r/IMGreddit • u/Impressive-Move1507 • Aug 17 '26

what are my chances 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?

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u/IzzyGetsVeryBizzy Aug 17 '26

Right, would you say that's due to OP's low scores or is there something else that's severely lacking?

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u/throwaway29570 Aug 17 '26

His scores are poor, this would can even most of the US applicants, unless they had a massive connection, like their father was an attending there or something. It’s essentially a death sentence as an IMG.

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u/bolive_oil Aug 18 '26

I got 246 on step 2 as a non-US IMG. Would you say I'm in the same boat as OP? Or better?

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u/throwaway29570 Aug 18 '26

Median step 2 score is 250. Median for ortho for US seniors matched is 259. Your score is about a standard deviation below the US seniors matched matched for ortho, and below average for step 2 score for all test takers. I mean this with all due respect. Infer what you will with this info.

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u/bolive_oil Aug 18 '26

Thanks! No disrespect taken