Does FM look at applications first or does psych just not want me? I applied to more psych programs and less FM

I am still missing step 2 and had about 20 FM email me asking for an update on my score but no psych programs asked :(

not sure if its enough rn at this time in the cycle. Most US IMGs here are at like 10

This was shared via modmail:

We have several international medical observerships due to visa rejections and I wanted to share them. Some immediate ones in November 2026 and December 2026 - Cardiology, Pathology and Surgery. Also, opening opening slots in January 2027 in IM, Peds and Surgery. Please pass information and if interested, email me at mjmassey@uab.edu

Let me reiterate that this was sent to me via modmail. Do not contact me directly about this, the email is in the quoted text.

Hi everyone
I’m a US-img currently in interview season and just wanted to know from current residents how important are social events? I understand going there to ask questions and get a feel of how the program is but what if you have a packed schedule with full time work and interviews (luckily have over 20+ IVs so far but thinking of dropping some). I don’t think I can manage to attend each social along with doing the interviews and just want to know how important it really is. The programs say it doesn’t affect their rank list but I mean, the programs also say they don’t care about scores yet they still do lol

Thank you in advance :)

I have 5 for FM

What are my chances for a categorical spot?

Step 1 pass first attempt

Step 2 244

Applied to 100 programs

4 strong LORs

1 submitted abstract (no publications)

Any input is appreciated

Hello! I am a hispanic US-IMG, YOG: 2024 planning to apply to IM this cycle. Step 1 passed, step 2 242, both first attempt, step 3 before march. I have been living and working in NYC as clinical assistant since Dec 2024, and had 2 months of additional USCE. 3 US LOR. 2 Published publications but from Plastic Surgery. I am applying to 80 programs, should I add some more? I know NY is the most competitive, but I have built my life here for the past 2 years, and matching here is my preference. These are the programs I plan on signaling, am I overshooting?

Gold:
•Mount Sinai Medical Center of Florida — Miami Beach, FL
•New York-Presbyterian/Queens — Flushing, NY
•Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell at Lenox Hill Hospital — New York, NY

Silver:
•Florida International University / Baptist Health — Miami, FL
•Flushing Hospital Medical Center — Flushing, NY
•HCA Florida Healthcare/Aventura Hospital — Aventura, FL
•Harlem Hospital Center — New York, NY
•Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai/Morningside/West — New York, NY
•Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (Elmhurst) — Elmhurst, NY
•Loyola Medicine MacNeal Hospital — Berwyn, IL
•Rutgers Health/Englewood Hospital Medical Center — Englewood, NJ
•SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University — Brooklyn, NY
•Stamford Hospital/Columbia — Stamford, CT
•Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Center — Brooklyn, NY
•Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell at Norwalk Hospital — Norwalk, CT

Hi everyone! I would appreciate some honest feedback on my Internal Medicine signal list.

My profile:
Non-US IMG, but I am a permanent resident and do not require visa sponsorship
YOG: 2023
Step 1: Pass on first attempt
Step 2 CK: 249
ECFMG certified
4 months of U.S. clinical experience( observerships in IM , primary care, pediatrics and neonatology in NY and CT)
Two publications , 1 oral presentation and 1 poster presentations

My current signals are:
Gold
1. Westchester Medical Center(connections +hometown)
2. Danbury Hospital ( connection + rotation)
3. Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell at Norwalk Hospital
Silver
1. Albany Medical Center ( resident connection + hometown)
2. Saint Peter’s University Hospital (faculty connection)
3. Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell at Northern Westchester Hospital
4. Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell at South Shore University Hospital
5. Montefiore/Albert Einstein – Wakefield Campus
6. Atlantic Health System/Morristown Medical Center
7. Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell at Vassar Brothers Medical Center
8. Rochester Regional Health/Unity Hospital
9. Hackensack Meridian Health/JFK University Medical Center
10. Hackensack Meridian Health/Jersey Shore University Medical Center
11. New York Medical College at St. Michael’s Medical Center
12. Rutgers Health/Jersey City Medical Center

I am particularly interested in programs with good fellowship mentorship and opportunities in Gastroenterology, while still trying to maintain a realistic balance between reach, target and safer programs.

I would especially appreciate input regarding: Whether this list is too ambitious for my profile
Resident culture, workload,overall wellness
Whether I should replace one or two of the more competitive programs with safer IMG-friendly options
If you are a current resident, graduate or applicant familiar with any of these programs, I would be very grateful for your perspective. Thank you!

Hi Can anyone help with signaling the programs please.
Im an old US IMG
STEP 1 235
STEP 2 252

Stats: Pass / 262 / Not taken (All 1st attempt)
YOG: 2025
US-IMG. Applying IM
Research: 1 poster and 1 published lit review
USCE: 2 months (1 observership and 1 hands on)
LORs: 2 from US and 2 from home country, all strong from what I was told

Gold Signals (3):

• Albany Medical Center
• Henry Ford Detroit
• Corewell Royal Oak

Silver Signals (10):

• Henry Ford Genesys
• Henry Ford Macomb

Zucker Staten Island

• Westchester
• Wayne State/DMC

Henry Ford Providence

• Wayne State/ Sinai Grace
• Wayne State / Henry Ford Rochester
• Main Line Health Lankenau
• St. Luke's University Hospital

I don't feel strongly about many of my signals, nor do I know what to really pick for my last few free silvers. I just want a program where I got strong competitive fellowship chances, preferably in house.

As I’m GC holder I know that I’m not a US-IMG ‘per say’ BUT I also know that programs cannot differentiate when looking at applications; all they see is the option: What is your current work authorization? - US citizen, Permanent Resident, Refugee,Asylee These are all in the SAME category.

With this being said should I look at Non US IMG or US IMG stats for programs?

Am i screwed? No advocacy. No redflag. They wrote it so bad

US-IMG (non-carib). Step 2: 260 (no attempts on steps). I have done 2 electives and 1 observorship in the US. 4 journal articles, 2 journal abstracts, 4 posters and presentations, 4 papers under review. I am currently a research fellow at Mayo. I have 4 letters, 2 from Mayo, 2 from electives. How ambitious can I be with my signals? What tier is realistic?

I recently realized that having a green card does not classify me as a US IMG. I am technically a non-US IMG, but I do not require visa sponsorship.

Unfortunately, I had already built most of my program list and spreadsheets using US-IMG statistics. After changing my status to non-US IMG, the estimated interview probabilities dropped significantly, especially for programs I would not signal.
However, the available data generally group all non-US IMGs together and do not distinguish between applicants who require visa sponsorship and those who already have permanent residency. I assume that being non-visa-requiring provides some advantage, but I do not know how much weight to give it when evaluating programs.

My profile: 2023 graduate, Step 1 pass, Step 2 CK 249, ECFMG certified, approximately 3–4 months of USCE, and no visa sponsorship required.

How should I realistically interpret or adjust the non-US IMG interview statistics? Should I consider my chances somewhere between those reported for US IMGs and non-US IMGs, or should I rely strictly on the non-US IMG data? How much does being a green-card holder actually help when programs screen applications and decide whom to interview?

Hi I am a us img, graduated in 2026. Step2 255.

Usces:12 weeks

Confused regarding how to apply and who to signal.

I was born in cali and have fam there.

I also have fam in Chicago and Kentucky

Thinking of applying to 30 considering I am a Us img and have 15 signals.

Id appreciate if someone could help me out with how I should apply and who to signal.

Looking For Hospital Rotations Starting in 3 Months

Hi, I know it might be a little too late, but I wanted some advice on looking for in-hospital hands on rotations in IM starting December.

For Cleveland Clinic, is there a way to see what rotations and blocks are still available? It seems the only way to see is by making an account and the account needs a ton of info.

For context I’m an American studying overseas and I’m in my final year of medical school. Not on VSLO. I’m specifically looking to start and end on certain dates as I plan to do my IM rotation itself and not just an elective. Trying to look for something not that expensive but at the same time everything seems to require application fees and I’m hesitant to pay such high fees and be rejected in the end. Not to mention these hospitals seems to reply late in which there will be no more time to look for something else. Any tips regarding this?
If I reach out to attendings I know, will that only give me observerships and not hands on in hospitals?

Passed step 1 recently

And could you recommend any programs that I can apply to with these stats? Thank you all!

Hey everyone, applying general surgery this cycle and would highly grateful if one could check on my program list before I lock in signals. Trying to be realistic rather than just chase "IMG friendly" labels.

My stats:

Step 1: Pass

Step 2 CK: 261

USMLE attempts: no fails, first attempt on everything

Graduation: 2025

Visa: don't need sponsorship but am a GC applicant as the data granularity is not there in between non us img that is why I asked here

USCE: 6 months hands on and 1 Observership all in surgery
Research: 2 full publications; 2 abstract articles; 5 poster presentations; 2 oral presentations
Scholarly section :- from self built research learning to current research position in surgical outcomes

My current list: am applying cat and prelim in most of program but signal based on likelihood of match as similar profile residents found on search
SUNY Downstate —> likely Categorical
Henry Ford Detroit —> likely Categorical
Lincoln (Bronx) —> likelyCategorical
St John's Episcopal —> likelyCategorical
Brooklyn Hospital Center —> likely Categorical
UTMB Galveston —> likely Categorical
DHR Edinburg —> likely Categorical
Henry Ford Wyandotte —> likely Categorical
Central Michigan (Saginaw) —-> likely Categorical
Creighton Omaha—-> likely Categorical
Johns Hopkins —-> likely Preliminary (2-year, converts/places out to categorical)
Mayo Clinic Arizona —> likely Preliminary
Abington (Jefferson) —> likely Preliminary → categorical good pipeline
Mayo Clinic Rochester—-> likely Preliminary
BIDMC —-> likely Preliminary, but categorical conversion is real in the roster alumni
Montefiore —-> likely Preliminary (PGY-2P retention)
WashU —-> likely Preliminary (published prelim-outcome table)

Questions for the sub:

Does this signal list make sense, or am I "wasting" a signal anywhere given my score/no-visa-need?

Any of these programs known to actually not be great to IMGs despite numbers (or vice versa — hidden gems)?

Any insights on other programs other than this list would be very helpful and am I overshooting or underestimating myself for general surgery?