I haven’t written in a while because I am involved in thousands of transact that seem endless.
The Good News: I passed the exam, so I’m going to be a surgeon.
Now, the problem is not the exam itself. When you go for it, and study a lot, you can pass it, but passing the exam isn’t the last thing to do. Let me explain you this:
On September 2nd and 3rd was the exam wich consists in 600 questions of medical knowledge and 100 questions of english language understanding. Two months later (October 30th) results was published in the website of the CIFRHS. As I wrote before, it is a challenge to get into a residency program. Also, corruption reigns in this exam. O.k. I passed the exam and I’m selected to be a surgical resident.
The thing is that now, people selected have to pick a spot in an hospital of their preference. Again, corruption reigns this step. The Committee give you just one letter of your approved status and with that you have to go to ONE hospital at the same time and apply for their residency program. If that hospital don’t like you, you loose your turn and have to wait to the next round of applications.
With the earnings of 10 million dollars, they could implement a system like the “match”, why they don’t do it? Lot of people will loose their chance to get into a residency program.
Congrats, Jon. You deserve it.
As a surgery resident in Mexico, we can do more procedures than residents in the US.
In the United States, the residency programs are much more limited and this kind of programs do not let the residents to perform more surgical procedures. In addition, wards in the U.S.A. are shorter than are in Mexico. How many hours per week a US resident is training?
I agree, in surgical training it’s not all about practice, but if you perform more procedures with limited resources (in public hospitals is almost inaccessible CT scans, staplers, etc.) you can do almost everything when you finish your residency (without mattering how many available resources you have).
So, I don’t like medical training in the US, because it is more difficult to do things by yourself (like procedures) and defensive medicine (some American doctors have forgotten classic medicine because of a fear of being sued).
In Mexico, because of a lack of personnel and equipment, we have to base our diagnosis on a clinical examination and history; all the laboratory and radiologic studies are for confirming purposes.
I would like to do a fellowship abroad because once you have all the basic abilities and skills, you have to look for a fellowship which you like the most and when that moment comes, you will want to count on non-limited resources. Because you are going to train in which you’re going to do all your life in the best conditions as possible.
Best regards,
Jon
Do you think residency is better in Mexico than in the US? would you get a better education if you stayed there?
why fellowship abroad then?
Yes, I have. But I believe that it is better to do your residency here in Mexico because you have more practice and then go to a foreing country and do a subspeciality or fellowship. I would like to do it in the US.
Best regards,
Jon
Have you ever thougt of doing residency abroad?
Thank you guys.
I’m going to pick the IMSS (Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social) and the National Medical Center 21st Century, wich is the greatest hospitals, a center of reference where you work a lot. Maybe a year or two of general surgery and then 4 years of urology. I’m not totally convinced.
So, what are YOU doing to change things?
what hospital are you applying to?
Congratulations! I know that getting into the med school is the first hurdle, then passing boards. The last major hurdle . . . residency! How sweet it is!
Congratulations on the exam. Sorry about the corruption. That has to be tough. Hopefully the hospital will like you and you will be able to start there. Good luck.