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Avoiding medical residency for experienced UK doctors? |
My husband has always wanted to work in the US as a doctor, but currently the grueling nature of US residency programs (mainly the long hours) is what is giving us pause. He's done USMLE 1-3 (and CSA test), has the necessary certificates to practice there, and holds a permanent green card, so there's really nothing else preventing him. What we were mainly wondering about was if it was possible for him to work a few years in the UK as a consultant (relatively the same level as an attending in the US) and them come to work in the US as an attending or fellow, bypassing residency. He already has ~5 years experience and an MRCP qualification, so the idea of him starting over again, making 1/3 his current salary and working twice the number of hours isn't exactly appealing. Does anyone know if this is possible? We would really appreciate any informed response. Thanks! Q. I鈥檝e tried and tried to get into a residency program, but I can鈥檛 get an interview. What can I do? A. Applying for a residency in the U.S. is extremely competitive for IMGs. There are approximately twice as many IMGs applying as there are available residency positions. The best thing you can do is to get experience in a U.S. healthcare facility before applying to a residency program. It is particularly important to get experience in a facility with a teaching program. This can be difficult, but volunteering may be your best route. If you are unable to get experience in a clinical setting, try to obtain a research position in a hospital laboratory. This may lead to clinical opportunities. You may also consider a medical career that doesn't require patient care. "Leaving the Bedside: The Search for a Nonclinical Medical Career," a book published by the AMA, is a practical guide that leads the reader through a well-reasoned sequence of steps leading to the successful development of a nonclinical medical career. You'll find the information, guidance, and direction you need to achieve your personal and professional goals. You can buy it from AMA Catalog OP#392096 for $25 Q. Do my five years of residence in my home country, or SAP pediatric certification count as possible credit and reduction in the U.S. residency time period? A. Most likely the answer is no, but your residency program will have to evaluate your skills, experience and credentials to determine this request. The residency program may wish to consult with the state medical board or medical association. Q. Is there a correlation between USMLE scores and getting into a residency program? I scored above 75% to pass the exam but have had difficulty in being accepted into a residency program. A. We have heard that program directors often screen out applicants with criteria such as test scores and experience in U.S. hospitals. The AMA opposes this practice. The AMA believes that test results should only be reported as "pass" or "fail" and that residency programs should not discriminate against applicants by country of medical education. However, difficulty can occur because getting into a residency program is a very competetive process. The number of IMGs who apply for residency spots is larger than the number of available spots. In 2001, 7,115 IMGs entered the Match but only 5,900 IMGs were in PGY-1 residency spots. (THE PROBLEM IS THERE ARE SO MANY DOCTORS WITH SCORES far above the minimum passing score) So with the volume of applicants with much higher scores you are precluded from any chance of an interview. The average three digit score was 215, now it is climbing up to 230. Source(s): http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category... How did he manage to do USMLE 3 when it is a State Licensing exam? What scores did he get on the Steps? American Medicine is funny, sometimes they even look at UK medical education as snake oil medicine just as if it was a Caribbean school. Skipping residency, it will never happen. He needs at least one year in residency before any state will license him. Each state is different and some of the residency periods required are much longer than one year. There is no way to get past the states residency requirements before a license will be granted. We don't need your husband to come here. There are American doctors out of work. I know many Americans with the ECFMG certificate that are unable to get one interview for a residency position. One doctor got 5 interviews 3 years ago and no residency position. The last two years he didn't get one interview. He even has a sister in a residency position and she tried to get him in. She was told that his scores are too low and would cause them embarrassment to present them to the residency committee. Another Doctor spent $5000 on matching and only got rejection letters. Before a score of 77 on Step 1 would get you interviews. Now if you have less than 80 on Step 1 the computer can be used to exclude you from the list of available applicants. Not only are there more than twice as many foreign doctors as there are residency positions many of the applicants have perfect scores or nearly perfect scores. What many people don't realize is most of the residency positions are filled by U.S. medical school graduates. The residency programs that are left can be real picky when it comes to who they choose to fill them. At any time there can be 2, 3, or 4 times as many applicants as opened positions. People with two digit scores of 90 often don't get interviews. You wouldn't believe how few people understand how the system works. Scores and scores of students both American and foreign think the USMLE certificate is magical. They think that if they could only get it they would become a licensed doctor. They never think to look at what happens after their medical educations. The don't look at anything but their dreams. I believe half of all foreign medical grads never achieve a medical residency in the U.S. There are just too few residency openings left after the American Med School grads fill them. Sadly our disloyal president is letting countless Indian Doctors into the U.S.A. They have a lock on many of the residency positions. So many have perfect scores it is difficult not to think that they are cheating on the tests. Because they run most of the residency programs they can easily choose only other Indian Doctors. England was smart if they sent the Indian Doctors packing. It is difficult not to ask, why don't all the foreign Doctors don't practice in their own home countries? Obviously it isn't about medicine but all about making money. I believe you will find that all 50 states require a period of residency. Most will require you complete the whole residency. Is the UK so horrible that you want to flee from it? |
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