ERAS: Question about License

[Prop]

Hi all,

So I'm in the process of getting my ERAS application put together, and I have some questions I hope some of You can answer.

I'm an IMG, with a full license to practice medicine in my home country. Should I put this under the tab "Medical Licenses", or just mention it in my PS? Since my license isn't from the US or a US territory, how should I fill in "state"?

Some programs require 1 year of clinical experience in the US or UK - do You think that any western European country would suffice (ie. instead of UK experience, experience from Germany, France, Sweden etc)? When writing to program coordinators, they don't answer this question. I understand that clinical experience from Europe isn't considered equivalent of US clinical experience, but when they state that UK experience is acceptable, I would think experience from another Western European country would be ok.

And another - this time stupid - question. I noticed that many programs ask for both a complete ERAS application and a CV. My guess is that the CV is automatically generated from the ERAS application - is that correct?

Thanks,
Prop

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[NotAProgDirector]

Hi all,

So I'm in the process of getting my ERAS application put together, and I have some questions I hope some of You can answer.

I'm an IMG, with a full license to practice medicine in my home country. Should I put this under the tab "Medical Licenses", or just mention it in my PS? Since my license isn't from the US or a US territory, how should I fill in "state"?

The ERAS worksheet is clear that you should only list US State licenses here.

Some programs require 1 year of clinical experience in the US or UK - do You think that any western European country would suffice (ie. instead of UK experience, experience from Germany, France, Sweden etc)? When writing to program coordinators, they don't answer this question. I understand that clinical experience from Europe isn't considered equivalent of US clinical experience, but when they state that UK experience is acceptable, I would think experience from another Western European country would be ok.

It's probably OK, but will depend by program. Since you tried to get answers but were unable to, you'll simply have to apply and see what happens.

And another - this time stupid - question. I noticed that many programs ask for both a complete ERAS application and a CV. My guess is that the CV is automatically generated from the ERAS application - is that correct?

Yes, there is no way to upload a CV into ERAS.

 

[Law2Doc]

...
Some programs require 1 year of clinical experience in the US or UK - do You think that any western European country would suffice (ie. instead of UK experience, experience from Germany, France, Sweden etc)? When writing to program coordinators, they don't answer this question. I understand that clinical experience from Europe isn't considered equivalent of US clinical experience, but when they state that UK experience is acceptable, I would think experience from another Western European country would be ok....

Well they speak English in the UK, and not in Germany, France, Sweden, etc. One PD concern with IMGs is always communication skills with our predominantly english speaking patients. Broken english and thick accents can hinder your ability to deal with US patient population, who aren't always the greatest linguists to start with. So I wouldn't say that if a place requires US or UK, they are okay with all of Europe. They are clearly delineating based on a common language here. US, Canada, the UK and Australia all share a common language, and the rest of Europe is thus not going to be regarded as equivalent even if the healthcare system in Germany is a lot closer to that in the UK than the UK system is to the US. Such is life.

Truth of the matter is that most US programs really want you to have spent some time working under the US system. There is already a steep learning curve and the US trained med students have a leg up because they all did sub-Is here and "worked" under this system the last two years of their med school. And as you know a lot of being a resident has nothing to do with having practiced medicine before and a lot to do with being able to work well within the system. Which is why PDs have a strong bias toward US savvy folks. They know the system. They tend to thus cause the PDs fewer headaches.

 

[Prop]

Thanks aPD and L2D for Your answers, I really appreciate it.

I guess I agree with L2D that there is a distinction between the UK and the rest of Europe when considering language. I also understand that fluency is important when starting residency, and I do understand PDs concern with an IMGs English fluency.
Where I live now, we have a lot of MDs from Eastern Europe, especially in psychiatry. It's a big problem considering the importance of good communication between the doctor and patients.

I'm pretty much fluent in spoken English, so I just hope that I'll be granted some interviews so I can prove it to the PDs...