US-IMG: Ortho/Gen Surg Chances
YOG: 2024
Experience: All clinical rotations in the US.
12 months in Head and Neck Oncology and Trauma in clinical role working alongside residents and attendings for preop and postoperative assessments. (2 strong LORs for Surgery).
13+ months: Licensed, Orthopedic Surgery First Assistant at high volume academic institution (top 5 in the country). Assisted in over 800 procedures across adult recon, hip preservation, oncology, trauma, spine foot and ankle, ENT, plastics. In this role I am actively part of patient care providing independent closure of capsule, adipose layer and skin. Position and prep patients and mentor students, help fellows start cases with attending’s preferences and approaches, support residents and teach interns basic arthroplasty principles and closure etc.
Weak scores (Step 1: 215, Step 2: 237, Step 3: 205)
Research: 1 first author (JAAOS publication), 2 submitted (2nd author), all with big academic institutions (don’t know if that matters).
Question: With this profile, can I do it? Obviously, I tried to match in my current institution but it didn’t work despite 2 strong letters from faculty. Connections got me the interview but My scores just shut that door together with no publication at the time and they have never taken a non-US applicant. I am not applying there this time nor to any academic institutions for Ortho.
Are there programs that I can apply to for ortho that can consider my app? Should I just focus gen surg, prelim? Or do something like Emergency Med?