User talk:Americlerkships

It is not unusual for International Medical Graduates (IMG) to wonder about the difference between clinical observerships, rotations, externships, experience and clerkships. Many Residency Program Directors require 6 months of this “HANDS-ON” U.S. clinical experience. Typically, observerships DO NOT count towards the pre-residency U.S. hands-on clinical experience required by residency admission committees in order to grant a residency applicant an interview.

An observership is typically a period of time spent observing clinical practice — strictly "hands-off". However with regards to certain state medical board rules and regulations, an observership may have a much more liberal definition (i.e. the State of New Jersey, which allows history taking and non-invasive physical examinations to take place under the auspices of an "Observership"). But generally, an observership is hands-off.

Clinical clerkships/rotations/externships typically involve supervised “HANDS-ON” exposure to patients, which is required by many residency programs throughout the country. More specific definitions are below: Clerkships/rotations - typically performed by medical students Externships - a common term categorizing any sort of patient exposure by an International Medical Graduate. These may also involve observerships and/or hands-on clinicals, however the IMG involved in externships must take precaution to obtain the correct medical liability insurance for such an exposure.

Pre-residency Clinical Experience - required by more than half of residency admission committees of all IMG's in order to be considered for a residency interview. This may be asked in different ways, but below is a short list of residency programs and their clinical requirements of IMG's:

- University of Missouri Kansas City, Department of Psychiatry requires one year of clinical experience; - University of California San Francisco, Department of Pediatrics requires prior U.S. clinical experience and letters of recommendation; - Morehouse School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine requires 6 months (24 weeks) of HANDS-ON clinical experience for each IMG applicant, and not observerships; - University of West Virginia, Department of Pediatrics requires IMG's to have direct U.S. or Canadian patient care prior to applying; - University of Massachusetts, Dept of Obstetrics and Gynecology requires one year of clinical experience in a U.S. medical system - New York University, Department of Pediatrics strongly encourages prior U.S., Canadian or U.K. clinical experience - Richard Lugar Family Practice Residency in Indiana requires at least 6 months of clinical experience in U.S., Canada, U.K. or Australia - University of Pittsburgh, Shadyside Family Medicine Residency If graduation date is more than two years ago, then look for excellent U.S. clinical experience; - Aurora St. Luke's Family Medicine Residency, Milwaukee, WI. We do require 3 months of objectively-evaluated clinic experience in the US to be considered for residency. Observerships and Externships do not count; - New York Medical College (Brooklyn-Queens) Program at Caritas Health Care Clinical experience in the US, although not required, is desirable; - DGM, Brigham & Woman's Hospital in Boston, MA Clinical experience inside the US is a requirement. There is no set duration. Experience must be clinical, not observership/externship/research); - Mc Laren Regional Medical Centers We have no minimum requirements but some U.S. clinical experience may be required depending on your graduation date. - Franklin Square Hospital Family Medicine Department in Maryland requires a minimum of 4 months of clinical experience in U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia or South Africa

The reason why so many residency programs require IMG's to have "clinical experience" rather than "clinical clerkships or rotations" is that rotations and clerkships are typically reserved for medical students, and it is virtually impossible to conduct medical student clinicals once one has graduated from medical school. Additionally, residency programs are concerned with the quality of clinicals and whether it was insured or not, rather than exactly where these clinicals were conducted by an IMG. IMG's must do their best to not attempt to "buy face-time" with residency program members, as this can have a significantly negative impact on an application.