Best countries for residency / PG training

[Polgarana]

Hi, I am trying to figure out where to do speciality training. I’m mid MBBS & will graduate from Newcastle University, UK. I have dual British & Australian citizenship. It makes sense to do F1 & F2 in the U.K. I think, but after that I am not so sure. I am toying with Australia - as well as citizenship I have a lot of family there. Having said that I have no idea how speciality training compares between the two countries & any move would have to make career sense. I would also move to other countries such as the US & Singapore.

I have been trying to find out info online such as comparison tables / league tables but it is an absolute minefield! Any advice on how to choose the right country would be appreciated.

If it helps, I am leaning towards psych or GP (which would be handy for the rural scheme in Oz).

Cheers

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[Crayola227]

US training is the only realistic way to ever ever ever practice in the US. It is easier to train in the US and then practice elsewhere than to ever train elsewhere and then practice in the US. I don't know how much that factors in for you but just so you know.

 

[Polgarana]

US training is the only realistic way to ever ever ever practice in the US. It is easier to train in the US and then practice elsewhere than to ever train elsewhere and then practice in the US. I don't know how much that factors in for you but just so you know.

What makes you say that? The reason I ask is physicians & surgeons being on the shortage occupation list for U.S. Does that mean that U.S. is only for qualified specialists & not IMG’s?

 

[Crayola227]

What makes you say that? The reason I ask is physicians & surgeons being on the shortage occupation list for U.S. Does that mean that U.S. is only for qualified specialists & not IMG’s?

It has to do with the way we do training, licensing, and board certification, and how schooling and post graduate training are accredited. You cannot look at any such shortage list and come to a conclusion about being able to train as a physician outside this country and then later practice inside it. There is information on this forum should you need it.

If you check for example the American College of Physicians, or ACP, which governs internists or internal medicine, that is one example of a specialty board that outlines requirements for board certification for IMGs.

If you look at any given state, such as New York's, medical licensing board, you can see their standards for applying for a license to practice any type of medicine.

There is a reason it is at a premium to obtain training in the US, it's a very exclusive system to practice in.

Physicians do complete all of their training outside the US and then come to practice here, but if you look at the specialty boards and licensing entities, you can see that they are exceptions made usually in conjunction with academic institutions or research facilities to facilitate that sort of collaboration, and more exceptions to the rule than a sure pathway to practice within the US.

 

[Crayola227]

It's confusing because the educational system and even how we refer to trainees and even what we call physicians in practice is different.

Here all surgeons are physicians, but not all physicians are surgeons. We differentiate between specialists and "generalists" or "primary care" type physicians, but formally speaking all fully trained physicians have specialized whether they are a surgeon or a family practitioner. They complete postgraduate or residency training and then are qualified apply for a license AND to sit for specialty boards.

GP doesn't quite mean the same thing either here.

The pertinent point is that if you have not completed medical school in the US you need to do postgraduate training here or you will not be eligible for a license or to be board certified, which are two separate aspects of an IMG qualifying to practice here.

A qualified IMG can apply for the residency training here that they would need, but it is difficult to come by.

 

[gyngyn]

What makes you say that? The reason I ask is physicians & surgeons being on the shortage occupation list for U.S. Does that mean that U.S. is only for qualified specialists & not IMG’s?

You have to do residency training in the US to practice here.
You can find outcomes for IMG's in the Match here: http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Charting-Outcomes-in-the-Match-2018-IMGs.pdf

 

[Medstart108]

Hi, I am trying to figure out where to do speciality training. I’m mid MBBS & will graduate from Newcastle University, UK. I have dual British & Australian citizenship. It makes sense to do F1 & F2 in the U.K. I think, but after that I am not so sure. I am toying with Australia - as well as citizenship I have a lot of family there. Having said that I have no idea how speciality training compares between the two countries & any move would have to make career sense. I would also move to other countries such as the US & Singapore.

I have been trying to find out info online such as comparison tables / league tables but it is an absolute minefield! Any advice on how to choose the right country would be appreciated.

If it helps, I am leaning towards psych or GP (which would be handy for the rural scheme in Oz).

Cheers

If you ask me, train where you want to live. All the training programs in every country you mentioned are similar quality. But all will create hassles and hurdles if you decide to practice outside of the country where you trained.