MBBS/FRCS wanting work in US

[pakdoc55]

Hello everybody,

I am an ophthalmologist who went to medical school in Pakistan and completed the rest of my training in England. I have been practicing for over 40 years outside of the United States but unfortunately due to volatile political situations have been forced to move to the US and live with my children.

Is there ANY way that I can get somewhat involved with the medical field over again? Are there loopholes in specific regions of the US that would allow me to apply for residencies without taking the USMLEs? I have a lot of experience with retina surgery in particular, and just do not want my qualifications and years of experience to go to waste and I feel like I am too old to begin completely at the bottom of the totem pole.

Thanks for your suggestions.

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[Slide]

If you want to do ophthalmology, you'll unfortunately be out of luck. All, if not almost all, ophthalmology residencies in the United States have to be ACGME-accredited, which means that you'll have to have taken all the USMLEs in order to be in residency. If anything, requirements have become more stringent. Even if you were able to take all of them and despite your training, most programs look for US graduates right out of medical school because there are way more qualified applicants than open spots. Almost all residencies (hate to generalize but it probably holds in this case) prefer US graduates, and even though you are very qualified, the requirements of any ACGME-accredited residency require the USMLEs to be taken. If you feel too old to go through this again (I know I would be if I were at your point in your life), you may have to consider other tracks like research. Sorry if this sounds a bit harsh but after being on both sides of the process, this is the truth and it's better to know what lies ahead of you.

 

[JMK2005]

You may want to ask some academic programs to sponsor you for clinical work.

 

[docta9]

If you just want to maintain your skills and help people, volunteering for missions where U.S. doctors go to other countries for short periods of time is a possibility. It may even be possible for you to live in another country and do retina for 2 months at a time, doing it one to two times a year. If you want to earn a living in the U.S., this would be difficult for someone nearly 70 years old because of having to take the USMLE then do a residency.

Ohio has a "certificate of conceded eminence may practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery only within the clinical setting of the academic medical center". Other states might have a similar type of license.

 

[pakdoc55]

If you just want to maintain your skills and help people, volunteering for missions where U.S. doctors go to other countries for short periods of time is a possibility. It may even be possible for you to live in another country and do retina for 2 months at a time, doing it one to two times a year. If you want to earn a living in the U.S., this would be difficult for someone nearly 70 years old because of having to take the USMLE then do a residency.

Ohio has a "certificate of conceded eminence may practice medicine and surgery or osteopathic medicine and surgery only within the clinical setting of the academic medical center". Other states might have a similar type of license.

I'm in my early 60s, but yes totally understand that the same point applies. Do you know more about this Ohio license? Would that mean I could work as a physician/surgeon?

 

[pakdoc55]

You may want to ask some academic programs to sponsor you for clinical work.

Thank you for replying to my question. Do you have any ideas on how to find such academic programs and what the process would entail? My lack of familiarity with the American medical system is obviously an obstacle that I will also need to overcome.

 

[docta9]

For Ohio: http://www.med.ohio.gov/Applicants/SpecialCertificates.aspx

I think you would have to work for a medical school or academic medical center, maybe like University of Cincinnati, University of Toledo, etc. If the chairman really wanted you, perhaps a position could be created for you. This might be too much to hope for but I don't really know.

Toledo used to have no ophthalmology department and one ophthalmologist working for the surgery department but this has changed. Now a private practice acts like an ophthalmology department.

 

[100D]

From what I hear, these special licenses are for international leaders in their fields with lengthy CVs, and deemed to be worth the many administrative and legal hurdles that the university will have to undergo to allow someone to practice without any US training.