Our Guest lecturer Dr. Radhika Kulkarni provides some key insights on how to prepare and tackle USMLE Examinations.

1. Radhika Kulkarni
Batch of 2011
GUIDE
TO THE
USMLE
ELECTIVE PROCESS
EFFECTIVE TIMELINES
OPTIMIZATION OF
INTERNSHIP

2. OPTIMIZATION OF UG
EXPERIENCE
-Spending more time in clinics
-Extra curriculars
-Research
-Reading- course work + leisure
-Fun and memories

3. INTERNSHIP
-IS IT IMPORTANT?
-OPTIMIZATION OF INTERNSHIP
EXPERIENCE

4. POST INTERNSHIP
-Deciding branch
-Deciding where to pursue- factor to consider
-Trial of electives?

5. Time line
Internship: 2016 March
Mar to Aug: internship
Sept-Dec : step 1
Jan 2017 to May :internship
June to Sep: Step 2 CK
3 weeks internship
Nov to Mar 2018: Electives+ Step 2 CS
April :finish internship
May:Graduation
ECFMG certification
Sept 2018:Applying for match

6. APPLICATION PROCESS
-Applying for ECFMG (Educational Commission for
Foreign Medical Graduates)
-Applying for the exam
-Time lines
-Step 2 CS—things to keep in mind
-Usmle.org

7. MATERIALS
STEP 1
-Kaplan videos+ notes
-Pathoma for patho
-First Aid
-Uworld + UWSA
-NBMES
Other reference books as per personal wish- BRS
physio, Golijan patho, etc.

8. STEP 2 CK
-Master the Boards- Step 2 and Step 3
-Uworld
-NBMEs+ UWSA
STEP 2 CS
-First Aid
-Study partner

9. ELECTIVES
-WHEN IN UG SHOULD YOU DO ELECTIVES
AND WHY
-BEST MONTHS
-TIME FRAME TO APPLY
-DOCUMENTS
-PLACES TO APPLY
-VISA-B1/B2-all info on travel.state.gov

10. -GHLO+VSAS-->>NOW HAVE INSANE NUMBER OF
COLLEGES
-LSU-Louisiana state university
-UCHICAGO-Pritzker school of medicine
-UIC-University of Illinois in Chicago
-CASE WESTERN
-UF-University of Florida
-FIU- Florida International University
-CLEVELAND CLINIC
-MT SINAI
-SIDNEY KIMMEL
-CORNELL
-EMORY
-YALE

11. -??NIH/John's Hopkins
-??MAYO CLINIC
-??-HARVARD,STANFORD
-??FMG PORTAL/MEDCLERKSHIPS

12. ELECTIVE EXPERIENCE
-Places to stay-
-Advice from people who went there for electives
-airbnb.com
-rotatingroom.com
-Cultural difference
-Difference in approach to medicine- better to
finish USMLE steps for best experience
-Learning things apart from academics

13. WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE US
SYSTEM
-Professional
-Evidence based medicine
-Access to resources
-Good work ethics
-No hierarchy- everyone treated with respect
-Friendly learning environment- people want you
to learn and perform your best.
-Human timings- pursuing other interests in life
-Efforts are seen as good results

14. APPROXIMATE EXPENDITURE
FOR THE ENTIRE PROCESS
USMLE EXAMS:$3000
ELECTIVES: approx $4000 +/-
TRAVEL: $2000+$2000
GENERAL LIVING EXPENDITURE:$3000
RESIDENCY APPLICATIONS:$5000
MISCELLANEOUS COSTS-(books,health
insurance,malpractice,visa,etc)-$1000-2000
Total: $20,000 x 65 =Rs.13,00,000

15. -Residency has no fees
-Average per month stipend : $3000-3500 AFTER
TAXES
-Can recover the investment in about a year after
living expenditures, savings, etc.

16. GENERAL ADVICE
-Talk to people- but not too many!
-Make use of alumni- kmc usmle group- facebook.
-DO NOT READ/MINIMISE TIME on internet
forums...they are TOXIC.
-Try to help each other out.
-It is not a competition!