Evaluation of a dedicated, surgery-oriented visiting international medical student program

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• International Medical Graduates

Background:

• Limited programs exist for integrating international medical graduates into U.S. surgical residency training.
• International students often lack awareness of available U.S. residency preparation programs.
• The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio established the VISSA program in 2007.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the professional statuses of past participants in the VISSA program.
• To evaluate career selections and satisfaction levels of international medical graduates who completed the VISSA program.
• To determine the program's impact on U.S. residency applications and acceptance.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous 21-item online survey was emailed to 55 former VISSA program participants.
• Data collected included demographics, current professional status, residency specialty choice, and program satisfaction.
• Survey assessed personal experiences and perceived program benefits for residency applications.

Main Results:

• An 84% response rate was achieved from participants representing 14 nations.
• 88.9% of participants considered applying to U.S. residency programs after the VISSA rotation, with 17.4% accepted into general surgery.
• 90.4% agreed the program aided their general surgery residency application success, and 100% would recommend the program.

Conclusions:

• A dedicated, surgery-focused visiting international medical student program significantly benefits residency selection and application processes.
• The VISSA program demonstrates a positive effect on the professional development of international medical graduates.
• Such programs are valuable for enhancing career trajectories and U.S. residency placement for foreign medical students.