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UK doctor working in America?

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Reply 20
Original post by Organ
What is the likelihood of matching in a mid range competitive speciality like oncology in somewhere like Seattle/Chicago/Boston/San Diego/Miami etc?


Here you go: http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsbystate2011.pdf

Look under IMG column for desired state/specialty.
Original post by Organ
What is the likelihood of matching in a mid range competitive speciality like oncology in somewhere like Seattle/Chicago/Boston/San Diego/Miami etc?


High. HemeOnc is a fellowship after internal medicine.
Reply 22
Original post by .eXe
Here you go: http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsbystate2011.pdf

Look under IMG column for desired state/specialty.


cheers dude :yy:
Focus on actually getting into a Med school before you even think about this.
Reply 24
Original post by digitalis
High. HemeOnc is a fellowship after internal medicine.


Thanks. How did you find the science in the USMLE by the way?

I've heard it is heavy and a lot of it beyond a lot of British students?
Original post by Organ
Thanks. How did you find the science in the USMLE by the way?

I've heard it is heavy and a lot of it beyond a lot of British students?


Very much so. USMLE Step 1 was hands down the worst academic experience of my life. Took me about 1000 hours to do over the summer and that was literally scraping through. Was in the top ten of my year at the time.

Step 2 is a lot more palatable than Step 1, I'm a bit more chilled about it, doing about 8-9 hours of work a day for it. Useful for Finals. The medicine is all the same, just learning different treatment protocols and stuff.

From what I hear, the CS exam is a very watered down OSCE and if you have done a few rotations in the US before to practise their examination skills, it's fine. :smile: You basically just have to do a quick focused exam as if you were examining someone in GP.
Reply 26
Original post by digitalis
Very much so. USMLE Step 1 was hands down the worst academic experience of my life. Took me about 1000 hours to do over the summer and that was literally scraping through. Was in the top ten of my year at the time.

Step 2 is a lot more palatable than Step 1, I'm a bit more chilled about it, doing about 8-9 hours of work a day for it. Useful for Finals. The medicine is all the same, just learning different treatment protocols and stuff.

From what I hear, the CS exam is a very watered down OSCE and if you have done a few rotations in the US before to practise their examination skills, it's fine. :smile: You basically just have to do a quick focused exam as if you were examining someone in GP.


Hey quick question, what exactly is it about Step 1 that makes it harder for British grads vs. American?

Isn't step 1 basically a test of the basic scientific concepts relevant to medicine? Or does it contain content that is entirely foreign to British grads?
Original post by digitalis
Nah, that's rubbish. Done the USMLE Step 1, doing Step 2CK and have my CS booked. Done sub-internship in the US and spoken to program directors. Know a UK grad who is now finishing up her cardiology fellowship at a very reputable institution.

It all depends what you want to do really. Some specialities aren't really worth your time applying for, they have been said already, especially if you need a visa (derm, ortho, rads, IR, eyes, ENT) but others you stand a decent chance of matching somewhere good if you are a UK grad with good scores, letters of recommendation from US attendings, good sub-Is, publications etc.

To the OP: If you were a consultant neurosurgeon in the UK looking for an unrestricted license to practise in the US, you would need to redo a general surgical residency then a neurosurgical fellowship.


Why is this the case? I understand that these are very competitive specialities, but are institutions obligated (by law?) to prioritise US grads over international ones?
Reply 28
Original post by Still_Learning
Why is this the case? I understand that these are very competitive specialities, but are institutions obligated (by law?) to prioritise US grads over international ones?


Yes and no. Residencies in the US are regulated by individual states. So some states such as Texas, California and Florida are very strict against IMGs while others (New York) are a little more accepting.

So as someone mentioned...don't apply to Boston for neurosurg if you are an IMG. You have a better chance of winning the lottery.
Original post by .eXe
Hey quick question, what exactly is it about Step 1 that makes it harder for British grads vs. American?

Isn't step 1 basically a test of the basic scientific concepts relevant to medicine? Or does it contain content that is entirely foreign to British grads?


Well it's a test that is designed for the US curriculum, that's the problem. UK schools have also moved away from basic science teaching, especially block by block teaching (physio for 6 weeks, path for 8 weeks, anatomy for 12, that sort of thing) with tests at the end of it. So US grads already have a head start because they are used to that subject material and the testing format.

For Step 2, US students sit in course assessments written by the same people (NBME) that write Step 2 questions, called Shelf exams. Major help.

Original post by Still_Learning
Why is this the case? I understand that these are very competitive specialities, but are institutions obligated (by law?) to prioritise US grads over international ones?


Because why would you take essentially an unknown product over a domestic one? All program directors in the US know the quality and ranking of domestic schools, teaching methods, slang, knowledge of the system etc, all have standardised assessment systesm (MPSE and Dean's letter for example), they can call up the referees on the Letters of Recommendation which is a lot harder if they are in say India many hours ahead....they just trust US graduates who have been in the system a lot longer than Johnny Foreigner. It's fair enough imo.
Original post by .eXe
Yes and no. Residencies in the US are regulated by individual states. So some states such as Texas, California and Florida are very strict against IMGs while others (New York) are a little more accepting.

So as someone mentioned...don't apply to Boston for neurosurg if you are an IMG. You have a better chance of winning the lottery.


Oh I see, so with a tactical choice of location, is it at all possible for a UK grad with good scores, supporting references etc. to get a position in one of the specialities mentioned above (i.e. ENT, opthalmology, derm...) or is that totally out of the question?
Reply 31
Original post by digitalis
Very much so. USMLE Step 1 was hands down the worst academic experience of my life. Took me about 1000 hours to do over the summer and that was literally scraping through. Was in the top ten of my year at the time.

Step 2 is a lot more palatable than Step 1, I'm a bit more chilled about it, doing about 8-9 hours of work a day for it. Useful for Finals. The medicine is all the same, just learning different treatment protocols and stuff.


When did you take Step 1 and when did you start studying for it? It is normally end of year two for the septics (who already have a bachelors degree - usually in science subjects) isn't it right?

From what I hear, the CS exam is a very watered down OSCE and if you have done a few rotations in the US before to practise their examination skills, it's fine. :smile: You basically just have to do a quick focused exam as if you were examining someone in GP.


thanks. have you done an american elective?

would that be relevant when matching? (you mentioned letter of reccomendation from an attending)
I'm thinking of also going out to practice in America/Canada when I qualify as a doctor (I know its a bit early, i'll start medicine at UCL next year) but I was wondering if there was some website where I could get more information on the whole process of qualifying in the US.

As well as this, I'm not sure if this was answered previously but can a UK consultant who has taken the USMLE go out to the US and gain a consultant post or slightly lower as the equivalent of a registrar??? Or do they have to retrain right from the beginning as a junior doctor?

Thanks
Original post by Still_Learning
Oh I see, so with a tactical choice of location, is it at all possible for a UK grad with good scores, supporting references etc. to get a position in one of the specialities mentioned above (i.e. ENT, opthalmology, derm...) or is that totally out of the question?


For all intents and purposes, no. Most IMGs who get into these fields (the handful across the country) usually are consultants/attendings in their own country and are stars in the research field.
Original post by studentnumber2
I'm thinking of also going out to practice in America/Canada when I qualify as a doctor (I know its a bit early, i'll start medicine at UCL next year) but I was wondering if there was some website where I could get more information on the whole process of qualifying in the US.

As well as this, I'm not sure if this was answered previously but can a UK consultant who has taken the USMLE go out to the US and gain a consultant post or slightly lower as the equivalent of a registrar??? Or do they have to retrain right from the beginning as a junior doctor?

Thanks


If you want an unrestricted license, you have to start again as an intern. Quite common for IMGs to do this.
Reply 35
Original post by Still_Learning
Oh I see, so with a tactical choice of location, is it at all possible for a UK grad with good scores, supporting references etc. to get a position in one of the specialities mentioned above (i.e. ENT, opthalmology, derm...) or is that totally out of the question?


Oh absolutely it's possible. In fact I know many graduates from foreign universities (mostly caribbean, but several from eastern europe and even ireland and UK) who have managed to secure some very good residencies in their desired specialties. There's a guy I know at work, who matched into orthopaedic surgery after graduating from Imperial.

It's certainly possible. Just have to be strategic in where you apply.
Reply 36
Original post by studentnumber2
I'm thinking of also going out to practice in America/Canada when I qualify as a doctor (I know its a bit early, i'll start medicine at UCL next year) but I was wondering if there was some website where I could get more information on the whole process of qualifying in the US.

As well as this, I'm not sure if this was answered previously but can a UK consultant who has taken the USMLE go out to the US and gain a consultant post or slightly lower as the equivalent of a registrar??? Or do they have to retrain right from the beginning as a junior doctor?

Thanks


yes at the bottom generally, unless they are very famous in the field.

you don't in Australia/NZ - you can slot into consultant.
Reply 37
Original post by digitalis
If you want an unrestricted license, you have to start again as an intern. Quite common for IMGs to do this.


So if you do not start from internship again, you get a restricted class? How long does that last? And what are the major restrictions imposed because of that? Like how badly does it limit you?
Reply 38
Amazing how much harder it is for an IMG to practice in the USA than in the UK lol
Reply 39
Original post by Organ
Amazing how much harder it is for an IMG to practice in the USA than in the UK lol


Issues everywhere...UK won't give us visas...US won't give us training spots.

We're stuck in limbo. Unconstructed residency space.

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