It is the goal of Medical Education Plus (MEP) that international medical students obtain a clinical education which parallels that of U.S. medical students. In fulfilling this goal, MEP offers core clinical rotations in multiple settings in various U.S. cities. MEP enhances the student’s experience by offering resources designed to assist students in acceptance to U.S. residency programs.
International medical students are faced with significantly more challenges than U.S. medical students. In 2003, almost 8800 international medical graduates (IMG) applied for residency positions through the National Residency Match Program (NRMP). Of these 1,713 were excluded as they had not completed the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certification by match day. Of the 5,029 IMGs who had certification and submitted a rank order list, 2,799 (56%) were successful in matching. Residency programs are interested in graduates who offer exceptional educational credentials along with appropriate clinical experience. Graduates who are able to obtain hands-on clinical experiences in U.S. hospitals set themselves apart from their peers and increase their attractiveness to residency programs.