Is it possible to become a physician in the US but practice in another country?

[guppy3]

I have been playing the idea of moving to the UK later in life, once my parents have left the US to return to their home country and my younger siblings have graduated college (about 6-8 years later). I do not feel ready to make such an important decision now, especially since I will not start my study abroad in the UK for a little while, but I was wondering if there is the flexibility to do this if I should choose to do so in the future.

I did think of applying to medical school in the UK but besides the price and the fact that I have no family there, I would already be at least four years older than all the medical students there since they typically start right out of high school and I would have to essentially redo undergrad courses in addition to medical school, etc. It's too much of a commitment to decide right now that I want to practice in another country so I am more concerned with having the option later.

In any case, if I did want to make that decision later on, is it possible to be able to make that move in medicine? At what stage would I be able to do that? Is there any way to do a residency in another country? Or to do a rotation in another country? Does anyone know of doctors who were able to successfully make that transition to another country, and at what stage?

Thanks!

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[ILikeDrugs]

The MD is recognized all over the world. Of course you'd ahve to get your license in that country.

 

[venacontracta]

The MD is recognized all over the world. Of course you'd ahve to get your license in that country.

It's not like an American MD is an automatic ticket to get a medical license in any country. Practicing in another country than the one you trained in involves jumping through enough hoops that it might be worth taking some time off to do a "fellowship" to develop your hoop-jumping skills.

But in the end, doing what you want to do is probably possible.

Do you have dual citizenship?

 

[IDreamtIChased]

An MD from U.S. is recognized all over the world (after a few exams and such)

 

[ILikeDrugs]

It's not like an American MD is an automatic ticket to get a medical license in any country.

Duh.