International student: Canada or US?

[Julia91]

Hello everyone,

I'm currently in my grade 11 year of high school in a Canadian public school as an exchange student. I now have the opportunity to extend my stay here and get both my OSSD (Ontario Secondary School Diploma) and my IB Diploma, and I have to decide whether it would be better to stay here and keep going with my studies or go back to my country of origin, where I would have more access to the medical field (due to networking) and cheaper education. I know you can't help me with that one - it's too personal.
However, I'd like to know your opinions concerning being a doctor in the US or in Canada, pros and cons, where is undergrad/med school better...

Since I have neither Canadian nor American citizenship, tuition fees would be expensive in both countries, but Canada really has fees that are considerably lower. Is it worth it to be a Canadian doctor? I really like the country, but I've heard stories that the government doesn't give physicians here as much as they should (even with the shortage), and I don't want to work really hard all the way from undergrad to fellowship and not live comfortably enough (have my own house by my late 30s, be able to pay off my kids' education, maybe go somewhere on vacation every year).

I know I'd have to become a citizen or PR at some point, but what I want to know is: considering level of education and satisfaction with the profession, which country would you consider better to live in? Personal experiences would help a lot.

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[tennisball80]

We are on the same boat. I'm an international student too. I'm planning going to the U.S because Canada is simply too cold for me.

How about you ?

 

[tennisball80]

If you can get into a med school in your home country easily, go for it. As a non cizizen/permanent reisdent like me, you will have slim chance.

For me, getting into a med school in my country is extremely hard so that's why I decided going to the U.S and become an international student. Both dead ends for me but I'm going to give a shot.

 

[phorun]

Keep in mind what country you want to practice in. Do you want to work in your country of origin, in Canada or in the US. I know that if you want to practice in Canada, but have foreign training (including US) there is a lot of nonsense you have to deal with. I'm not sure if those problems would reciprocate to the US and your country of origin.

 

[Thrombomodulin]

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[Julia91]

I want to live in either Canada or the US (not my country of origin), and I know that to do so I have to be trained in those countries.

What are the differences in being a doctor in Canada or the US? My hostfamily says that pretty much all the doctors here work for the public system, and for that don't get paid as much as US private doctors do - however, I don't know to what extent that is true. That's not my major concern: I just want to know if doctors in Canada feel that practicing here is worth it or if they'd have gone to the US if they have had the chance, and why.