UK Med Student -> General Surgery Residency in U.S

[Blitz2006]

Hey,

I'm considering doing medical school in UK/Ireland. How realistic would it be for me to come back in 5 years and do a General Surgery residency in the U.S?

Replies appreciated, thanks.

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[mmed]

Hey,

I'm considering doing medical school in UK/Ireland. How realistic would it be for me to come back in 5 years and do a General Surgery residency in the U.S?

Replies appreciated, thanks.

Pass USMLE exams (step1, step2 CK and CS), get ECFMG certificate, and apply for a residency position after graduation. General surgery is not that competitive at least now, what happened after 5 years, no one knows. Explore www.ecfmg.org and www.usmle.org

 

[filter07]

I would try to get an allopathic US spot. General surgery is actually competitive now. The high number of unmatched applicants and low numbers of unmatched programs over the last few years is a testament to that. I also get the impression that General Surgery is very old school and not too thrilled about DOs or foreign graduates, aside from its nadir in 2002-2003. I think it's possible but it will be an uphill struggle.

 

[Scottish Chap]

Hey,

I'm considering doing medical school in UK/Ireland. How realistic would it be for me to come back in 5 years and do a General Surgery residency in the U.S?

Replies appreciated, thanks.

Didn't you ask this already on http://www.newmediamedicine.com today?

 

[Winged Scapula]

General surgery is not that competitive at least now, what happened after 5 years, no one knows.

While it is true that no one knows what the situation will be in 5 years, you might wish to update your current knowledge on the competitiveness of General Surgery. Last year in the match there was only 1 unfilled position for a Categorical spot. The last two years have seen an upsurge in applications and the quality of the applicants; it is one of the more competitive matches now.

 

[Blitz2006]

Thanks guys,

So I guess then my follow-up question is:

What are the less competitive specialities? Just trying to figure out what my options are, thanks.

 

[physicsnerd42]

Thanks guys,

So I guess then my follow-up question is:

What are the less competitive specialities? Just trying to figure out what my options are, thanks.

Okay, I have limited understanding of the competitiveness of residencies (since I'm just a first year med student) but this is my impression: Any specialty will have competitive residencies (for instance, even though pediatrics is pretty easy to land a spot in, good luck getting into a peds residency at Boston Children's or CHOP if you're not a stellar applicant). That being said, the specialties where you're more likely to be able to find a spot somewhere in the US (at least right now) are:

Family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, and maybe pathology, psychiatry, PM&R, and Ob/Gyn

All the rest, you'd better be a very good applicant if you're not completing a US allopathic medical education (and even then). Also, as has been mentioned, these things are cyclical. Now derm is pretty much reserved for (and I'm being a little bit hyperbolic in this statement, but not that much) AOA md/phds while 20 years ago it was a safe backup for people who couldn't get in to residencies they really wanted.

I hope this helps.

 

[mmed]

While it is true that no one knows what the situation will be in 5 years, you might wish to update your current knowledge on the competitiveness of General Surgery. Last year in the match there was only 1 unfilled position for a Categorical spot. The last two years have seen an upsurge in applications and the quality of the applicants; it is one of the more competitive matches now.

General surgery like Pathology and almost every others started to be more competitive than before, I agree with that. But, relative to Dermatology, Ophthalmology and Urology for example, GS still RELATIVELY not competitive. Only one spot left unfilled is not perfect indication of competitiveness of specialty. If you look the match statistics you will find 3 ophthalmology spots offered 2006 with 0 filled in the main match and urology offered 15 positions 3 of which did not fill. In the same table about 17% of GS spots went to FMG and this is what the OP wants to know.

 

[sirus_virus]

Hey,

I'm considering doing medical school in UK/Ireland. How realistic would it be for me to come back in 5 years and do a General Surgery residency in the U.S?

Replies appreciated, thanks.

Actually while we are on that topic, do you know how easy it is for U.S doctors to practice in the U.K? i am thinking I might have to jump ship if these fools continue messing with salaries in the U.S. Canada looks good too.

 

[Blitz2006]

Actually while we are on that topic, do you know how easy it is for U.S doctors to practice in the U.K? i am thinking I might have to jump ship if these fools continue messing with salaries in the U.S. Canada looks good too.

"Messing with salaries in the U.S"?

Do expand....

 

[sirus_virus]

"Messing with salaries in the U.S"?

Do expand....

Sorry to be the messenger of bad news, but salaries have been on a steady decline in the last 8 years, and more declines are projected as these crazy politicians continue their massive assault on physician income while they lay in bed with Pharma companies. That is why I am thinking about heading to Canada or the U.K, at least I don't have to worry as much about blood thirsty lawyers in those countries. I heard the British doctors gaurd their turf like a mormon chick gaurding her virginity. Is this true? Or can a doctor from the U.S get U.K licencing easily?

 

[Winged Scapula]

General surgery like Pathology and almost every others started to be more competitive than before, I agree with that. But, relative to Dermatology, Ophthalmology and Urology for example, GS still RELATIVELY not competitive. Only one spot left unfilled is not perfect indication of competitiveness of specialty. If you look the match statistics you will find 3 ophthalmology spots offered 2006 with 0 filled in the main match and urology offered 15 positions 3 of which did not fill. In the same table about 17% of GS spots went to FMG and this is what the OP wants to know.

I agree that compared to Derm, Ophtho and Uro, general surgery is not competitive. However, you did not make that connection in your previous response and it therefore sounded like surgery was not competitive at all.

And while you are correct that the number of unfilled spots is not a perfect measure of competitiveness (as very competitive programs can have open positions), it is still a relatively good measure and when compared to general surgery a few years ago, is a barometer of how popular it has become.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Sorry to be the messenger of bad news, but salaries have been on a steady decline in the last 8 years, and more declines are projected as these crazy politicians continue their massive assault on physician income while they lay in bed with Pharma companies. That is why I am thinking about heading to Canada or the U.K, at least I don't have to worry as much about blood thirsty lawyers in those countries. I heard the British doctors gaurd their turf like a mormon chick gaurding her virginity. Is this true? Or can a doctor from the U.S get U.K licencing easily?

Lots of threads regarding this issue in the International Forum. In general, it is not easy to get a position in the UK or Canada, but it can be done (more easily in the UK than the far north).

And yes, while there is a decline in salaries, you will still make MUCH more in the US than in either the UK or Canada, and the vast majority of physicians who are sued for malpractice do not even go to trial and when they do, are successful in defending themselves. Wouldn't be a reason to move abroad, IMHO.