Residency in US and still no PGY 4 Canada,,?

[Crab]

Left canada in 2004 after trying for two years , to do IM residency in USA will be compliting 2007 want to move back and do PGY 4 as IM is 4 years in Canada,what are my chances ,Ontario still looks the same old way nothing for IMG's ,did my evaluating in 2003.IS rest of Canada open in this scnerio..?

Is there any real hope or should bring my family here...?
Any good advice😕

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[pattycanuck]

I wish I could give some advice, but, it is I gather not just an Ontario thing, but a NATIONAL issue. The bain of concern for many IMG's who go to the US for their residency is that the vast majority of residencies are less in the amount of time compared to their Canadian counterparts. This is not a rule put in place by the provinces, but rather the college (RCPSC) and their related specialties. I think that vis a vis, the situation is not the same for FM as many programs in the US are 2-3 years and it is 2 in Canada.

I know that many of my classmates who went to the US are finishing up in the next few years (I graduated in 2003) and will have major problems getting back in as a full-time attending specialist. As you may already know, once you are finished your residency (on what is probably your J-1 visa), you are booted out of the US only to come back to Canada for a minimum of 2 years (unless you receive the evasive H1-B visa); not fun to not practice in Canada while either: a) doing more "work" as a fellow at a cheap salary rate, and/or b) knit all day 🙁

That is the reason I didn't choose the US route and knowing that my school of medicine had one of the best probabilities for matching in Canada compared to all other IMG schools also sealed my fate.

I wish I could give you better news.

NOTE: as I have eluded to in another post, we had a discussion with one of the head personnel of the CPSO (Ontario). He indicated that if the USMLE 1,2,3 are all done before coming to Canada, they are seen as EQUAL exams when trying to practice in Ontario for registration purposes and thus you don't have to do the MCCEE/QE1/QE2. I don't think it will be an issue as virtually every Canadian who has gone abroad has had to write the MCCEE to get their "Statement of Need" letter from Health Canada to get into a residency in the US. As he also indicated, when one province does something, all follow suit in due time.

 

[firetown]

Left canada in 2004 after trying for two years , to do IM residency in USA will be compliting 2007 want to move back and do PGY 4 as IM is 4 years in Canada,what are my chances ,Ontario still looks the same old way nothing for IMG's ,did my evaluating in 2003.IS rest of Canada open in this scnerio..?

Is there any real hope or should bring my family here...?
Any good advice😕

Check the Ontario IMG website and also check the Ministry of Health and Long erm care website in Ontario. There is a repatration program for people just like you which provides up to 2 years in extra training. You should have no problem qualifying for this program.

 

[Canadian Bacon]

I'm in the same position as most of you. I'm doing my IM residency in the US; and I'd like to come back to Ontario to practice. But everyone tells me that since IM is 4 years in Cananda you can't go back.

Well I called the RCPSC (who administer the Canadian board certifying exams), and told them i'm doing my IM residency in the States. The agent said that you either have to do: A) an extra year of training at my residency (do a cheif-year) OR B) if I'm doing a fellowship after 3years of IM, my first year of fellowship training can be used to complete that 4th year requirement.

I also went to the rcpsc website and checked the requirments to sit the IM exam, and it says the samething. All I'm saying is that isn't impossible....

 

[pattycanuck]

All I'm saying is that isn't impossible....

Are you a Canadian grad or an IMG? I would gather that staying in the US for a Canadian grad isn't as hard (or subject to conditions) as for IMGs.

In regard to staying after your J-1 runs out (based on the conditions and time of your initial residency), do you have to come back to Canada as well, or can you stay and easily get an H-1B?

Coming back AND practicing vs just coming back ... the classic "IMG and residency trained-in-the-US" predicament 🙁

 

[Who M.D.]

I also went to the rcpsc website and checked the requirments to sit the IM exam, and it says the samething. All I'm saying is that isn't impossible....

Where on the web site does one find this information? I'm currently studying medicine internationally and want to specialize in community medicine. I'm wondering how difficult it will be to do a preventive medicine residency in the US and then get licensed in Canada with that.

 

[nde]

hi WHO M.D, What I know is that there are only 2 places available for IMG in Canada in community medecine for about 17 places for CMG

 

[Kakoshi]

Hey Crab,
Where did you do medical school? If it's in Canada or the States you won't be considered an IMG. I know Canada is dying for general internists so doing that PGY 4 year will be VERY easy. You could almost write your ticket anywhere. The nice thing about general internal in Canada is that they don't do as much primary care. You need a GP referrral to see them as opposed to the US.
I know the Canadian PGY 4 match or the R4 match as we call it just finished so you should be able to contact various schools around about doing your PGY 4 year back here. I've even met IMG's who've done med school outside North American (read that the Caribbean), done IM in the US and then got some relatively atypical residencies such as Cardiology (albeit in a not so nice area of Canada) and nephro. So since you've been American trained you do stand a good chance of coming back and doing fellowship in Canada.

 

[JBA]

I wish I could give some advice, but, it is I gather not just an Ontario thing, but a NATIONAL issue. The bain of concern for many IMG's who go to the US for their residency is that the vast majority of residencies are less in the amount of time compared to their Canadian counterparts. This is not a rule put in place by the provinces, but rather the college (RCPSC) and their related specialties. I think that vis a vis, the situation is not the same for FM as many programs in the US are 2-3 years and it is 2 in Canada.

I know that many of my classmates who went to the US are finishing up in the next few years (I graduated in 2003) and will have major problems getting back in as a full-time attending specialist. As you may already know, once you are finished your residency (on what is probably your J-1 visa), you are booted out of the US only to come back to Canada for a minimum of 2 years (unless you receive the evasive H1-B visa); not fun to not practice in Canada while either: a) doing more "work" as a fellow at a cheap salary rate, and/or b) knit all day 🙁

That is the reason I didn't choose the US route and knowing that my school of medicine had one of the best probabilities for matching in Canada compared to all other IMG schools also sealed my fate.

I wish I could give you better news.

NOTE: as I have eluded to in another post, we had a discussion with one of the head personnel of the CPSO (Ontario). He indicated that if the USMLE 1,2,3 are all done before coming to Canada, they are seen as EQUAL exams when trying to practice in Ontario for registration purposes and thus you don't have to do the MCCEE/QE1/QE2. I don't think it will be an issue as virtually every Canadian who has gone abroad has had to write the MCCEE to get their "Statement of Need" letter from Health Canada to get into a residency in the US. As he also indicated, when one province does something, all follow suit in due time.

Just curious.....where did you find this fact? I didn't know there were such records kept. I'd like to see where my school fits into it all.