Teaching / professor

[Nellenell]

Hi

I am an European educated doctor now specializing in family medicine and doing a PhD in family medicine.

Will I be able to use my medical degree including my future PhD to teach in the US? Ex. As a professor? And do I need to take USMLE for this or not?

Thank you very much
Nellenell

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

Technically yes. Realistically no.

There is no licensing requirement for teaching at the graduate level. So, theoretically, you could find someone willing to hire you to "teach" here in the US. To do so, you would need some sort of legal status in the US -- either a work visa, or permanent residency, or citizenship.

But, realistically, what do you plan to "teach"? In medical school, the first two years are mainly basic science and I doubt any medical school is going to hire you to teach that. In the clinical years, students are working with practicing physicians to learn medicine -- and you won't be able to do that without the USMLE, and a residency here in the US. So although you can legally teach here in the US, no one is likely to hire you to do so.

Unless you think there is something that you could teach, that doesn't involve seeing patients, that you would somehow be more qualified to do than someone else here in the US?

 

[Nellenell]

Thank you for responding.
In US, during the first couple of years of med school, don't you have classes and teaching in auditoriums and exams at the university by professors?

I am researching, what work fields there are for a Europian medical and PhD degree holder, where a USMLE is not mandatory.

 

[ProfMD]

Yes, there are classes taught in a classroom. These are taught by essentially two different types of faculty: PhD scientists who spend the rest of their time doing funded research, and clinicians who spend the rest of their time taking care of patients. Of course, the lines between the two categories are blurry.

So, if you want to teach without practicing medicine, you need to also be prepared to apply for extramural funding for research to support your salary. If you want to take care of patients, you need the USMLE. You may not need a US residency - this is somewhat institution, state, and specialty dependent.

That being said, as @aProgDirector said, you chances are not that great - just being realistic.