USMD Graduates who are Canadian citizens

[booshk]

I was hoping for anyone who has been through this process to share their experience on how it was either to match into a Canadian residency, or how it was to receive training in the US and come back to Canada. I'm curious about this with regards to any specialty - I know it's specialty specific, but would love to get hope and insight into how it is for different specialties, and the types of challenges I can expect to face.

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[bearded frog]

In terms of residency in Canada, I met a few USMD Canadians on the interview trail. If you anticipate applying to both us and canada match then that makes it harder to be efficient with electives, but if you do a few Canadian electives having a USMD won't be held against you. Can't comment on US residency then returning to canada as it will vary by specialty.

 

[Gos81238ia]

I was hoping for anyone who has been through this process to share their experience on how it was either to match into a Canadian residency, or how it was to receive training in the US and come back to Canada. I'm curious about this with regards to any specialty - I know it's specialty specific, but would love to get hope and insight into how it is for different specialties, and the types of challenges I can expect to face.

Thanks!

I'm not a USMD, but a Canadian citizen who went the IMG route, then did residency in the US and has now returned to Canada and am practicing so can comment on this. I did apply for both the Canadian and US matches. It was double the exams which was the biggest downside. Electives-wise, I had a much easier time getting electives in the US than I did Canada; but I did do one in Canada. I had both Canadian and American letters of reference for my applications, don't think that made a difference at all. North American clinical experience is North American clinical experience.

In terms of returning to Canada, during residency I did double exams again - all of the Canadian and American ones that apply to all residents (ie. MCCQEs and USMLEs) as well as the family medicine boards for both countries. This was to minimize the paperwork wait times to transfer my license over and ensure I could work independently. Again, definitely some added stress to residency, but when you do this many exams you get really used to them and you only have to get a pass on the ones in residency.

I did family medicine which is 3 yrs in the US vs. 2 in Canada; I think that was advantageous as I feel more comfortable walking in as an attending with an extra year of training under my belt. I graduated very end of June, had my license September 10th (so about a 10 week wait) which was just fine because I would have taken that much time off anyway. I started working by end of September as a locum. More paperwork being processed, will start at my permanent gig in February (~9 months out from graduation). Got hospital privileges too and have been doing that. It hasn't been a huge transition medicine-wise between US and Canada. I'm managing patients pretty much the same way I did in the US. Some workflow differences, getting used to a new EMR and new specialists because I'm in a new city. Some differences in things like vaccine schedules, preventative care but those are easy to learn. New drug brand names, but I just try and stick to generics or google them when I need to, they become familiar over time. Billing is different of course, but I didn't have to bill in residency so would have had to learn that anyway one way or the other!

 

[Gos81238ia]

I should also clarify that family medicine is one of the only specialties that is LONGER in the US than Canada, so for any other speciality you are looking at extra time completing a fellowship in the US to match the years in Canada before you return.

 

[arafatni]

Yes you can do residency in USA and come back . Also you can transfer from some few university based residency in USA to residency in Canada . It depends on each province. Here is the way for Ontario if you do residency in usa :

CPSO - Alternative Pathways to Registration for Physicians Trained in the United States

www.cpso.on.ca