US medical student looking to do residency in Europe

[sustentaculum]

Hello,

I am a second year medical student at a U.S. medical school. Recently I started wondering whether it will be easy for me to do residency in Europe. One of the reasons is that I am interested in dermatology. As anyone would know, a derm residency is hard to get here. And I'm not even in the top quarter. I am wondering if maybe it's less competitive in Europe. But before I get all caught up trying to get a European residency, I want to know a few things:

1.) Do most U.S. medical boards count EU/UK residencies as legit? Last thing I want is to one day come back and have to start from scratch.

2.) What do I need to do to get a European residency? I heard USMLEs pretty much don't matter. So what other skills tests/language proficiency tests would I have to take?

3.) How long is a EU residency in general?

4.) Do you get paid during your intern years (I heard two years of internship are included in the 6 or so years of med school), as I need to make arrangements for funds.

5.) When is the equivalent of "interview season" in Europe?

6.) Which countries treat doctors best?

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[bambi]

Hello,

I am a second year medical student at a U.S. medical school. Recently I started wondering whether it will be easy for me to do residency in Europe. One of the reasons is that I am interested in dermatology. As anyone would know, a derm residency is hard to get here. And I'm not even in the top quarter. I am wondering if maybe it's less competitive in Europe. But before I get all caught up trying to get a European residency, I want to know a few things:

1.) Do most U.S. medical boards count EU/UK residencies as legit? Last thing I want is to one day come back and have to start from scratch.

2.) What do I need to do to get a European residency? I heard USMLEs pretty much don't matter. So what other skills tests/language proficiency tests would I have to take?

3.) How long is a EU residency in general?

4.) Do you get paid during your intern years (I heard two years of internship are included in the 6 or so years of med school), as I need to make arrangements for funds.

5.) When is the equivalent of "interview season" in Europe?

6.) Which countries treat doctors best?

You can't group Europe as one in this way, it varies massively between each country.

In general, your USMLEs mean nothing, why would they really if you think about it? It will probably be viewed as nothing more than another pre-clinical exam. If you had an amazing score, no one would really even know unless you went to the effort of explaining it.

I am thinking of going the other way UK-->US and from what I read if you ever want to practice in the US you need to have done your residency there.

I can answer your questions in terms of the UK. Basically as a US citizen you wont get a job. That's it really, it changed a few years ago, basically without an EU passport you are out. At least until you are fully qualified. Everyone in the EU is treated completely equally in terms of applying for our jobs, everyone else is screwed. If you could somehow get an interview for specialist training (our 3rd post-grad yr) applications are around November so interviews a couple of months later but it varies by specialty and it is a horrible process. You get a matter of hours to accept a job if offered even though you will be waiting to hear from other places. So, basically either turn it down and risk getting no job or just take the first job you are offered whether or not it is the one you really want.

I think in Eastern Europe a 1 year unpaid internship is the norm, at least in some places. We get paid for our 2 year foundation jobs in the UK and I think they get paid for internships in at least some other parts of Western Europe.

I read recently a lot of doctors are unhappy in Germany, other than that I can't tell you much.

 

[211498]

1.) Do most U.S. medical boards count EU/UK residencies as legit? Last thing I want is to one day come back and have to start from scratch.

This is exactly what will happen. Forget about this idea quickly! Do whatever it takes to get a residency in the US, score as high as possible, do research, publish, do rotations at mid-tier (back-up) programs, apply broadly.

 

[MrCheetah]

This is exactly what will happen. Forget about this idea quickly! Do whatever it takes to get a residency in the US, score as high as possible, do research, publish, do rotations at mid-tier (back-up) programs, apply broadly.

I know that this is poster is correct.. Can anyone comment on any of the other questions?