Full international practice rights for DOs?

[TheCOXblocker]

I've heard that taking and passing the entire USMLE series gives DO's full international practicing rights. Does anyone know whether or not this is true?

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[pattr]

I've heard that taking and passing the entire USMLE series gives DO's full international practicing rights. Does anyone know whether or not this is true?

Not true... A DO is a DO no matter what licensing exams he/she takes. Your degree won't change even if you take all the USMLE steps and do ACGME (MD) residency, fellowship, etc.

All DO's have limited international practice rights.

 

[Dharma]

Not true... A DO is a DO no matter what licensing exams he/she takes. Your degree won't change even if you take all the USMLE steps and do ACGME (MD) residency, fellowship, etc.

All DO's have limited international practice rights.

As do MDs. International practicing rights serve up obstacles to all and the differences between MD and DO in this regard are minimal, in light of the difficulties both camps face in attaining licenses abroad. There are a few more countries open to MD grads but certainly not enough to whistle Dixie over.

 

[Textbookversion]

no degree in any country gives full international practice rights. unless you are doing free charity work, it doesn't matter whether you graduated from harvard or oxford you are going to have to jump through some hoops to work in another healthcare system.

 

[Mosonik]

Yes! I hope the responses to the OP clarify (at least for a few months) that a US granted MD is not a universal key to medical practice around the globe.

Most pre-meds debate this very topic all the time but considering almost none will ever practice independently overseas it is a completely irrelevant discussion. All agencies and NGOs that most will work through overseas are the ones that decide the legal rights of the physicians and I'm not aware of a single one that doesn't recognize the equivalence of DO and MD

 

[askamsky51]

Yes! I hope the responses to the OP clarify (at least for a few months) that a US granted MD is not a universal key to medical practice around the globe.

Most pre-meds debate this very topic all the time but considering almost none will ever practice independently overseas it is a completely irrelevant discussion. All agencies and NGOs that most will work through overseas are the ones that decide the legal rights of the physicians and I'm not aware of a single one that doesn't recognize the equivalence of DO and MD

While this is very true, MANY countries allow an MD degree to practice overseas on a temporary basis (ie 90 days or somesuch). I think this is the basis for argument amongst many pre neds

 

[DrEnderW]

While this is very true, MANY countries allow an MD degree to practice overseas on a temporary basis (ie 90 days or somesuch). I think this is the basis for argument amongst many pre neds

It's a weak argument because something like 65 countries don't limit DOs. I think that's a decent number of countries to choose from if you're passionate about practicing internationally/ serving some populations seriously in need.

It only doesn't make sense if you have 1 country in mind for personal reasons. For 99% of DOs, it's a non-issue.

 

[askamsky51]

It's a weak argument because something like 65 countries don't limit DOs. I think that's a decent number of countries to choose from if you're passionate about practicing internationally/ serving some populations seriously in need.

It only doesn't make sense if you have 1 country in mind for personal reasons. For 99% of DOs, it's a non-issue.

Definitely true. There are many countries to choose from. I was curious to do a bit of (quick) research just now. I count 51 countries with full rights. Though there are some really good/in need countries listed here. I'll share my findings for those who don't care to look up themselves:

Full scope = 51 countries

Some of these have stipulations or exams required prior to consideration--though admittedly these may also be required for US MD's as well. I wasn't that ambitious to look it up.

argentina
austrailia (as of 2013)
austria
bahamas
bahrain
bermuda
brazil (requires you to pass their boards to be recognized)
canada (requires acgme/canada residency in some provinces. while a couple provinces are OMM only)
central african republic
chile (following a board exam)
china
columbia
costa rica
dominican repub
ecuador
finland
gambia
germany
greece
grenada
guyana (on case by case basis.. whatever that means)
honduras
hong kong
israel
italy
kenya
lebanon
liberia (after oral boards and credentials test)
luxembourg
malta (exam required)
malawi
Mexico
micronesia
nepal
netherlands
new zealand (hearing required case by case)
nigeria
pakistan
panama
poland (exam required)
Russia
saint luca
saudi arabia
sierra leone
sweden
taiwan
tanzania
uganda
UAE (exam required)
UK
venezuela
vietnam
zambia

Limited scope = 7 countries

Zimbabwe (OMM only)
Barbados (OMM only)
France (OMM only)
indonesia (must be with affiliated university)
Jamaica ("some servies" while on medical mission)
Norway (OMM only)
South Africa (omm only)

 

[Siggy]

no degree in any country gives full international practice rights. unless you are doing free charity work, it doesn't matter whether you graduated from harvard or oxford you are going to have to jump through some hoops to work in another healthcare system.

If I remember correctly from when the AOA did the big international reciprocity survey, there was a country (one of the Caribbean countries IIRC) that only accepted applications from like 4 or 5 specific MD universities. Of course, again, how many people are actually looking for non-missionary (i.e. Doctors without Borders) style arrangements?

 

[Siggy]

Definitely true. There are many countries to choose from. I was curious to do a bit of (quick) research just now. I count 51 countries with full rights. Though there are some really good/in need countries listed here. I'll share my findings for those who don't care to look up themselves:

Full scope = 51 countries

Some of these have stipulations or exams required prior to consideration--though admittedly these may also be required for US MD's as well. I wasn't that ambitious to look it up.

<snip>
austrailia (as of 2013)

Australia was a bit funny when the AOA was asking around a number of years. IIRC, the original answer was "Um, no... and we're redoing how we do our licensing, so don't bug us right now," only to find that there was already a DO or 2 working in the country.

 

[costales]

Australia was a bit funny when the AOA was asking around a number of years. IIRC, the original answer was "Um, no... and we're redoing how we do our licensing, so don't bug us right now," only to find that there was already a DO or 2 working in the country.

Another fun fact: A US DO can practice full medicine but cannot call themselves an osteopath or osteopathic physician in Australia (because the Osteopathy Board of Australia does not recognize the US DO degree).

 

[Siggy]

Another fun fact: A US DO can practice full medicine but cannot call themselves an osteopath or osteopathic physician in Australia (because the Osteopathy Board of Australia does not recognize the US DO degree).

However, osteopaths (in contrast to osteopathic physicians) outside of the US don't practice full medicine anyways.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

However, osteopaths (in contrast to osteopathic physicians) outside of the US don't practice full medicine anyways.

Another glorious naming issue. In the US we're doctors. In the rest of the world chiropractors.