How to Create the Perfect Resume for Residency

How do you increase your chance of matching? No matter what your stories are, some remedies apply like panacea. Below are a few that I know, use accordingly to sooth your ailments. Side effect: potential heartache from rejections. Therapeutic range is pretty limited so please monitor the application deadlines closely.

1. International Physician Observer Program, CCF

Applicant Profile: Physician Only

Application fee: 500 USD

Outcomes: Connections, LoRs

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/departments/international-medical-education/physician-programs/physician-observer

2.  WHO Internship (Geneva) 

Applicant Profile: Recent graduate (not more than 6 months)

Application fee: Zero

Stipend: Yes, in ~1700 CHF

Outcomes: Enrich the content of your residency interviews, Public Health and its aspirations sound really good to the PD’s ears. You can apply to regional office as well, you will have more “hands on” or “on site” experience but Geneva HQ has its glamor. They do stuffs like Cultural Night, various events organization, Intern videos/reports/photoshoot sessions that might be useful during residency interview. Weigh you pros & cons.

https://www.who.int/careers/internships/en/

3.  PAHO Internship, Washington D.C.

Applicant Profile: Recent grad PLUS the following

• is a U.S. Citizen, or
• is a U.S. Legal Permanent Resident, or
• has a valid visa with an Employment Authorization from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), or
• is sponsored by PAHO with a G-4 visa.
• Foreign Students in F-1 Nonimmigrant Status Participating in Curricular Practical Training provide a valid OPT or CPT or,
• Foreign Students in F-1 Nonimmigrant Status with the correct endorsement in the I-20 by the university.

Application Fees: ZERO

Do they pay you? No.

https://www.paho.org/hq/index.php?Itemid=4245&lang=en

4.  St. Barbara Elective, CA

Applicant Profile: Student

Application Fees: Zero

Outcomes: LoRs, better chance of getting into their residency (maybe)

https://www.cottagehealth.org/medical-professionals/residency-programs/internal-medicine/internal-medicine-residency-externships/

5.  NIH Elective

Applicant Profile: Student

Application Fees: ZERO

Outcomes: LoRs, but they don’t have residency program

*** NIH has many other research based programs you can look up depending on your professional background. They have 1 year research program for US citizen, and post baccalaureate research program akin to master/PhD.***

      6.  University of Alabama Visiting Student Medical Elective

Applicant Profile: Student

Application fees: is nth compared to the tuition fees of 5000 USD

Outcomes: LoRs and considered as internal candidate for residency, maybe.

NOTES: When I was interviewing at my current matched hospital, I met another candidate who did this elective. The costs can run up to $6000 per month, but he said that he was getting real hands on experiences and airport transports etc, generally positive feedback. That's all I garnered.

https://www.uab.edu/medicine/international/international-students/international-visiting-medical-students

7          7.  Pre-Residency Training Programs (UAB)

Applicant Profile: IMG

Application fees: this must be a conscious omission from their side, email them please.

If you don't feel that you are a strong candidate for this year match, maybe you might want to take an extra year off by joining this program, boost up your credential and apply next cycle as a strong candidate.

https://www.uab.edu/medicine/international/international-scholars/pre-residency-training-programs