10 awards available to international medical students and IMG/FMGs.

International medical students and graduates are making important contributions in patient care, research, teaching, advocacy, and leadership. Awards can provide a significant boost to the strength of the residency application, and distinguish an applicant from his peers.

In a survey of over 1,200 residency program directors in 21 specialties, Dr. Marianne Green, Associate Dean of Medical Education at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, determined the relative importance of various residency selection criteria. Dr. Green found that awards were tenth in importance among a group of 14 residency selection criteria. Although not as important as UMSLE Step 1 scores and letters of recommendation, awards were ranked higher than such factors as preclinical grades, research while in medical school, and published medical school research.

While it is true that many awards are only open to U.S. medical students, a surprising number are also available to international medical students and graduates. As competition for residency positions intensifies, applicants who have won awards will stand out from their peers. Below we describe 10 awards that can enhance your credentials.

About the Author: Samir Desai, M.D. is a faculty member at the Baylor College of Medicine, founder of TheSuccessfulMatch.com, and the author of Medical School Scholarships, Grants & Awards: Insider Advice On How To Win Scholarships.

Topics #award #medical school scholarship #medical student #scholarship