5. ONLINE RESOURCES

I obtained a lot of educational and procedural information online. Make extensive use of the following. A short description follows each.

  1. CSA-notes Webpage: I used this website quite a lot. You can purchase here a CD for $24 which gives you a lot of helpful advice and video information on the CSA, as also on the various step examinations. Samples of documentation for ERAS applications are also posted here. You can also access many lists of FMG-friendly institutions. However, the information on many of these lists about programs accepting H1B visa is not reliable and some needs to be updated. They are good starting points, nevertheless. I would advise you to contact by email the individual institutions you are interested in and depend upon their responses for judging them. Many institutions have different written and practiced policies. Moreover, circumstances and policies are likely to change each year.
  2. Carl Shusterman's Legal Website: A good resource for immigration and visa issues for the physicians.
  3. H1B Visa. Click here for authentic Department of Labor information on H1B Visa.Some information is also available from the State Department.
  4. Amazon and Barnes & Noble Bookstore websites: Excellent resources. If you have an idea about a book, just enter in the search field and search it. If you haven't, enter the topic (e.g. USMLE Step 1) and search books on that topic. You can see inside some books. The books usually have a rating in stars as per their usefulness. You also get to know other books people often buy with a particular book. It is important for FMGs from some countries (like me, India) to know that when in the US, you can go to these bookstores and read a book for hours uninterrupted. It may not be a good idea to buy a small book or a large book for a small topic unless you have lots to spend. Going to the bookstore and reading there will save you some money. But remember that all books listed on the websites may not be actually available in the bookstore at the time, some will need to be ordered and obtained over a few days.
  5. American Medical Association (AMA), Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and American College of Physicians (ACP) Websites are also important resources to search for something you are unable to find elsewhere. You can look for topics in medical ethics and legal issues on such sites and for tips on career modeling. They also provide help for medical graduates on how to go about the various processes in search of a residency.
  6. Emedicine , Primary Care Medicine and Family Practice Notebook websites are useful for browsing a particular medical topic. Sometimes you should go to these web pages for comprehensive, simplified, standard and updated info on an illness or medical topic, especially, when you cannot form a cogent idea of it by reading the standard books and texts. Registration, if any, is free of cost. Do not try the jokes on Family Practice webpage!!
  7. Google: Reportedly the fastest and most extensive search engine on the net, Google can be effectively searched for any topic and images related to anything imaginable. I have it as my homepage.
  8. FORUMS: If you type USMLE Forums in the search bar on Google and search, you will get to know many forums where aspiring candidates and learned and experienced persons exchange thoughts, ideas and information on various FMG-related and other topics. You can join them or just observe what problems and solutions people in your peculiar situation get. You can interactively contribute as well. Some of these are the EZboard USMLE Forum, PinoyIMG Forum, YahooGroups, Prep4USMLE, etc. You can also get information on other websites, study material, study circles, etc. on these, but watch out for pranksters! I could never connect to some of the forums like the network 54 site.
  9. Washington University Bioethics Page: Most important website for Bioethics topics in medicine. Well discussed and good samples provided. However, look elsewhere for bioethics and legal issues in organ transplantation which are not covered here. Many of the sample situations discussed here appear on USMLE steps. No satisfactory and comprehensive textbook is available for medical bioethics.
  10. Hospital and University websites are important resources for information on themselves. Use these to prepare for interviews at these places. Know your interview institution well before you arrive there.
  11. KAPLAN MEDICAL is a source of valuable information to the FMG. Some may want to get tuitions by Kaplan. They are expensive and begin from the very basics. I did not have that much time. However, a vast range of services and materials is offered to suit most candidates. The free information and newsletters are also very useful.
  12. Dr. Andreas Carl has a useful website for his books which appear to be lucidly presented. They may be good revision resources.
  13. Dr. Graham McMohan's site is similar to this one. Some information may be additional, impersonal and old. Has a short list of hospitals providing USCE.
  14. Prometric interactive website allows you to find the exact address of your nearest TOEFL and USMLE testing centers.
  15. Resident Web is a useful forum, mainly for residents. You can write the name of any institution or hospital in the registration form. Seems like a lot of information here.

STRATEGY

RESOURCES