I have just cleared step1, got 99. I am aiming to apply for match this year. I had initially planned to give step 2CS in May and step 2CK by July, so that hopefully I would have all scores by August end. I have two questions: (1) I am going for my visa interview on the basis of only step 1 - is that wise? If I wait till my step 2 score and then give CS, I wont have my CS result by Sept 1. So should I wait or go ahead and give a shot at the visa; (2) Can I find an observership on a tourist visa? What is the ideal time to do it?

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If you are going for the visa on the basis of CS, it doesn't really matter if you do or do not have step 2 result with you. Or what you can do is register for a conference online and apply for B1/2 visa on that basis. That way I guess you do not have to disclose your intentions of giving MLE.

Best time to do observership will be July/Aug; best is to do observership in the hospital where you have a chance of getting residency also. And yes you can do observership on B1/2 visa.

Geetinder

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If you need to get H1 visa while doing residency, then apply for observership to hospitals which offer H1 as you will have a higher chance of matching there. If you don't need an H1, you have more options in terms of hospitals available. Some are:

Derxel Univ, Pennsylvania
Wayne State Univ, Michigan
William Beaumont Hospital, Michigan
Marshfield Clinic-St Joseph's Hospital, Wisconsin
University of Missouri-Columbia, Missouri
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Ohio
West Virginia University, West Virginia
Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Pennsylvania

Basically email the programs and they will tell you if they offer observership. Contact them 4-5 months in advance of when you want to start.

Sonica