Residency FROM abroad

[MisterClean]

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OK guys I'm sure there has been plenties of threads like this but I swear I havent been capable of finding one that fulfilled my curiosity..

The point is: I'm an italian medical student in Italy (I've read of many and many american guys willing to GO to italy, thats why I haven't found a proper answer) and the time has come to think what to do after graduation; I've had a look around but infos are not always precise, so I'm asking here in case any of you could finally explain me crystal clear the steps I've to take to specialize in US once I graduate here in Italy. For those of you who ignore it, Italy's medicine program is made of a 6-years general medicine course and an optional 4-5 years specialization.

I'm not scared about the exams to convalidate my EU degree, as the one thing I'm really scared about is the high cost of the annual fee (is it really like $40.000? what's the difference between public and private university?); being things like that I guess it would be better to specialize here in Italy then move to US looking for a job. And that's the next question: how do I apply for a job there? how's the medicine market? Which are the most requested specializations? etc..

I thank in advance everyone who could help me clarify this mess..👍


P.S.:I apologize again if I've written this on the wrong spot, admins are free to move or cancel it.

 

[TexasPhysician]

You can't get a job in the US without specializing in the US.

 

[BolderNewfy]

I think you would have to take the USMLE step 1, step 2 and step 3, and USMLE step 2 CS which is a skills exam. I may be wrong but after that you just have to deal with visa issues and getting a program to accept you for residency. You would then have to complete a residency program and then pass the board certification exam of your specialty. I would say your looking at 4-5 years minimum before you are a board certified US physician allowed to practice in the us.

Why would anyone who is sane want to practice medicine in the US? Stay in Italy dude, your way better off......

 

[NotAProgDirector]

The above is correct (perhaps except the "Medicine in the US sucks" part)

You would (not in any order)
Graduate from medical school in Italy.
Take USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK, and Step 2 CS. Each of these costs about $1000-1500.

You would then get ECFMG certified. (To be fair, you could get ECFMG certified if you passed all three exams and were scheduled to graduate before July 1st). This doesn't cost much, and is essentially automatic once you pass the exams and graduate from an approved medical school.

Then, you'd apply for a residency in the US. Residency trains you to be a general physician in your field of choice -- medicine, peds, OB, psych, pathology, surgery, ortho, neuro, etc. Some "specialized" fields are actually base residencies (like orthopedic surgery). You apply via the NRMP match. Getting a spot as an international grad is not easy -- you should look at the IMG forum about this discussion. It would be best if you did a US clinical rotation in your final year of medical school -- this can be expensive, and many US medical schools require that you've passed Step 1 to do so.

Part of the application process is dealing with a visa. There are two types, H and J. There's a great thread in the IMG forum stickied to the top that explains the difference.

Assuming you get a spot, you then complete 3-5+ years in your base residency program. Residency is a job, and you get paid to do it. Most starting salaries are in the $45K - $55K range. After completing that, you then might decide to apply for a subspecialty (like Cardiology, Pulmonary, Sports medicine, Criticl care, etc). What subspecialties are available to you depends upon your base residency. Doing a subspecialty is optional -- you'd be able to practice in the US with just a base residency.

Foreign training does not count for anything in the US. Either you do all of your training here, or you can't work as a physician here at all.

So, most of the cost is in the USMLE exams, US clinical rotations, the application process, and the travel for interviewing.