US Med Graduate Hoping for UK Residency

[jaimeleslangues]

Hi guys -- a lost, desperate med student hoping for advice! I'm currently a 4th year medical student at an allopathic medical school in the U.S. This fall, I'm applying to dermatology with a preliminary in internal medicine in the U.S....but I secretly am hoping to end up in the UK. I know as an IMG, I have a snowball in hell's chance of getting into derm for the UK (Let alone the US!) So i'm ok with doing internal medicine.
I know the EASIER route would be to get a time machine, go back in time, and just go to UK medical school . (Wasn't ballsy enough to defy my parents' wishes at that time). I get lots of crazy looks when I tell / ask people about going to UK for residency. Quite predictably, I am hoping to go because of a significant other (Norwegian having moved longterm to the UK, no UK passport yet). Anyone have information? I've tried looking at the GMC website that has been posted in so far...no luck!

Anyone with any similar situations? Anyone with optimistic stories to tell?

Is it just easier to get trained in the US and work as a physician in the uK?

Thank you!

Sincerely,
A worried, exacerbated, tired, and sick of studying for Step 2 medical student!

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[Medstart108]

I've done some research for you on this topic. The UK requires that for you to apply for speciality training or foundation training if you are a non-EU citizen from a non-EU med school you really need to pass the resident labour market test, meaning there needs to be a shortage in your speciality. Right now the only shortages are in non-training non-consultant posts which isn't residency, and consultant posts in emergency medicine and a few other minor ones like old age psych.

Besides, for derm in the UK you need to do 2 years of core medical training anyways. So basically you would be applying for IM in any case.

So basically you can't apply unless you manage to get EU citizenship or UK PR.

IMO just get trained in the US, I feel as if you want to move to the UK your partner may have obtained a UK passport enabling you to get one as well. The other thing is that fully trained physicians are usually more desirable and more likely to be recruited.

 

[jaimeleslangues]

wow, thank you so much for the information! i'll have some serious thinking to do... thanks again!

 

[bambi]

Once fully trained you could work in the UK but you will not get a training post here.