changing my last name - male

[Trogghunter]

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Due to immigrant problems, my last name isn't what it was before moving to america. Would it be a big issue to have it changed before or after residency? I've always thought of doing this, and I know that id have to go through the licensing boards. Any for seen complications relating to physicians?

 

[Smurfette]

Do it before residency so your med school diploma has your new name on it...it will cause less problems and if you do it before residency, then you will always have medical licenses, DEA#s, etc. under the same name, rather than 2 different names and the hassle of trying to change all those over and explain the multiple licenses under different names in the future.

Keep a copy of the legal paperwork as many states will request name change paperwork as part of the licensing process.

 

[ArkansasHogMD]

Due to immigrant problems, my last name isn't what it was before moving to america. Would it be a big issue to have it changed before or after residency? I've always thought of doing this, and I know that id have to go through the licensing boards. Any for seen complications relating to physicians?

What exactly does "due of immigrant problems" mean? It almost sounds like you changed your name to escape immigration issues.

 

[shopsteward]

What exactly does "due of immigrant problems" mean? It almost sounds like you changed your name to escape immigration issues.

Ellis Island still in operation?

 

[wholeheartedly]

What exactly does "due of immigrant problems" mean? It almost sounds like you changed your name to escape immigration issues.

Don't know exactly what the OP is referring to and could be way off here, but I interpreted that as perhaps an issue with how Americans perceive the name ie post 9/11 stigma maybe?

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

Why all the hostility?

Have you all gone through the immigration process in the US. It sucks. Sometimes what you think of as your last name doesn't match what the US gov't wants to think of as your last name via birth certificates, marriages, etc.

 

[ActionFigure]

I have a friend who had the same problem. His family emigrated from an Asian country to Texas, and the judge forced his family to change their last name because there were already "too many people with that last name." So his family was forced to take the last name of their trade...like the "blacksmiths"

 

[ArkansasHogMD]

I have a friend who had the same problem. His family emigrated from an Asian country to Texas, and the judge forced his family to change their last name because there were already "too many people with that last name." So his family was forced to take the last name tailor, cause they were tailors back in their old country

That's interesting. Never knew someone could force you to have a different last name.

 

[ArkansasHogMD]

Why all the hostility?

Have you all gone through the immigration process in the US. It sucks. Sometimes what you think of as your last name doesn't match what the US gov't wants to think of as your last name via birth certificates, marriages, etc.

I thank you for going through this process. I find it disrespectful to people like yourself who went through the process legally, while millions of people have illegally immigrated to the U.S. without going through that process and now expect to be given the same citizenship.

 

[Trogghunter]

Op here. I immigrated from europe with some family and was adopted at 5yo and had my name changed. We became estranged with the adopting family at 11, but the new last name has stuck for simplicity. Long story. Basically, I'm the last male on both sides of my family.
I agree that legal immigration sucks. My adopting family couldn't get me citizenship, and I had to go through ins on my own after 13years of limbo. Funny thing, they offer a Spanish translator on the immigration test.

 

[rbnsafsadgf]

I thank you for going through this process. I find it disrespectful to people like yourself who went through the process legally, while millions of people have illegally immigrated to the U.S. without going through that process and now expect to be given the same citizenship.

I don't think it is disrespectful. I think the system is very broken. We had to hire a lawyer as two graduate level people with English as a first language to complete a "simple" application. It came to 176 pages with the supporting documents. We had it easy compared to what many people have to go through. We did it all by the book but were still "illegal" or undocumented for a period of time. They are us, buddy.