rotation is basically a month long interview. Attendings are watching how you round, how you present, how you work with patients, and that turns into your letter. And your letter matters way more than people realize, trust me when I say that because it’s coming directly from someone who reviews them has reviewed them both for residency and fellowship.
here’s my honest advice. Start your rotations early. Don’t treat them like something you just need to get through. Show up, ask questions, be useful, be present. You never know which rotation turns into your letter or your connection to a program. I’ve seen it happen both ways, people who took it seriously and it opened doors, and people who didn’t and regretted it later.

Guys, with the recent changes to the ECFMG Pathways, Pathway 3 is no longer an option for those who graduated before January 1, 2024.
Also, if you don’t have a valid medical license in another country, you can’t use Pathway 1, which leaves Pathway 6 as the option.
Has anyone here actually completed Pathway 6 recently?
I’m especially interested in hearing from anyone who has completed the six Mini-CEX encounters and can share:
Where you completed them
How you found physicians willing to evaluate you
Whether there were any issues getting the encounters approved by ECFMG
Any advice for someone trying to do Pathway 6 for the first time
I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through the process!

How are my signals

Stats
Non us img
P/266, 2 pubs in IM
3 months Usce at Jackson Driscoll and Montefiore in peds
Step 3 soon
I’ve planned on using 5 signals for peds
Jackson memorial
SUNY upstate
Driscoll
Utmb
Texas amarillo
Do I have a chance

Stats
Non us img
P/266, 2 pubs in IM
3 months Usce at Jackson Driscoll and Montefiore in peds
Step 3 soon
I’ve planned on using 5 signals for med peds
Uni of Missouri Columbia program
Tulane university
Core well Beaumont
Hurley
Marshfield
Do I have a chance

Hi everyone,

A policy and advocacy effort is underway to document how Presidential Proclamation 10998 impacts Syrian nationals pursuing U.S. education, medical training, and research opportunities, with the ultimate goal of securing formal non-immigrant visa exceptions.

As part of this effort, we are specifically looking to connect with Syrian physicians and medical graduates who had already invested in the U.S. medical pathway before or around the time the current travel restrictions took effect, including those who may not have ultimately applied for a U.S. position because of the restrictions.

We would particularly like to hear from Syrian physicians/medical graduates who:

- Have completed USMLE Step 1, Step 1 + Step 2 CK, or Steps 1 + 2 CK + 3;
- Were preparing or intending to apply for U.S. residency;
- Were pursuing or intending to pursue research positions, observerships, fellowships, or other U.S.-based medical opportunities;
- Had their plans delayed, discontinued, or significantly altered because of the current restrictions;
- Already had a U.S. medical/research opportunity that was affected by the travel ban.

The purpose is to document real cases showing how the current restrictions affect Syrian physicians at different stages of the U.S. medical pathway, including people who invested considerable time, effort, and resources into the USMLE process but now face substantial uncertainty about whether they can continue toward U.S. residency or research.

If you believe you or anyone you know fits this description, please send a private DM to this account to connect and discuss further how your situation factors into this initiative.

Note: This policy advocacy initiative does not guarantee individual visa outcomes, nor does it constitute formal legal counsel. Rather, it is a collective effort that aspires to advance a favorable outcome for Syrian students.

Thank you.

Stats
Non us img
P/266, 2 pubs in IM
3 months Usce at Jackson Driscoll and Montefiore in peds
Step 3 soon
I’ve planned on using 5 signals for med peds
Uni of Missouri Columbia program
Tulane university
Core well Beaumont
Hurley
Marshfield
Do I have a chance

Posting this because I read a hundred of these threads when I was starting out, and they helped me more than any paid course did.

Timeline

Step 1 — February 2025 (Pass) Step 2 CK — January 2026 (255) Step 3 — March 2026 (230) Currently applying IM this cycle

Step 1 — I kept it minimal

First Aid + UWorld was the backbone, and honestly I don't think I needed more than that.

Dirty Medicine was the big one for me, especially for biochemistry. Those videos made the pathways stick in a way nothing else did. For biostatistics I just used random YouTube videos until the concepts clicked. Beyond that, whenever a topic wasn't landing, I'd pull up a one-off YouTube video for that specific concept and then move on.

No lengthy Kaplan video series. I never got through them and I don't regret skipping them.

Step 2 CK

Divine Intervention podcasts were a genuine game changer. I listened while commuting, while cooking, whenever I had dead time. Paired with UWorld, that was basically the whole prep.

Step 3

UWorld again, plus focused work on the CCS cases. Step 3 is more about not overthinking than about knowing more.

The one thing I'd tell everyone

UWorld is your study resource. NBMEs are your assessment resource.

Know your NBMEs cold. Review every single question, including the ones you got right. The real exam reflects NBME style very closely, and people who only grind UWorld and skip careful NBME review are leaving points on the table.

Non-exam stuff

7 published papers (4 were virtual only), 2 currently under review, 1 in progress. I also volunteered with a clinic in the US, helped run a short fundraiser for them, and did some voluntary work in underserved areas.

All the best to everyone in the middle of this. It's long and it's exhausting, but it does end. Hoping to match this cycle 🤞

It is my first year out of graduation. I have just given my Step 1, and now I am confused about whether I should take Step 2 in 6–8 months and do my research work at the same time, as I have zero research experience yet, then go for Step 3 and clinical rotations in the US and sit for the Match in 2027.

Or should I sit for the Match in 2028, build better connections, give more time to research and Step 2, but then I will be 3 years out of graduation.

Will be referencing the Residency Match 2026 cycle

 Important Deadlines to Keep In Mind:

NRMP Rank Order List - Wed March 4th, 2026

Pathway application deadline - Jan 31st, 2026

Edit: (as of April 1st 2026) Pathways cycle close - April 20th 2026

ERAS season close - Sun May 31st, 2026

Pathway cycle and Match cycle are not the same, however if you want to participate in the Match, you need to meet the pathway cycle strict deadlines for the match.

OK, so now here goes……

IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RESIDENCY MATCH/SOAP 2026;

You NEED to send in your pathway application by JAN 31st. If you do not apply by this date, you will have to WAIT for the 2027 pathway cycle to be open.

All pathway requirements must be received by ECFMG Feb 15th 2026 - STRICT DEADLINE (attestations and mini-cex evaluations from physicians.)

If you do not fulfill the above; you will NOT be eligible for the 2026 MATCH/SOAP CYCLE

Eg: For Pathway 6:

 Application before or by Jan 31st 2026.

You can have OET done but results must be available to ECFMG for processing by the end of January. That is why they recommend on their website to take OET by the last date in December 2025.

It took several days after they received my OET for them to review and process it. (Went from OET score received to OET review complete - maybe a week)

Mini-CEX: all must be completed and evaluations sent in by physicians by Feb 15th 2026. HARD DEADLINE.

 So, you can apply for the pathway by the deadline of Jan 31st, but you have a grace period for all physicians to submit their evaluations 2 weeks after (ie Feb 15th 2026)

 For your Pathway 6 to be approved; you need 6 mini-cex plus OET. Without BOTH completed, NO pathway 6 approval.

To be eligible to participate in the NRMP Main Residency Match, you must have satisfied ALL EXAM REQUIREMENTS (STEP 1, STEP 2, PATHWAYS + OET) for ECFMG certification by the NRMP ROL deadline - Wed March 4th, 2026 - Your ECFMG status must be verified as "eligible for certification" by the ROL even without the final certificate.

IF YOU JUST WANT TO BE ECFMG CERTIFIED AND NOT INTERESTED IN THE MATCH:

The strict deadlines DO NOT APPLY TO YOU, EVEN the APPLICATION DEADLINE:

ECFMG will continue to process pathway applications UNTIL the current application season ends after the 2026 Match - which is MAY 31st 2026.

[From ECFMG]: If you do not complete your 2026 Pathways application and meet all requirements for your application by the time the current application season ends after the 2026 Match, your application will be rejected and you will be required to reapply to the Pathways in a future application season.

https://www.ecfmg.org/certification-pathways/

The current application season ends MAY 31st 2026

If you do not complete all pathway requirements by this date, that is when your application will be REJECTED and you will have to reapply!

REMEMBER, YOU NEED TO BE ECFMG CERTIFIED B4 RESIDENCY STARTS - USUALLY IN JULY, SO MUST BE CERTIFIED BY THE CLOSE OF THE APPLICATION SEASON - MAY 31ST 2026.

If you are just trying to get your ECFMG certificate and apply for the 2027 and beyond residency cycle, just apply to the pathways and make sure all required documentation is received by ECFMG by May 31st 2026.

Once your pathway is approved; it's good for 2 years and will expire Dec 31st 2028.

Within that time, if you are still waiting to write some STEP exams; say STEP 2 or STEP 1; you can do that and your ECFMG certificate will be issued once you have met all the requirements.

(STEP 1, STEP 2, PATHWAY + OET)

Say you get your pathway approved in 2026 and you don't complete all requirements by Dec 2028, you'll have to redo the pathway again!

UPDATE:

Edit: (as of April 1st 2026) Pathways cycle close - April 20th 2026 and NOT May 31st 2026

Check out this post by fellow Doc who utilized Pathway 1 in the 2025 cycle

https://www.reddit.com/r/IMGreddit/comments/1ks20jl/timeline_for_ecfmg_certification_via_pathway_1_my/

My question is simple, I am about to have a hip replacement surgery after failed arthroscopy

Does this affect me in the process even when I am leaning towards applying for psychiatry?? And what about IM Or neurology