European Neurosurgeon

[endodoc]

Hello,
My brother in law is a currently a neurosurgical resident in Europe. He is also completing his PhD at the same time. My wife and I have talked to him about coming to the US and starting over. Does anyone have input on how hard it is to get a neurosurgical residency. From what I hear, it is not as hard as it was a few years back, since many people are staying away due to high malpractice rates, and demands of this specialty.
The rewards for his specialty here in the states are much greater than Europe, and the lifestyle is better here for him.
Should he continue with is PhD or do you think it would be better to just prepare for the USMLE’s or both?

Regards

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[mpp]

It is very difficult for foreign graduates (I assume he went to a medical school outside the U.S.) to match directly into a neurosurgery residency program. If he wants to do neurosurgery residency in the states and also wants to get a Ph.D. it would likely be better to come over here and do his Ph.D. at a school that also has a neurosurgery program. In this way he can make connections and try to match (after taking USMLE's).

Although neurosurgery is less comepetitive than it was 10 years ago, there are always more U.S.-graduated applicants than positions available. Very few foreign graduates match...and those that do often have substantial U.S. experience in research and clinical areas.

 

[endodoc]

It is very difficult for foreign graduates (I assume he went to a medical school outside the U.S.) to match directly into a neurosurgery residency program. If he wants to do neurosurgery residency in the states and also wants to get a Ph.D. it would likely be better to come over here and do his Ph.D. at a school that also has a neurosurgery program. In this way he can make connections and try to match (after taking USMLE's).

Although neurosurgery is less comepetitive than it was 10 years ago, there are always more U.S.-graduated applicants than positions available. Very few foreign graduates match...and those that do often have substantial U.S. experience in research and clinical areas.

Thanks for your post. He is from europe and went to school there. My wife took the USMLE's after moving to the states, and is a current resident. He is just starting his PhD now in Europe. So your advice is to stop and move ASAP and begin research here?
Regards,

 

[mpp]

Yes. Although a few foreign graduates match each year, most have spent a few years here doing research or have some other connection to the department of neurosurgery. A Ph.D. would certainly make him a more attractive candidate, especially if it were completed in the U.S. There are also pre-residency clinical fellowships in neurosurgery available at some universities (for example U of Washington has one). These are meant as a stepping stone for those from abroad into the field of neurosurgery.

 

[Trajan]

I may have no idea what I am talking about, but I would assume that his chances would vary depending on the European country in which he is studying. Those who train in Zurich, Heidelberg, Vienna, etc. will fare better than those coming from, say, Romania.

 

[dry dre]

I may have no idea what I am talking about, but I would assume that his chances would vary depending on the European country in which he is studying. Those who train in Zurich, Heidelberg, Vienna, etc. will fare better than those coming from, say, Romania.

I also may not know what I'm talking about but I 100% agree with this (I was going to throw the same response out until I read this post). There seems to be a surplus of 'specialists' applying to come over from eastern europe. I'm currently doing research on an obscure treatment (enzyme therapy)....much of the data I've found is from eastern europe and/or russia. Suffice it to say that much of the research is sketchy by our standards, and I'd be suspect of the PhD coming from the region.