Moving to Europe after Medical School Education

[kisa411]

Hello SDN! : )

I'm writing this post because I need help deciding my course of action for the next few years. So my current situation is this:

I'm a third year undergraduate student studying as a pre-med major (or pre-professional as my school calls it), and I'm finished with all of the basic requirements in order to get into an American medical school (required courses, 32 MCAT, 3.8 GPA). The thing is though, this semester I'm studying abroad in London and going around Europe has made me really want to move to Europe and actually become an EU citizen sometime in the future.

The only problem is that I just don't know whether I should continue my studies in an American medical school or an European medical school - which one would be better to finish my degree in if I want to go work and live in Europe in the future? I did some research online and there are some Eastern European (and a few Western European) medical schools that provide 4-year programs for students who already have a bachelor's degree, but compared to the quality of education in American medical schools such schools seem a bit low. : (

I was thinking of getting my MD in America and then maybe doing a residency in Europe somewhere, but is it difficult to obtain a residency in Europe with an American MD? What about getting a job in Europe after completing an European residency?

Also, I don't know if this is relevant at all but my legal situation is that I'm a South Korean citizen and American permanent resident, and I don't have any European ancestry in my family so it would be quite difficult for me to obtain an EU citizenship by proving some kind of European ancestry.

Thanks for any help that you guys might be able to offer!!! 🙂

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[Lucca]

If you want to practice in Europe, you should go to a European medical school.

 

[whatbout2morrow]

Hello SDN! : )

I'm writing this post because I need help deciding my course of action for the next few years. So my current situation is this:

I'm a third year undergraduate student studying as a pre-med major (or pre-professional as my school calls it), and I'm finished with all of the basic requirements in order to get into an American medical school (required courses, 32 MCAT, 3.8 GPA). The thing is though, this semester I'm studying abroad in London and going around Europe has made me really want to move to Europe and actually become an EU citizen sometime in the future.

The only problem is that I just don't know whether I should continue my studies in an American medical school or an European medical school - which one would be better to finish my degree in if I want to go work and live in Europe in the future? I did some research online and there are some Eastern European (and a few Western European) medical schools that provide 4-year programs for students who already have a bachelor's degree, but compared to the quality of education in American medical schools such schools seem a bit low. : (

I was thinking of getting my MD in America and then maybe doing a residency in Europe somewhere, but is it difficult to obtain a residency in Europe with an American MD? What about getting a job in Europe after completing an European residency?

Also, I don't know if this is relevant at all but my legal situation is that I'm a South Korean citizen and American permanent resident, and I don't have any European ancestry in my family so it would be quite difficult for me to obtain an EU citizenship by proving some kind of European ancestry.

Thanks for any help that you guys might be able to offer!!! 🙂

From what I've read about how things are done in the UK, foreigners who complete their medical education in the UK get preference over foreign MDs for post graduate education purposes. Don't know how things are in other EU countries.

Helpful links:

http://bma.org.uk/practical-support...new-to-the-uk/access-to-postgraduate-training

http://www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/pages/home/Tier-4-Visas

 

[Keladry]

If there's any chance that you might ever want to practice in the US, do med school and residency here. It's almost always easier to practice in another country with a US MD/residency than to do the opposite. I know several doctors who've lived/worked in England for a while after they did their residencies in the US. I don't know the details of the process, but it's definitely possible (especially because they have a shortage of several specialists, due to enormous differences in reimbursement compared to here). Just keep in mind if you do a non-US MD/residency, and then decide you want to practice here, the process you have to go through sucks a whole lot more.

 

[Gregor Wiesmann]

European schools are way cheaper anyways, so if you plan to live over there, then why not do it? Heck, I'm even considering that!

 

[allantois]

European doctors do not get paid anywhere as much as American doctors (think of your debt).

Congratulations on wasting time on your undergrad education as you do not need a bachelors degree to enter medical schools in Europe (except for a few places in UK).

Medical education systems are very different in different countries (even within Europe) and medicine is truly not a career where you can easily go from one country to another to practice.

 

[PlasticBag]

As you may know, medical education in the UK is six years long and starts at an undergrad level (3 years) and continues for the next 3 years beyond that. However, there are a few graduate medical degrees for people who join medicine a bit later. I believe they are 4 years long and you need a bachelor's degree in some scientific field. So I would recommend finishing your degree in the US and then looking into those graduate programs in the UK. Anywhere else in the EU will probably take you six years minimum. Also, it might be just my impression, but a British degree might be slightly more transferrable abroad.

 

[Keladry]

As you may know, medical education in the UK is six years long and starts at an undergrad level (3 years) and continues for the next 3 years beyond that. However, there are a few graduate medical degrees for people who join medicine a bit later. I believe they are 4 years long and you need a bachelor's degree in some scientific field. So I would recommend finishing your degree in the US and then looking into those graduate programs in the UK. Anywhere else in the EU will probably take you six years minimum. Also, it might be just my impression, but a British degree might be slightly more transferrable abroad.

This is true, but keep in mind that if you aren't a UK or EU resident (they care less about citizenship than residency), there's pretty much no financial aid available AND tuition shoots up to near-US levels for non-EU people. And you're not gonna make enough money over there to pay it back, as previously mentioned. That's why it might be easier to do MD/residency here, work for a while to pay off your loans, then head abroad if you really want to.