Can I Swing Back into the U.S?

[Blitz2006]

So yeah,

I'm seriously considering doing meds in UK. After my MBBS, if I don't get the residency I want in U.S, I'll do my foundation years and maybe a couple of Preregistrar years in UK....after that, can I come back in U.S and do a "min-residency/internship"??

reply aprpeciated, thanks.

 

[leorl]

1) don't automatically think you will be able to enter the foundation program. You are at a disadvantage being non-EU/UK. You might get one, just it isn't guaranteed.

2) yes you could complete all the way up to registrar years, then come back to the US. You would most likely have to repeat all your residency years though. So the question is...why would you add 3+ years to progress nowhere in the career chain?

 

[Blitz2006]

Hey Leorl,

Thanks for the quick response.

I forgot to mention that I have British citizenship....so I think I am guaranteed foundation years, after my 5 Year MBBS. Correct me if I'm wrong.

as to the second part of your answer, so you're saying that with 3-4 years of training in England, it will count for nothing in the U.S (like I won't be able to do a 'shorter' residency or just a couple years of internship or something?)

Hmm...good to know then that I better get the hell out after my MBBS.

Thanks again.

 

[Scottish Chap]

Hey Leorl,

Thanks for the quick response.

I forgot to mention that I have British citizenship....so I think I am guaranteed foundation years, after my 5 Year MBBS. Correct me if I'm wrong.

as to the second part of your answer, so you're saying that with 3-4 years of training in England, it will count for nothing in the U.S (like I won't be able to do a 'shorter' residency or just a couple years of internship or something?)

Hmm...good to know then that I better get the hell out after my MBBS.

Thanks again.

No, both systems are too different; you'll have to start over again. However, if you fancy a trip Down Under, I have friends who did part of their training in Australia and the Royal College in the U.K. accepted the time over there in partial fulfillment for membership...

 

[leorl]

yeah, unfortunately it's worth squat. The "rule" is that to work in the US, you must have completed your residency training in the US. In some cases, you may be able to get around it if you have been a consultant/attending for years and are considered an expert in your field. But it's vice versa too...completing US residency doesn't guarantee transference to a UK position and people may have to start from the bottom again. I even know doctors who wanted to come to the US but didn't want to repeat residency so then became PA's (!) because PAs can make craploads of money for less work.

If you have brit citizenship that might work. Another idea is that if you did your fellowship(s) in the US, you can fasttrack your progression through the UK hierarchy...but that would involve having to eventually return to the UK.

You can also go the aussie route, as going aussie could fulfill UK (or if you went to an Irish school, Irish membership). However, the new rule brought in this year is that all non-aussies have to take the Aussie entrance exam and possibly have to work in a rural place for awhile so the qualifications aren't as easy as before.

 

[sumina13]

hey. i just wanted to confirm one thing. even if you are a non-UK/non-EU UK med school grad, you will be eligible for foundation years in the same footing as a UK MBBS/MBChB graduate.

Excerpt from the General Medical Council Website: http://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/work_permits/faq_to_immigration_rules.asp

Overseas students will still be able to complete their undergraduate studies with a student visa. On graduation from a UK medical school they will be eligible to apply for leave to remain in the UK as a Postgraduate Doctor (permit-free training) to undertake a 2 year Foundation Programme and therefore to register with the General Medical Council. They will compete on an equal footing with UK and EEA resident graduates in the allocation of posts. It is important that this provision remains so that they have a transferable professional registration on completion of their studies. Following completion of the Foundation Programme, if they want to remain in the UK then they will have to switch into another category of the Immigration Rules, such as the work permit system.

 

[dr.op]

Some US residency programs may let you skip the intern year if you have previous work experience from UK/IE/AUS.