To become a doctor, an individual must not only complete a Doctor of Medicine or equivalent degree. He or she must also finish a residency at an accredited U.S. medical facility. For doctors trained in the United States, this process is relatively straightforward, although not easy. Through hard work and dedication, medical graduates participate in a matching program and, if necessary, a post-match “scramble” to obtain residency positions.
For doctors trained abroad, however, the situation becomes more complex. Many have completed rigorous medical training and easily pass the U.S. licensing examinations, yet they may lack the cultural knowledge necessary to practice successfully in America. Others have learned different protocols and face steep learning curves when entering a residency situation. As such, an increasing number of U.S. residency programs now require international medical graduates (IMGs) to gain hands-on U.S. clinical experience before being accepted to maintain standards of quality and reduce dropout rates.
Yet IMGs may face difficulty in securing this type of experience, especially those who lack connections to the American medical community. Not all doctors are willing to take on an extern student because such activity can slow down their workflows and potentially cause complications.
AmeriClerkships solves this problem in a dynamic way. The firm offers a two-pronged service targeted at IMGs and residency programs. For IMGs, AmeriClerkships assists them in learning U.S. medical culture through a series of intensive training courses. The company’s team then helps pair them with doctors who express interest in hosting externs, and the agency also provides support services during this time. In addition, AmeriClerkships offers residency application assistance to IMGs. As a result, IMGs assisted by the firm come better prepared to enter and succeed in U.S. residency programs.
For residency programs, AmeriClerkships provides a referral and prescreening process that introduces administrators to some of the most talented and successful IMG candidates. This allows residency programs to choose from an additional pool of talent when determining their pre-match selections, and it can lead to better patient outcomes and higher standards of care.