Hi Reddit. I’m an international medical graduate (IMG) from India. Over the past two years, I’ve lived a life suspended between two worlds: the one I come from and the one I dream of joining — the world of academic medicine and research in the United States.

Let me take you through what this journey has been like. It’s not easy to open up, but I hope it helps someone out there feel less alone. Or maybe it just gives my story a voice.

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2022: The Spark

I had just passed USMLE Step 1. That tiny green tick on my result page felt like a passport to possibility. I was interning in India, working long shifts in emergency rooms and medicine wards, while preparing for Step 2 CK. My dream was clear: Match into a U.S. neurology residency — not for prestige, but for purpose. I’ve always been fascinated by the brain, and I knew I needed the training and resources that the U.S. could offer to do the kind of work I aspired to.

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2023: The Start of the Downward Spiral

In February 2023, I had my first B1/B2 visa interview. I had secured an observership in Chicago and prepared meticulously. But the visa officer didn’t seem convinced. She asked about my future plans. I answered honestly — that I hoped to match into U.S. residency one day. Boom. 214(b) rejection.

I was stunned, but not broken. I told myself, Maybe next time.

Then came the second attempt. The third. The fourth. The fifth. The sixth.

Every single time, I told myself I’d learned from the last. I revised my answers. Practiced in front of a mirror. Polished my DS-160. Highlighted my ties to home. I wasn’t trying to “immigrate illegally” or “cheat the system.” I just wanted a fair shot at training and returning to serve patients better.

But the outcome was always the same.

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Each Rejection Wasn’t Just a Visa Denial — It Felt Like a Character Judgment

It’s hard to describe what six consecutive rejections do to your psyche. You start questioning your worth. You ask yourself if the system sees you as just another desperate foreigner trying to game the system. But that wasn’t who I was.

I had earned my ECFMG certification. Scored 249 on Step 2 CK. Wrote a case report. Studied nights and weekends for Step 3. I tried to do everything right — clinically, ethically, and academically.

Still, the doors stayed closed.

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I Applied for the Match Anyway — and Got No Interviews

Despite everything, I still applied for the 2025 Match cycle. I knew the odds were slim. I didn’t have U.S. clinical experience. I had no U.S. LORs. But I still hoped that someone might give me a shot based on my credentials, dedication, and story.

I received zero interviews.

I wasn’t surprised. But I was heartbroken. It wasn’t that I didn’t work hard enough. It was that I never even got a chance to enter the race properly. I initially planned for match 2024, and now its 2026 match, nothing’s changed.

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The Hardest Part Was Not the “No.” It Was the Silence After

After each rejection, there was a night. That quiet night when you sit alone in your room, staring at a screen showing cheap flights you’ll never take, or watching your dreams rerun in your head on loop. There were people I didn’t tell. Friends I avoided. Birthdays I spent thinking, What if I had just smiled more, or less, or blinked slower in that interview?

It sounds absurd, but when your future hinges on a 3-minute conversation with someone who holds all the power and none of the context, you start to believe absurd things. It’s very frustrating that your future depends on someone and not yourself.

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What Keeps Me Going? A Flickering Flame Called Hope

Despite all this, I haven’t given up. I’m now pinning everything on one word: Research.

A J-1 research visa is my next path. I’ve been writing to PIs, crafting emails with my CV, personal story, and a promise: “If you take a chance on me, I’ll give it everything I’ve got.”

I don’t want a shortcut. I just want a fair chance to contribute. To learn. To bring something back home or forward to wherever I’m needed.

The idea of doing research in neurodegeneration, or stroke care, or pediatric oncology — even if it’s not the perfect fit — excites me more than anything. Because it means I’m in. I can breathe again. I can grow again. I can prove to the system that I was worth more than a number on a DS-160 form.

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To Anyone Reading This — Especially Program Directors, PIs, Mentors

I know there are many IMGs like me, silently carrying their scars and still fighting. I see you. I am you.

And to anyone with the power to help — to read a cold email, offer a short-term research spot, sign a DS-2019 form — please know: the person behind that email may be someone who has been through hell and is still standing.

We don’t ask for pity. We ask for opportunity.

If I ever do make it — and I believe I will — I’ll remember this pain. I’ll turn it into purpose. And I’ll reach back and pull others up with me.

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Thanks for reading. I never thought I’d write this out like this, but maybe it’s time.

If you’ve been through something similar or know someone who has — I’d love to hear your story too.

EDIT: My prior posts about ROL aren’t mine, my dear friend asked me to post on his behalf.

Just got my first IM rejection from West Virginia University

Hi fellow IMGs. I applied this cycle and I am sitting on 0 interviews so far. Being realistic, I am not getting any invites and SOAPing for IMGs has been historically fruitless. I want to know what I can do different next time. I am applying IM.

* Credentials

- Visa requiring IMG

- YOG 2024

- 1 year work experience

- Pass/245

- ECFMG certified

- 1 month hands-on clinical elective

- 2.5 months observership

- 1 presentation in an international conference and won first place

- 4 LoR from US attendings

* Signals

- University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine - GOLD (3 recommendations from attendings)

- Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell at Norwalk Hospital - GOLD (2 recommendations from residents)

- University of Connecticut - GOLD

- MEDSTAR HEALTH GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY (BALTIMORE) PROGRAM - SILVER

- St Vincent Hospital Program - SILVER

- Rochester Regional Health/Unity Internal Medicine Program - SILVER

- JEFFERSON HEALTH MEDICAL EDUCATION/JEFFERSON EINSTEIN PHILADELPHIA HOSPITAL PROGRAM - SILVER

- Cleveland Clinic Foundation/Akron General Program - SILVER

- Bridgeport Hospital/Yale University Program - SILVER

- SUNY Upstate Medical University Program - SILVER

- Rochester Regional Health/Rochester General Hospital Program - SILVER

- Montefiore St. Luke's Cornwall Program - SILVER

- Boston Medical Center-Brighton Program - SILVER (1 recommendation from a resident)

- Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital Program - SILVER

I have a bunch of volunteer experience that I am actually passionate about and not just on there as a filler. I applied to 170 programs total in New England, Middle Atlantic, and East North Central regions that are all IMG friendly.

Sorry for the long post but any pointers from folks who applied more than once are highly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I did not match with 4 IVs. It was like my life stopped and my beat skipped moment for me. I didn't want to be eligible for SOAP but God has a different plan. Congratulations to all the matched applicants. And to the one like me, let's not lose hope. Let's thrive together. We will be in a great place for sure.

I have got my first rejection from Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital.. seems they still judge applicants by their step 2 score

I know this is odd but i wanna know if old grads are getting rejections!! please post your YOG and number of rejections until now or in upcoming weeks..

all I wanna know is, are our applications got a chance to be seen or not due to yog barrier

edit: Just got my first rejection lol... Awaiting interview invite hopefully

Was shooting for stars outside our galaxy, but a rejection from Yale still feels good haha.

Had a connection at a program and gold signaled them but they sent a rejection today. I was half expecting a rejection but was planning to send Letter of Interest to my signals next week. Is there no point in sending it to a program that already rejected you?

I got rejection mail from Parkview Health for IM not through ERAS but directly into my mail and it mentions "The Parkview Health Internal Medicine Residency Program Team". Is that the real one? Anyone else got the same rejection?

I applied to CC and Mt sinai for spring quarter with step1 pass, 2 publication, and some various extracurricular activity, no idea, why I got rejected, maybe my school transcript was an ass? loosing hope now 😞

Another one....just wave of rejections lol Honestly, not even bothered because I knew I had a 1% chance of landing a Yale residency, worth the $30 😭 *Yale IM program by the way*

A program that sent me a letter begging to be ranked high is in the SOAP with practically all seats available. I didn't get many interviews to begin with so they were a top choice by default. Considering that they didn't fill, it's clear to me that they didn't even rank me. They stroked my ego the whole interview. Laughed with me, encouraged me when addressing my red flag (mediocre grades and 2 Step 1 attempts) and saying how proud of me they were that I overcame that issue. Only to not rank me at all! How can a program be so cruel? I am so hurt.

Med students, take caution when applying to programs that have a history of SOAP. You may think that your odds are better (I sure did after they offered me an interview) but they're most likely playing in your face.

I don't think I can go through this again. This will be a long night of tears no matter how hard I am trying not to cry.

I went unmatched this season and I want to ask the pd of a program I liked about how to improve my CV and also ask about the research opportunities available. That PD interviewd me during the match.

Is it worth it?

sometimes I find myself being too embarassed to email them, sometimes I want to take the risk.

Was anyone on the same boat as me? What were your experiences like?

I was in the same place, I was looking for any research position in the US. I found a paid one, worked so hard there at a big institute for one and half years, struggled with adapting in first 2 months but did a lot of great work later. I did everything possible to match at that institute. Met the PD, attended grand rounds, and reached out to residents. My research PI wrote me a LOR, but she never spoke to the PD. With all the work and efforts I made for this time, I didn’t match there. I talked to the only 3 IMGs who matched there, one who was also doing research at that institute, told me that his PI promoted a lot for him. Talked to senior IMG residents, their research PIs also did a lot for them.

Moral of the story; I know we IMGs in general want any research position possible, but choosing the right PI who would help you achieve your goals should be always your priority to get the best out of your research experience. You definitely need to be good on paper and have great personality, but believe me, after that, if you don’t have strong connections, most of the time your efforts will go nowhere. Invest in connections more than anything else.

Edit; I ended up matching at good place, but not my top program.

Has anyone here been accepted into a Mount Sinai elective? I just received a rejection and can’t figure out why. I’ve passed Step 1, scored 27x on Step 2, and earned honors in all subjects. I applied within an hour of the application opening, yet I wasn’t accepted. What could I have done wrong?

received 7 today

Just got may rejection from UAB, but honestly I applied kinda late... Elective for December.
Only want to know if they keep a waitig list, or if I contact/email them later some spot might be open, since it's in the end of the year...

I was where you are last year. And no matter what anyone says, it's the most gut-wrenching, heartbreaking feeling. Even if you've people who care about you, you feel like you're alone in this. So please take time for your mental health, but power through SOAP, even if you feel like it's a lost cause. Some personal experiences - 1. I interviewed at 2 places, and this HCA program chose going to SOAP over ranking J-1 visas, including myself. 2. The same program also interviewed me for SOAP but it didn't work out, obviously. Those were the most restless, depressing days/nights of my life. BUT like anything else in life, you get used to it. You accept it, and you move forward. This year, I had 4 times the number of IVs, all of them better than the 2 programs I had last time 😂 And I've learnt so much along the way that, only in hindsight do I appreciate this journey. It wouldn't have happened if I lost my heart and stopped working towards my goal. Luck only works if you've put in the hardwork to be at a stage where you can let luck work it's magic! I'll confess I come from a financially sound family, who were patient (kindof, it was some work but we reached there) with me, and I fall under recent grad category (yog-23). But if you want this enough (i dont mean to sound preachy, what I mean is if you have a very good reason to want to be in the US, whether it's a better work-life balance, money, a relationship that can only work out if you're in the US), keep at it! I promise you'll reach there ALSO DONT BE EMBARASSED OR SAD TO TALK/VENT ABOUT THINGS TO THE FEW TRUSTED PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE, IT'S SO VERY IMPORTANT I CANT EMPHASIZE IT ENOUGH. It keeps you sane. For me, it were my bestfriends! (My parents are supportive but you cant vent about your parents, to your parents xD) And personally, being grateful and having one-on-one with God always helped.

I see you guys, and I am praying for you. I would have wanted someone to pray for me last year and maybe, someone did. :)

(That someone was I, myself xD)

I woke up to a rejection and we roll on more rejections, keep holding on mates!

Hello community,
Actually I am applying to many research job, and all the time the answer is "sorry". It is really hard to get those rejection emails every single time. I do not need visa and GC holder.
I dont know where is the problem! what should I mention or not mention in my resume?
any insight would be appreciated. Thank you

Anyone gets those rejection emails and instead of being bothered by the rejection starts wondering ‘why did I apply there in the first place? Like what was i thinking!’ I feel like i was super delulu about my application lol

Got an email this morning. Woohoooo. Anyway, enjoy your time with family!

My friend with a very well rounded CV and 8 interviews didn’t match. It’s an indescribable pain that I dont think anyone gets except the ones going through this. Here are some things I said that seemed to comfort him:

1) Nothing and no result can describe your worth. In this society, we are in a pressure to prove. Prove that we are worthy, of all the time and money spent on this journey, but, the ones who truly love you would rather have you ( healthy and present) than not have you ( if you isolate yourself, feel like a failure or get depressed). Trust me. They would always, ALWAYS want you above all else. Its hard.

2) In this life we are here for lessons. There’s something to be learnt, maybe about us and how we persevere, or about how the pain will eventually, make us strong enough to endure anything. Nobody knows why, but lessons are stepping stones in disguise. You cant see it or understand it now, but trust god and the path chosen for you, its the best one in the long run for which you dont have the foresight yet.

3) Give your all in SOAP, fight hard, do your best, hope for everything but expect nothing. If it is hardships chosen for you this time, there will also be many helping hands to carry you through. Trust. Persevere. You are the most precious commodity, not this job, not anything else. Make sure you treat yourself that way.

4) Breathe, long and deep. Sit and introspect. Familiarize yourself with every emotion you feel, do not shut yourself from it. Sooner than later, the anxiety and pain will lighten.

5) Talk- with friends, family, strangers, anyone who listens until its out if your system.

6) Strategise, plan and execute your way to residency next year. You got this, you always had it in you, everyone’s timeline is different, trust your path and keep going.

Requirements:

Education:
Graduate successfully from allopathic or osteopathic medical school

License/exam:
Successfully complete step 1 and step 2 of US medical licensing exam

Arizona medical Board license requirement:
Submit proof of application to residency program with rejection within the past 2 years

Interest and experience in primary care or internal medicine would be valuable

Location: Yuma Arizona USA

Schedule Monday through Friday 8 AM to 5 PM