Can I go to canada med to practice in USA easily?

[fastfingers]

Is it common if I went to med school in Canada, but want to practice medicine in USA? I'm a canadian, so I want to go to med school in Canada due to cheaper tuition. However, I plan to ultimately practice in USA. Is this something that is easily done? Some people tell me that it's really hard for people in canada med school to get a residency while others have told me differently. I'd hate to pay med school tuition in the USA if I can go to school in Canada and practice in USA.

How is the process usually for people who wants to go through what I'm going through? Thanks.

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[CodeBlu]

Is it common if I went to med school in Canada, but want to practice medicine in USA? I'm a canadian, so I want to go to med school in Canada due to cheaper tuition. However, I plan to ultimately practice in USA. Is this something that is easily done? Some people tell me that it's really hard for people in canada med school to get a residency while others have told me differently. I'd hate to pay med school tuition in the USA if I can go to school in Canada and practice in USA.

How is the process usually for people who wants to go through what I'm going through? Thanks.

I will try to break this down for you... first off and foremost if you go to an American school everything will be EASIER in terms of landing a US residency and a US job.

Now, if you went to school in Canada you would write the LMCC in M4, and apply to your residency spot accordingly.

If you went to school in Canada and wanted to land a US categorical residency... then you would write USMLE step 1 after your 2nd year. Now, the problem with this is that the Canadian schools don't focus on nitty gritty enzymes etc, that are irrelevant. But on the USMLE that enzyme might be a question. So they teach it to you. You'll have to do a lot more work than a US allopathic student.

Usually where you go for med school is where you do your residency in terms of country/state. So if you go to Michigan, you're more likely to stay in and around the area.

Now, I believe if you are a licensed MD with residency training in Canada, you can just walk over to the US. Try this website maybe... http://www.mombu.com/medicine/laboratory/t-canadian-doctors-coming-to-the-us-2872566.html


PS. I vote you stay in Canada. I'm from Montreal and I moved to Michigan and ended up in Chicago for undergrad. Trust me. The money you'll make is still great in Canada. Plus Canada is pretty awesome. No doubt. Plus you don't want the headache of getting a Visa etc.

 

[Mithril]

Other than being treated as a 2nd tier applicant in the US residency matching, you will also have a pain in the ass of a time going from H1-B visa status to PR status in order to practice without worrying about your visa being expired in the States. I mean, you can do it if your heart is set on practicing in the States, but I don't recommend this route.

 

[Catalystik]

My practice hired a Canadian who did his residency in NY. He was restricted to working in physician shortage area for a certain number of years to get a work visa.

 

[ovenmitts]

Does it make it any more simple if you have dual citizenship and/or strong family ties in the US?

 

[Mithril]

Does it make it any more simple if you have dual citizenship and/or strong family ties in the US?

If you have dual citizenship and you want to practice in the States, you should go to a US allopathic school. If you have dual citizenship and you go to a Canadian allopathic school, you're still a 2nd tier applicant, ie. an independent, for the NRMP. Being a dual citizen and going to a US allopathic school means you're a 1st tier applicant for the CaRMS (Canadian Residency Matching System) and the NRMP.

 

[Scherbatsky]

If you have dual citizenship and you want to practice in the States, you should go to a US allopathic school. If you have dual citizenship and you go to a Canadian allopathic school, you're still a 2nd tier applicant, ie. an independent, for the NRMP. Being a dual citizen and going to a US allopathic school means you're a 1st tier applicant for the CaRMS (Canadian Residency Matching System) and the NRMP.

Sorry if I'm hijacking this thread a little...

So going to a US allopathic school is not a disadvantage for the CaRMS (ie. if one hypothetically would want to go to the states for school and do residency/practice in Canada?)

 

[Mithril]

No, if you go to an LCME-accredited school, whether that be in Canada or the US, and you're a citizen/PR of Canada, you'll be in the CMG (Canadian medical graduate pool) as opposed to the IMG pool for the CaRMS.

 

[fastfingers]

hmm how much harder is it to land a residency spot in the USA if lets say I went to UBC med school. and when u say study more for USLME, are u saying an extra summer of studying or a ton more.

 

[Mithril]

Doesn't matter if you went to UBC or Saskatchewan. You'll still be considered an IMG. The curricula at Canadian med schools also prepare you for the MCCQEs, not the USMLEs. The MCCQE I tests clinical scenarios and things pertaining to the Canadian medical system along with basic knowledge of medicine. As far as I know, the USMLE Step 1 tests basic sciences and the USMLE Step 2CK and CS test clinical knowledge in a real and exam setting. The MCCQE I is basically the USMLE Step 1, Step 2CK, and the multiple choice part of Step 3 combined in a shorter format, whereas the MCCQE II is like the USMLE Step 2CS and the CCS portion of the USMLE Step 3. The two sets of exams are structured differently, offered differently, and you will have to do the prep and studying on your own. It's not just something you can breeze through by taking the licensing tests of another country.

 

[Scherbatsky]

Thanks for all the great info, Mithril!