No Residency? Change from MD to DVM?

[angeldoc10]

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I would greatly appreciate it if anyone can give me some good imput regarding several questions and decisions I have. I am a very- non-traditional student. I am 53 and am in my 2nd semester of med school. Gone back after 35 years of raising a family and businesses to finish a dream. My original dream 35 years ago was a DVM, but now, also like MD just as much. I was accepted into Med School and Vet School.

I love med school and want very much to finish. Certainly the USMLE is daunting but I want to do Family Practice and have my own clinic. Not really interested in working with a hospital. However, that being said, I also like ER med. I am trying to get an ok to do some of my core rotations in my home town in Family Med (they have a Family Med Residency Program). Then I can come back and do some of my elective rotations there also- all this in HOPES that I can MATCh in my home town. My husband, all my 8 kids and 10 grandkids are in that area- I do not want to be anywhere else through the 3 years of residency. I am away now for the next 2 years as it is.

So here are my issues/questions:
1- Hopefully I will be able to match in my hometown- then no issues remain. BUT, if I do not, I do not want to move or make my husband quit his job to move to where my residency is. So here is my biggest question: Once I graduate in 2 1/2 years and earn my MD - do I have to do a residency? Can I just open my own clinic? Will a state license you without a resicency? (I am in Missouri). I realize it would not make you board certified, but does it mean you can't practice?
I would GREATLY appreciate all information regarding this no residency issue as I can get. Pros-Cons. If you go this route, are you also able to write full prescriptions? In other words, outside of not being able to be employed or work for a hospital, you in all other aspects would operate as an MD from your own clinic and could refer things you did not cover on?

My other question is this: Being also accepted into vet school, I would be totally done in 4 years. No residency. You are totally done and can go open your own clinic. Which means I am guaranteed of being where my family is. My concern here is that it does not seem that vets really make that much money today- avg of $75,000. That is not enough to pay off student loans or loans for your clinic. I have a very heavy business background so I am confident that I can do ok with my income. But it does seem that there are vets on every street corner. But the up side- is a guarantee to be in the town where I want to be.

So ANY help regarding what one can or can't do regarding Residency would be helpful. Also any information which is helpful about the best way to go about setting up your own rotations- core and elective. This would also insure I was in my home town much more during the last 2 years of med school. My hometown has a very large medical community as well as a teaching hospital in Family Med. So any tips, secrets, suggestions are all appreciated! 🙂

 

[Captain Fantastic]

So here is my biggest question: Once I graduate in 2 1/2 years and earn my MD - do I have to do a residency? Can I just open my own clinic? Will a state license you without a resicency? (I am in Missouri). I realize it would not make you board certified, but does it mean you can't practice?

To get a license in Missouri you have to complete one year of GME (graduate medical education...i.e., finish your intern year) and pass all three Step exams. After you've matched and completed your intern year I think you'll see that two more years to become board eligible is in your best interest.

Family Medicine is generally considered one of the easier specialties to match into and many Family Medicine departments love to keep "local" students.

 

[turquoiseblue]

So here are my issues/questions:
1- Hopefully I will be able to match in my hometown- then no issues remain. BUT, if I do not, I do not want to move or make my husband quit his job to move to where my residency is. So here is my biggest question: Once I graduate in 2 1/2 years and earn my MD - do I have to do a residency? Can I just open my own clinic? Will a state license you without a resicency? (I am in Missouri). I realize it would not make you board certified, but does it mean you can't practice?

You can't practice or open your own clinic as an MD without residency. I've seen a situation where you could be a boss and hire MD's (that finished residency and are board eligible/board certified) to work under you but it's a little tricky and may or may not work. You don't even have to be an MD to do stuff like that. you could be anyone, especially someone in business.

I would GREATLY appreciate all information regarding this no residency issue as I can get. Pros-Cons. If you go this route, are you also able to write full prescriptions? In other words, outside of not being able to be employed or work for a hospital, you in all other aspects would operate as an MD from your own clinic and could refer things you did not cover on?

You cannot write Rx as a fresh MD. You have to be licensed and that requires usually 1 year of residency (if you are a US grad) and 2 years of residency (if you are a international grad). You could finish a few years and then quit but the jobs for them are hard to come by. You can only do H and P's and write rx. you can't work in a hospital like you can if you finished residency. However you can earn an income of anywhere from $200,000 to less with just a license.

My other question is this: Being also accepted into vet school, I would be totally done in 4 years. No residency. You are totally done and can go open your own clinic. Which means I am guaranteed of being where my family is. My concern here is that it does not seem that vets really make that much money today- avg of $75,000. That is not enough to pay off student loans or loans for your clinic. I have a very heavy business background so I am confident that I can do ok with my income. But it does seem that there are vets on every street corner. But the up side- is a guarantee to be in the town where I want to be.

you would have to decide on your own what you truly want to do with your life, whether you care about location more or what you do with your life more.
I would say go for what you care about doing more than just basing your whole decision on where you'll end up in the end. you may end up unhappy. if you are a US grad you have plenty of chances to get into your desired location of hospital. if you are a foreign grad, getting your choice location may be more difficult.

good luck in your decision!

 

[smq123]

Cross posted in Veterinary. Please go there to post.