Residency Process
General Information
After being awarded a degree as an M.D., students seeking to practice in the U.S. must secure graduate medical training, known as a residency. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) approves M.D. residency programs in the United Sates. Residency programs offer educational experience and employment over a variable number of years. Salaries vary, but typically range from $35,000 to $45,000 with annual percentage increases. Some states require that a resident be licensed, while others do not; some states award a limited license for the duration of the training program. Residents are also known as "House Officers."
Residency programs commence with Post-Graduate Year I (PGY-1), previously known as an internship. PGY-I programs involve the start of a specialty program or involve rotations through various services known as a "Transitional" program. After meeting the requirements of PGY-1, students enter Post-Graduate Year II (PGY-II) of a specialty program.
Internal Medicine, Family Practice, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry each require completion of three years of residency (i.e. PGY-I, II, and III). Anesthesiology requires four years, including an initial Transitional year, Ob/Gyn requires four years, and General Surgery requires five years. Completion of specialty training is certification, or eligibility for certification, by a specialty board such as the American Board of Surgeons. This is not a licensure requirement, but is required by hospitals for certain types of work. Board certification or eligibility is commonly abbreviated as BC/BE.
After completing a residency, physicians may choose to enter a Fellowship, an advanced sub-specialty training program. Fellowships are offered in areas including Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Child Psychiatry, and Infectious Diseases.
Residency Documents
Please click on the links below to access pertinent residency documents.
Obtaining a Residency
Graduates of American University of the Caribbean have obtained residencies in traditionally highly competitive fields, and many report having been offered a choice of residency positions by the time they graduate. To view the most recent graduate residency appointments, please click here. There’s also an interactive residency map located on the Alumni Association Website. All states require an ECFMG Certificate in order to obtain a residency. All ACGME-accredited programs make this requirement. For a listing of ACGME residency programs in the U.S., one may purchase the Graduate Medical Education Directory, commonly known as the "Green Book,” through the American Medical Association by calling 800-621-8335 or request a copy from a medical library.
Applying for a residency is commonly performed through the National Resident Match Program (NRMP). NRMP matches prospective residents with available residency positions at U.S. hospitals. Applicants approach residency programs that interest them, and interview. Applicants then list their desired residencies in order of preference, while the programs list their desired residents, and a match is made. For more information, please contact NRMP at 202-828-4797, 2450 N. Street N.W., Washington, D.C., 20037-1127. Most residency programs require applicants to apply through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). For more information, please visit http://www.ecfmg.org/eras/index.html.
Please remember to complete the online Residency Placement Survey. Results directly affect the university's accreditation, value of your medical degree and serve as a valuable resource for future graduates.
