Graduate Medical Education Office (GMEO)

HAMAD MEDICAL CORPORATION

Department of Medical Education (Graduate Medical Education Office (GMEO

HMC Residency Eligibility, Selection & Matching Process Intake 2015

(FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs

Updated in May 2014

P a g e | 1 HMC Residency Eligibility, Selection, Matching Process and Admissions 2014 Intake

1. Who can apply for HMC Residency Training Programs? 1. All Qatari interns 2. HMC interns who will complete their internship before July 1, 2015. 3. Must be graduates of medical schools recognized and registered in the international medical education directory (IMED) http://www.Faimer.org, who completed their rotating or straight internship less than three years ago (from the internship completion date). 4. Applicants should be licensed in their own country of origin 5. Applicants should meet all of the eligibility criteria and requirements as specified in the application form.

2. What is Straight Internship? Internship is twelve months of clinical rotations in major specialties either rotating (post graduation) or straight. We consider the first year of any post graduate training as a straight internship year. We donot consider the last year of Medical School as an internship. Externships and Clinical Attachments are not considered as internships.

3. Could the application be considered if the applicant has graduated over three years ago? The applicant can apply and we will review the application. We will only consider the application if the applicant’s CV demonstrates special skills, excellent performance and relevant clinical experience in the specialty the applicant is applying for and still actively working as a Doctor. (This must be supported with an evidence). Although priority is still given to recent medical graduates and those with relevant clinical experience in the advance specialty program they are applying for.

4. How about applicants who have been out of clinical practice? The Medical Education Department will not accept applications from applicants who do not provide an evidence of remedial action through formal supervised training after the interruptions/gaps of their clinical practice. However, HMC does not provide this type of remedial action or training for such applicants. HMC will not accept request for clinical attachment or elective rotations from such applicants.

5. What are the eligibility criteria and the mandatory admission requirements for HMC Residency Programs?

a. Evidence of passing USMLE Step 2 CK and preferably with USMLE Step 1 or an acceptable alternative exam.

P a g e | 2 b. Evidence of passing English Language competency IELTS (7.0) - academic level or TOEFL IBT (80), CBT (213), PBT (550) - professional level.

6. What are the only acceptable alternative exams?

a. The first accepted alternative exam to USMLE is the International Foundations of Medicine (IFOM) Exam is the only acceptable alternative to USMLE. International Foundations of Medicine (IFOM) Exam is provided by the National Board of Medical Examiners. Registration is online with NBME. For more details about IFOM Exams please visit:

www.nbme.org/students/ifom/index.html

For admission to our residency programs, the IFOM pass scores should be equivalent to the scores of USMLE for that year (this change every year).

b. The second accepted alternative exam to USMLE is Medical Council of Canada Evaluating Examination (MCCEE) and Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) Part 1. Provided that the applicant should pass both exams before applying for HMC Residency Program.

www.mcca.ca/examinations/mccee

7. Can applicants apply early and submit the exam results after the closing date?

The applicant must submit a complete application and attach all the required exam results when applying to the residency program before the closing date (as advertised). Late applications will not be accepted.

8. How does an applicant register for the USMLE or IFOM exams?

Registration to the IFOM Exam is done online with NBME. IFOM exam is delivered in two parts, IFOM-CSE and IFOM-BSE.

To learn more about how to register in the IFOM Exams and the available examination centers please visit the link below:

www.nbme.org/students/ifom/index.html

P a g e | 3 For admission to our residency programs, the IFOM pass scores should be equivalent to the scores of USMLE for that year (this score changes every year). b. The registration process to USMLE exam normally requires extended period of time, therefore applicants must register at the earliest possible date. Please visit the website to learn about the available examination centers where USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK exams are delivered. www.usmle.org

9. What are the acceptable scores for TOEFL or IELTS Exams ?

TOEFL paper based scores (200-660), minimum total score required is 550 or above.

TOEFL IBT (0-120) minimum total score required is 80 or above (professional level)

IELTS minimum total score required is (7.0) or above (academic level).

10. Where to get an application form?

Download it from the HMC website. www.hmc.org.qa

 Please complete the application form in Capital letters and COMPUTER TYPED. Handwritten applications will not be accepted.  Completed application forms should be submitted to Medical Education in person or by courier or registered mail.  Emailed or faxed applications are not accepted.  One set of required documents (copies) should accompany the completed Application Form.  ORIGINAL documents are NOT REQUIRED at the initial applications  Make sure that all documents (copies) provided are authenticated, true copies of the originals.  We perform primary source verification (credentialing) for all documents provided by the resident (Data Flow Company).  Providing any false documents will be discovered and this may subject the applicant to legal consequences and dismissal from the program.  Any information provided in your CV should be accompanied with an official document as verification (from hospital officials, Chairs, Program Directors, Deans or university officials) including your current position, previous rotations or trainings, internship whether rotating or straight, etc.

P a g e | 4 11. What about the visit visa process?

 HMC is only responsible to provide visit visa to shortlisted applicants invited for personal interview to Qatar. However HMC will not cover or fund any travelling or leaving expenses for shortlisted applicants invited for the personal interviews.

12. What about the recruitment process in HMC?

Applicants who are matched and passed the personal interviews will receive Offer of Employment from HMC Human Resources.

Normally, matched applicants will wait the average period of few weeks to few months to receive the Offer of Employment and obtain work visa to Qatar.

Recruitment formalities usually take an average of 2-3 months to be completed.

All matched and accepted applicants should join their respective programs on or before July 1, 2015.

14. How can I check on the status of my application?

 If you are shortlisted in one of the residency programs, the Medical Education Department will inform you via email and you will be invited for personal interview to Qatar on January 2015.  If you pass the matching personal interview, the Medical Education Department will inform you about the final result and you will receive the Offer of Employment from HR Recruitment Section on later date.

15. What are the Residency Programs sponsored by HMC and what is their duration according to the Arab Board of Medical Specialization?

HMC Residency Programs Average no. of Posts

1. Medicine (4 years) 50-55 2. General surgery (5 years) 10 3. Pediatrics (4 years) 20-25 4. Ob/Gyn (5 years) 10-15 5. Emergency medicine (4 years) 10-12 6. Family medicine (4 year) 10-15 7. Diagnostic radiology (4 years) 06-10 8. Anesthesia (4 years) 06-10 9. Otolaryngology (4 years) 02-03 10.Orthopedic Surgery (5 years) 06-08

P a g e | 5 11.Urology (5 years) 02-03 12.Neurosurgery (6 years) 02-03 13.Cardiothoracic Surgery (6 year) 01-02 14.Ophthalmology (4 years) 01-02 15.Community medicine (4 year) 03-04 16.Psychiatry (4 year) 05-07 17.Plastic Surgery (6 year) 02-03

16. How many posts are available through the HMC Residency Programs?

 The available posts for each program will be announced before the matching date each year. Numbers may change from a year to another with little variability.  Estimated quoted numbers are approximate.  All Residency Programs will start on July 01 every year.

17. Are there any fellowship programs at HMC?

 Yes, HMC sponsors mainly three year fellowship programs in Pediatrics, Medicine, Urology, Geriatrics, Rehabilitation, Trauma, ICU, Anesthesia, ENT and EM. All fellowships are currently only open to HMC graduates after completion of the core residency programs.

18. Please Note:-

 The Rehabilitation Medicine and Geriatrics programs are fellowship programs. Residents wishing to join these programs as clinical fellows need to have completed a four year residency in Medicine. As a result they should first apply for Internal Medicine.  The Cardiology Program is seven years (Four years Medicine plus three years Cardiology). Residents interested in cardiology have to complete four years of Internal medicine, to be able to apply to join cardiology for an additional three years.  Pediatric Surgery will become a fellowship program after the completion of a General Surgery residency.

19. What is the ACGME-I accreditation and ACGME-I requirements? For details on ACGME-I (Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education, International) please visit their site - www.acgme-i.org

HMC was the first institution in the Middle East to receive the Institutional ACGME-I accreditation. This took place in July 2012. Seven advanced specialty programs are also expected to be accredited between July and October 2013.

P a g e | 6 Other programs will also follow.

Accreditation is not certification (i.e. HMC is not yet offering American Board Certification. That may follow in a few years for some programs after the accreditation process is complete.

Currently, training will end up with accreditation by the Arab Board and hopefully in the future a Qatari board and an American board.

20. What is the Matching Process? First match for all programs.

1. Only completed CVs and applications will be reviewed by the HMC Graduate Medical Education Admission Office (GMEO). Eligible candidates will be short listed based on whether or not they meet the eligibility criteria. Applicants who are not shortlisted or do not meet the eligibility criteria will be notified by the GMEO Committee (no appeals) 2. Medical Education will provide residency program directors with ranked shortlisted applications. 3. The matching form of the shortlisted candidates, the CV, and personal statement, internship assessment records (for HMC Interns) and any other supporting documents provided by the candidate will be forwarded to the Program Directors. 4. The applicant’s files will be reviewed by each residency program which may then shortlist the applicant 5. Finally, applicants shortlisted by the Program Directors and the Program Committee will be notified by email and invited for interview. 6. Dates and the time of final interviews will be coordinated with the residency programs and will be posted on the Medical Education Bulletin Board. Candidates will be notified by email. 7. The interviews will be conducted by a group of examiners including the Program Directors, Chair/Head, Chief Resident and group of Consultants or Specialists (faculty) for a panel interview. 8. Each program will provide the Graduate Medical Education Office with a final list of matched candidates and a wait list. 9. Following approval by the DIO (Designated Institutional Official), the results of the first match will be announced. 10.After the entire first match has been completed, unfilled posts will be announced. Unmatched candidates may rank any number of programs in the second (residual) match (scramble). 11.Candidates cannot apply for the first chosen program again if they have not been selected. Each candidate can however rank any number of unfilled programs of his/her choice for the second (residual) match. 12.After all posts have been filled, some candidates may be placed on a waiting list.

P a g e | 7 13.If somebody withdraws or a post becomes vacant at a later date, those on the waiting list may be contacted to fill those posts based on their ranking on the wait list.

21. What is the letter of personal intent (personal statement)?

It is a short letter for each specialty being applied for to describe the applicant’s achievements, their reasons for choosing that particular specialty and the reasons they believe themselves to be a good candidate for that program (no more than a half a page). The letter should be attached to an up- to-date CV for the programs of choice.

22. What should interviewers focus on?

 Interviewers look primarily at communication skills, reasoning, professional English language competency, understanding of the responsibilities and scope of the specialty of choice and ethics and professionalism.  Applicants should have a strong reason for selecting any residency program as a first choice.  State that clearly in the letter of intention for each program selected and be ready to answer why.  Matching results will be announced immediately after the interview day so those candidates who were not matched in the first interview may apply and wait for the second match (residual) if program posts are still available.  The selection decision is entirely an official committee decision and is not subject to appeal or explanation to the candidate.  Some programs might demand competency in spoken Arabic such as Family Medicine and Psychiatry.  Include a well written standard CV with a scanned photo.  Use the Canadian or American C.V. format (i.e. Date: from… to… rotating, etc)  CVs completed by hand are not acceptable.  Every training period mentioned in a CV should be verified by a document from the trainers, Program Directors, Chairperson or hospital official. If this is not provided the training period will not be considered.  Copies of all courses, workshops, awards, recommendations, conferences, etc should be included with the application.  Portfolio copies (all original documents and one set of your application document copies) should be brought to the interviews.

23. What if a resident was not matched after the second (residual) match?  Usually the number of interviewed candidates exceeds the number of available posts. It is a competitive process.  Some candidates may not be matched to any program.

P a g e | 8  Residents can re-apply next year if he/she is still eligible and has worked on improving his/her credentials over the year.

24. Can a resident transfer to another program after the match?  Based on GME policies it is not possible or advisable. Candidate will risk losing his/her post in the program.

25. What about the resident’s professional English Language competency TOFEL or IELTS?  The resident is suppose to provide evidence of passing one of these tests before the closing date and a copy of the scores should be included in the application.  Competency in the English language is an important factor that will affect the candidate’s chances of being selected.  It is advisable to take a TOFEL or IELTS test early to define the level of competency and decide if a language improvement course is required.  The USMLE Step 2 CS component of spoken English does not replace IELTS or TOEFL.  It is advisable for a non-Arabic speaker to take a course in the Arabic language once they have been matched and are waiting to start employment.

26. If a resident is matched to a program, what is the employment process?

The process may take a few weeks to few months however most residents should join the program before the 1st of July each year.

The process includes:  Labor department approval  Ministry of interior CID approval  Job offer from Human Resources  Candidate accepts the offer  Immigration process for working visa  Medical check-up on arrival for Hepatitis B & C, T.B., HIV & pregnancy  Pregnant candidates will only be recruited after giving birth  Sign a contract with HMC and Medical Education after the credentialing of all certificates

Medical Education’s role ends after selecting the residents and the approval of the selected candidate list by HMC’s Managing Director.

P a g e | 9 All records and files of selected candidates are then forwarded to the department of Human Resources for the recruitment process.

27. What about resident salaries and benefits?

 Residents will be paid competitive monthly salary which includes a transportation and housing allowance, in addition to receiving annual increments based on performance evaluation.  Residents will receive the salary from the day they officially join HMC program and sign the contract of employment.  Details of salary and benefits will be clearly stipulated in the Offer of Employment and included in the Residents Terms and Conditions of Employment which is attached to a contract of employment.  All recruited candidates will receive the same salary and benefits package regardless of gender or nationality.

All residency programs will start on July 01, each year. Applicants should be available 2-4 weeks before the start of the program to complete all formalities including the orientation and required medicals. HMC is committed to equal opportunities, and the reliability, validity, fairness, and transparency of the matching process. Medical education will observe all interviews and will document all results. GOOD LUCK

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