Residency in Australia for IMGs? How?

[ziamj]

Hi, I'm an Afghan 7th year medical student in Iran and I'm doing my internship now. I was thinking of doing my residency in Aus. I know that you must pass AMC exams and be a permanent resident and it's still hard to find a residency place such as dermatology as an IMG. So what do you do?
I heard that some guys looking for a residency places without monthly payment and salary. But; Are there any scholarships for IMGs that cover costs of residency years (probable tuition fee, accommodation and living costs …)?
Are there other ways for IMGs to get into your popular specialty? What is the chance of getting into your dreamy specialty such as ophthalmology or dermatology by all means at all?
.Thanks for answering..

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[shan564]

At this point, the door is essentially closed in Australia to all IMGs, regardless of the specialty. They don't even have enough internship places for all of the people who graduate within Australia.

You might have a shot if you can get them to recognize your internship.

 

[sarahmed]

At this point, the door is essentially closed in Australia to all IMGs, regardless of the specialty. They don't even have enough internship places for all of the people who graduate within Australia.

You mean Australia is not an option for IMGs anymore at all? I thought we were looking at a brighter picture atleast till 2010/2011..

 

[Alphonsine]

You mean Australia is not an option for IMGs anymore at all? I thought we were looking at a brighter picture atleast till 2010/2011..

Yeah but by the time you get here, take your exams, do some clinical work, find a job, settle down, it'll be 2010/2011 at the very least.

 

[shan564]

You mean Australia is not an option for IMGs anymore at all? I thought we were looking at a brighter picture atleast till 2010/2011..

2010 is only four months away. The applications for 2010 are already closed. In 2011, there will essentially be nothing. You could try to come here and get PR, but it'll be a long process.

 

[CaptainBluebear]

There are no unpaid residency places.

 

[ziamj]

2010 is only four months away. The applications for 2010 are already closed. In 2011, there will essentially be nothing. You could try to come here and get PR, but it'll be a long process.

Thanks everyone. So what are our choices as an IMG?
1- finish your dreamy specialty (ex. Ophthalmology) in home country then come to Aus. after 4 years? Are there any restriction or problem with that?
2- come to Aus. and work as GP forever? (first in area of need then every where you want)?
3- .... (any suggestion)?

 

[redshifteffect]

Ophthalmology is an an extremely competitive program to get into. Even Australians have a tough time getting into it. I would say that as a fresh graduate your chance of getting into it are very low. However that being said good luck, and that shouldn't deter you from applying, since you never know.

 

[CaptainBluebear]

Thanks everyone. So what are our choices as an IMG?
1- finish your dreamy specialty (ex. Ophthalmology) in home country then come to Aus. after 4 years? Are there any restriction or problem with that?
2- come to Aus. and work as GP forever? (first in area of need then every where you want)?
3- .... (any suggestion)?

1- Your qualification may not be recognised by the relevant college. You should contact the Australian college of whatever specialty you want to work in, to see what the restrictions would be.
2- GP is also a specialty in Australia. You need to apply, do the training program as a registrar and do the exams and finish the same as every other specialty.

My suggestion? Only move to Australia if you really, really want to live here. Things are going to get nasty in the next few years - look at what has happened in the UK to the local graduates and particularly to the IMGs there in the past two or three years. We are heading down that path.
I would not recommend it as a good move unless you really, specifically wanted to live in Australia and were happy to live wherever there was work, take whatever work you could get, and risk being deported instantly if things weren't going so well at work.
(This is not the land of milk and honey. You can quite easily be sacked and given 28 days notice to leave the country if you aren't living up to management's expectations. I'm not exaggerating - please seriously consider the implications of this.)

 

[bluesdude]

Hi, I'm an Afghan 7th year medical student in Iran and I'm doing my internship now. I was thinking of doing my residency in Aus. I know that you must pass AMC exams and be a permanent resident and it's still hard to find a residency place such as dermatology as an IMG. So what do you do?
I heard that some guys looking for a residency places without monthly payment and salary. But; Are there any scholarships for IMGs that cover costs of residency years (probable tuition fee, accommodation and living costs …)?
Are there other ways for IMGs to get into your popular specialty? What is the chance of getting into your dreamy specialty such as ophthalmology or dermatology by all means at all?
.Thanks for answering..

1.Resident in Australia dosesn't quite have the same meaning that it has in Iran.In Australia,you could be a resident and not be in a specialty training at all.
2.If get a job as resident,you'll get paid.You won't need a scholarship.
3.Chance of getting into derm or ophth for IMG's:close to zero
4.I would suggest going through the australian medical council website

 

[shan564]

Zia: at this point, you'd be lucky to even get a first-year internship, which is a requirement for practicing medicine in any field. If you were to get an internship, you might have a shot at specializing in a "dreamy" field... but at this point, it's difficult to get an internship even if you're a foreign national who graduated from an Australian medical school (most of us just plan on going to the US, where there are still spaces available).

In other words, if you didn't graduate in Australia, don't get your hopes up about practicing in Australia... regardless of your specialty. Even as a GP, it'll be hard to get in.

 

[JanikeyDoc]

Actually many British doctors work in Australia and teach in Australian universities. The dean of UQ is British. British doctors, along with Irish and South Africans usually have few problems being able to work in Australia.

 

[CaptainBluebear]

Actually many British doctors work in Australia and teach in Australian universities. The dean of UQ is British. British doctors, along with Irish and South Africans usually have few problems being able to work in Australia.

They aren't having problems right now. However, the interns next year wouldn't be able to get in, regardless of where they are from. Those who are consultants or higher on in their training (as in registrars) will still be able to get in for the next two or three years until the current tsunami of Australian graduates catches up, but that is it.
The working situation in the UK is the reason a lot of UK graduates have gone overseas recently and found work in countries other than their own. IMGs over there who were already working were sent packing because there weren't enough jobs for the local trainees. We are going to be in a situation that is not dissimilar. Being prepared is sensible.
Many of the English doctors (and other nationalities) will have been here for a couple of years, gained citizenship and full qualifications before the big tsunami hits, so they will be fine. The main problem in the short-term future (and this is the main question in this thread) is that interns/residents who are IMGs will have a very hard time even getting here to start with, irrespective of whatever "dreamy" specialty they want to work in.

I'm quite concerned for many of the IMGs who are already here, as they are hard workers who are lovely people and have been filling a much-needed role for years. Effectively they are being used by the government, and have no guarantees. Even if you become an Australian citizen, you will still be classed as an IMG.