GME Internal Medicine

Please submit your applications through ERAS.  We participate in both ERAS and NRMP using the following program code:

• Categorical: 1362140C0

Application

We participate in the Supplemental ERAS program.   This is optional for applicants and allows a more personalized application to show programs your level of interest and highlight key attributes.  We encourage you to complete a Supplemental Application.  We also encourage candidates who wish to express particular interest in our program to utilize the signaling feature within the Supplemental Application.  Signaling is not needed for those who have rotated in our program. 
 

Interview

We currently conduct all interviews virtually using Thalamus.  Our interview season runs from late October through mid-December. The virtual interview day will include interviews with the Program Director and 2 Faculty members, an informational session with the Program Coordinator and conclude with an interactive Q&A session with our amazing residents.

We will provide an opportunity for campus visits for those who wish to tour the facility.   The choice to attend an in person visit will NOT influence placement in our rank order list.  All rank order decisions will be made prior to the in-person visit dates.  The optional visit opportunity is intended to allow candidates to have all the information they need to finalize their own rank list. 
 

What We Look For

We welcome applications from US graduates and international graduates of both osteopathic and allopathic medical programs.   We review all aspects of an application, but traditionally have looked for applicants with the following attributes. 

• Minimum USMLE step 1 score: 215; COMLEX step 1 score: 500*
• Minimum USMLE step 2 score: 220; COMLEX step 2 score: 525
• Minimum of 2 letters of recommendation
• Graduation from medical school within the last 3-5 years
• We sponsor H1 and J1 visas

*if Step 1 was taken after Feb 2022 then a PASS on the first attempt is required.

We may occasionally consider candidates who fall outside of the above test score ranges in the presence of other favorable attributes that may make them a good fit for our program.

We seek to recruit qualified candidates from a variety of backgrounds with the goal of creating a diverse and balanced training program. 

In reviewing applications, we also routinely consider the following attributes:

• Leadership skills
• Scholarly and/or research experience
• Community service
• Prior clinical experience
• Language skills
• Advocacy activities

Our program was established in 1954. Many of our graduates have entered primary care practice within our Mercy Medical Group, join our hospitalist group or are chosen to stay on as teaching faculty. We have had many residents placed in fellowships including Cardiology, Heme-Onc, Critical Care, Rheumatology, Endocrinology, Geriatrics, GI, Pulmonary and Allergy and Immunology. A list of career destinations for our recent graduates can be found here. 

The typical inpatient ward day is from 6:30 a.m. with sign-out to long call at 4:30 p.m. The long call system is outlined in the training experience section. You will receive new patients from the night float team as well as from your attending physician. Bedside rounding usually begins at 9 a.m., starting with multidisciplinary rounds where the team meets to discuss each patient with care coordinators, nursing and therapy services. Residents typically round until noon where they break for noon conference. Afternoon admissions start at 1 p.m.

The typical clinic day in the JFK clinic are divided into morning (8am-12pm) and afternoon (1pm-5pm) sessions with a break for Noon Conference. Resident schedules have a mix of patient encounters including new and established patient visits, annual visits for preventive care, ER and hospital follow-ups and telehealth visits. The clinic incorporates opportunities to work closely with clinical nursing staff, social work, dieticians, and a clinical pharmacist all while having the opportunity to get 1:1 teaching from attending physicians. Tuesday mornings are dedicated to our Academic Half Day curriculum while Wednesday and Thursday afternoons are used for didactic sessions, POCUS and administrative tasks. 

Elective months start and end at the discretion of each primary care or specialty attending. Emergency room months do have some evening shifts.

Our program requirements for International Graduates are as follows:

• You must apply through ERAS.
• Minimum of 220 on both steps 1 and 2*
• Graduation year within the last 3-5 years
• 3 months of US clinical experience is preferred (observerships do not count)
• Minimum of 3 LOR’s – 1 must be from a US physician
• We sponsor the H-1 Visa (we will consider sponsoring J1 on an individual basis and will be discussed if invited for an interview)

Regarding rotation opportunities for international medical graduates/students, our institution currently does not sponsor externships or observerships.

*if Step 1 was taken after Feb 2022 then a PASS on the first attempt is required

Request a Rotation

Our mission in the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Mercy Hospital – St. Louis to train the next generation of compassionate, community-minded, excellent internists extends beyond our residents to the students we work with as well. During a student’s time at Mercy we hope we will challenge them grow and learn what it means to possess those characteristics as a physician. Our sub-internships are intended to be 4-week rotations for visiting students interested in pursuing residency at Mercy Hospital – St. Louis following graduation from medical school.

Currently we have sub-internship opportunities for both out inpatient General Medicine services and our ambulatory JFK Clinic. We currently accept 2 sub-interns on the inpatient services from late July to the end of February and 1 sub-intern in the clinic from late July to the end of January. Further information regarding both the inpatient and clinic experience can be found here.

Each year, we will accept applications up until March 15. We will begin our review process on March 15 and will notify all applicants of the outcome by April 1. In order to be considered for a JFK-Ambulatory or Inpatient Internal Medicine rotation, we ask that you send the following information to Michelle Kempf:

• Application
• CV
• Board scores (USMLE/COMLEX)
• Current transcripts
• Letter of Intent (please include details about what motivated you to pursue Internal Medicine, why are you interested in an audition rotation at Mercy St. Louis, and list any attributes you wish to share)

Incomplete applications may not be reviewed due to high volumes of applications, so please be sure to submit all required documentation prior to the March 15^th deadline.

St Louis is a great place to raise a family. The combined city and county population is around 1.3 million.  

• STL Myseum, The Magic House, The National Museum of Transportation and City Museum are a few of the fun places you can take your small children to on days too hot or cold to be outside.
• St. Louis has a Six Flags location for those adrenaline junkies.
• We have the Katy Trail for bike enthusiasts.
• Forest Park is a great place to walk or relax and boasts its annual balloon race.
• Nearby state parks include Pierre Marquette and Castlewood for hiking or mountain biking. 
• Music and food trucks at the St. Louis Zoo, Art Museum and many other neighborhood parks in the summer.
• Many St. Louis suburbs have fantastic farmer’s markets in the summer.  
• The Muny, The Fabulous Fox, The Sheldon, Stifel Theatre and many other venues offer musicals, plays and symphonies. 
• We have our beloved Cardinals at Busch Stadium as well as the St. Louis Blues and St. Louis City SC for sports enthusiasts.  

A “coach” system in the Residency Program partners an intern with a senior resident. This is to help those interns who are new to the city with work and play-related questions.

We offer residents opportunities to rotate at Mercy’s state-of-the-art Virtual Care Center with experiences in virtual hospitalist care, substance use disorder management, population health, and more!