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Research in IMG friendly Places v/s Research in Non-IMG friendly places

Research is far more helpful to your application at the institution where you are doing research. For example, let's say that Michigan State University has a history of taking FMGs (I don't know anything about MSU, just speaking hypothetically); you work for 6 weeks on a project with Dr. Smith and you don't publish anything but you work really hard and Dr. Smith likes you. He believes that you are hard working, and you tell him that if you are accepted at their program, you would continue doing research with him. Now Dr. Smith has an incentive to advocate on your behalf because

1) he likes you and

2) he'll get free research labor from you for 4 years if you match.

Since Dr. Smith sits on the resident selection committee (that's why you chose to do research with him),  his influence will be great. Now imagine that Dr. Smith also interviews another FMG from King Edward Medical University, your friend Ahmed Siddiqi. Ahmed does not have any publications, but Ahmed did 6 months of research at some non-IMG friendly university with Dr. Leventhal, someone that Dr. Smith has heard of but never met. Dr. Leventhal wrote Ahmed a letter saying that Ahmed worked hard on his project and that Ahmed has great potential. Very boring letter, because that's what all letters sound like. Now who do you think Dr. Smith will choose for his residency program, you or your friend Ahmed?

Of course he'll choose you, because he's spent 6 weeks working with you; he had lunch with you several times;  he saw you at the resident conferences;  he knows you as a real person, not just another applicant who visits his hospital to interview one afternoon. All Ahmed has is a letter from some guy from a non-IMG friendly university.

Some noteworthy points are as follows:

1) if you don't publish something, your research efforts are nearly meaningless except at the place where you did research (and if it's at non-IMG friendly place, you don't have a chance anyway)

2) the letter of recommendation you get from someone famous at non-IMG friendly university, who you do research with will only help you at other institutions if they know you very well and truly choose to advocate for you; if that person doesn't really like you and then writes you a typical letter, it is not going to help you a lot.

Visitor (not verified)

Wed, 02/03/2010 - 18:34

Hi Umar Bhai

Can a person do reseach on F1 or B1/B2 visa?

And also can he get paid on them in case he is able to get research on thse visas?

 

Regards

 

 I dont think so... u can volunteer and have an unpaid one but I dont think u get a work permit on these visas... so u cant work and get paid...

Akanksha (not verified)

Wed, 03/10/2010 - 23:32

 what visa would be required if a professor agrees to paid research.. provided they say that they will only pay a stipend and nothing else.

depends upon the post, department and university you are going to... better consult the respective department of the university... it might be J1, F1, H1 etc...

usman (not verified)

Sun, 11/20/2011 - 19:14

hi , i'm going to ucsf to do the radiology 140.03 elective for a month. i'm thinking of doing three months of unpaid volunteer research in interventional radiology/any radiologist who is prominent in his field. i'll try to get publications , LOR's, and secure a paid research for later on. i want to match at ucsf radiology. good plan ?

docmilan (not verified)

Fri, 08/31/2012 - 06:05

hey umar !! what is research fellowship ?? what is its importance and who pays the salary in research elcetive??

thanks in advance....

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