Becoming a radiologist

I would like to become a radiologist and then move to the USA. How would I do this? Im thinking of doing my residency in the US and so what will i have to do at uni before that etc.

- Apply to medical school in the UK in the usual fashion. There's lots of detail on this forum, particularly a good place to start is the FAQ here.

- Whilst at medical school, tailor the majority of student selected components etc. to radiology, medical imaging, etc. and consider an intercalated degree in the field. Publish and present. I am not sure there are intricacies that the US likes to see on your CV, but if there is, do something on that.

- As a previous poster has said, you need to do your medical elective in the US and for the vast, vast majority of places you need USMLE part 1 passed to get a position. Start very early thinking about the USMLE. Your medical school will likely need assurance from you that you are in a position to pass it, because after a change either last year or the year before the % pass rate of each medical school in the world is recorded and is used for the US, I think, accepting that medical school as 'acceptable' for either Americans coming to the UK to study or for people from the UK then going to work in the US. Either way, since there is a very small number of people sitting the USMLE per medical school year, even 1 fail can significantly alter the medical school's reputation. You also need the USMLE for jobs.

- I'm not sure from your post if you want to move to to the US after graduation, or after you become a radiologist (2 different things). If you want to become a radiologist in the UK first, you'd need to do the normal path of medical school -> F1 -> F2 -> CMT -> radiology training.

I've purposely not played devil's advocate here saying "how do you know you want to do radiology?", "do you know it's hard to get a job in the US?" etc etc. because I'm sure others will do that for me...

If I were to plan to move to the US after graduation what would be my normal path? (Thanks for the other comments)

You'd need to apply for a radiology residency in the U.S. Which will require the USMLE and experience of working in American hospital (can be achieved through your elective).


Posted from TSR Mobile

Ive just found out that you can't do your elective abroad if you go to med school in the US, what do you suggest?

I'm not sure how that relates to what Asklepios said. You would go to med school in the UK, and make sure you did your elective in the US. If you went to med school in the US then obviously the situation would be different and you wouldn't be needing to think about electives.

Sorry I meant you can't do elective abroad if you go to med school in the UK

Of course you can. A lot of people do. You just have to organise it yourself.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Really? Have you got any links which prove this because its definitely captured my attention? Thanks

Really? Have you got any links which prove this because its definitely captured my attention? Thanks

It's common knowledge, I don't know of a single medical school that 1) doesn't provide an elective or 2) dictates that you can't go abroad.

See I thought at schools such as Cambridge you go to trusts and local hospitals, so you're saying I could arrange to go abroad?

See I thought at schools such as Cambridge you go to trusts and local hospitals, so you're saying I could arrange to go abroad?

You do for all your normal training placements. Your elective is one block usually around 2 months in length, where you have a completely free choice of where to go and what to do, as long as it's educational.

I went to Cambridge and did my elective in Swaziland.

That sounds pretty amazing, have you got any tips for me such as things I should be doing at fifteen and any comments on med school experience?