Is it difficuklt for a DO dermatologist to relocate to Canada?

[Kannen1979]

HI, I am a US osteopathic physician going into dermatology. I know that D.O.'s are recognized by Canada, but I am wondering how hard it is to get an attending-level job there once I finish residency? Are there any special hoops to jump through? Thanks.

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[bravotwozero]

for your residency training to be recognized, it has to be either ACGME, or dual ACGME/AOA accredited, with board certification. Completion of an AOA only approved residency means nothing in canada and will get you absolutely nowhere in that country.

 

[cbest]

You may have to complete the Medical Council of Canada exams (MCCEE, MCCQE 1 and 2) as well as the Canadian dermatology board certification exams. As previously mentioned, DOs have to complete an ACGME or dually accredited residency. If you did complete an AOA residency, I'd be interested to see if you could plead your case in front of a provincial licensing committee... it seems bizzare that Canada continues to turn away well-trained physicians!

 

[Kakoshi]

I remember from my clerkship years there was an American trained Canadian dermatologist. Did his MD in Canada and trained at some famous US school so I can't help you with the DO issue or the DO residency vs MD residency. He had to do an extra year of internal med/peds before being allowed to write the Canadian derm exam. Derm residents in Canada do 5 years as compared to 4 years in the US. Although I know that some do an extra year because of other reasons.
Kinda sad to see some 5th year derm resident doing lasix orders on CHF patients. Plus side though was that we never had a rash he couldn't figure out.
Apparently the only way around that was to be hired by the University but you'll have a limited license and won't be able to do the more lucrative stuff outside of the University setting.

 

[PistolPete]

Yeah, it's definitely a huge pain for those specialties where length of training is not equivalent between US and Canadian residency programs. It's simply more hoops that the Canadian government wants Canadian US-trained physicians to jump through, and I think it's a reason why many great docs stay in the US rather than come back to Canada. Too bad.