Working in the US as a foreign specialist

[boanssi]

Hi,

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but I was wondering if it is possible to practice in the US after I finish both med school and residency in Europe? I am european, btw.

If so, how hard is it to get accredited?

Thank you.

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[gutonc]

Most (all? I don't really know) states have an "academic expert" option for licensing physicians who work in academic medical centers. You can only work in the academic institution and you have basically the same license as a freshly minted intern. You can't go work in private practice. And you need to be the sort of physician that an academic medical center would want to hire.

That said, my state recently implemented a new rule limiting the number of years that foreign-trained physicians can have this type of license (I don't know the actual # but I know 3 different docs who have been there >5 years who got caught up in it) and are requiring them to take all 3 steps (2CS included).

TL;DR - yes you can do it. But it's hard.

 

[boanssi]

Most (all? I don't really know) states have an "academic expert" option for licensing physicians who work in academic medical centers. You can only work in the academic institution and you have basically the same license as a freshly minted intern. You can't go work in private practice. And you need to be the sort of physician that an academic medical center would want to hire.

That said, my state recently implemented a new rule limiting the number of years that foreign-trained physicians can have this type of license (I don't know the actual # but I know 3 different docs who have been there >5 years who got caught up in it) and are requiring them to take all 3 steps (2CS included).

TL;DR - yes you can do it. But it's hard.

So the academic route is the only way I can get a license to practice in the US? That's a little odd, honestly. I don't think that happens in Canada, for instance.

 

[gutonc]

So the academic route is the only way I can get a license to practice in the US? That's a little odd, honestly. I don't think that happens in Canada, for instance.

No. Your other option is to take all of the Steps, start your training over in the US and complete a residency/fellowship here. Then you can practice wherever you want.

Also, this may come as a surprise but the US and Canada are different countries. Why would it be a surprise that their training/licensing requirements differed?

 

[K31]

So the academic route is the only way I can get a license to practice in the US? That's a little odd, honestly. I don't think that happens in Canada, for instance.

The US is probably the developed nation that is most open to allowing foreign-trained physicians to practice--the trade off being that you must complete residency here.

If we're comparing the US to Canada, even Canadian citizens who went to medical schools overseas have a hard time getting residencies there and instead come to the US to train.

 

[Winged Scapula]

So the academic route is the only way I can get a license to practice in the US? That's a little odd, honestly. I don't think that happens in Canada, for instance.

As noted above, your two options are:

1) academic licensure
2) take all USMLE Steps, ECFMG certification, apply for a US residency

There are some specialties which will give you credit for foreign training, however, may require that you already be in training in the US to be given said credit.

Canadians who train outside of their country are also subject to the same rules.

The US is one of the easiest countries to practice in (or at least it used to be before spots started drying up) after graduation in another country. I would have a much more difficult time trying to get a training position or job in the EU, even as a US consultant.

 

[nedi292]

To gutonc which state has implemented the new rules for taking all exams that you mentioned

 

[gutonc]

To gutonc which state has implemented the new rules for taking all exams that you mentioned

The one I live in.

 

[nedi292]

and which state would be that if not secret

 

[gutonc]

and which state would be that if not secret

It's not a secret. Nor is it really all that relevant.

But I'm going to make you do a little legwork to figure it out. As a hint, it's not TX.

 

[nedi292]

how about oregon

 

[cabinbuilder]

how about oregon

Oregon is one of the harder licenses to get. It took me 8 months. I was born in the US, went to med school in US, residency in US, have a totally clean record and it still was super hard to get.

About 20 years ago there was a doctor who was licensed to practice medicine in Oregon and worked as a locums there. He ended up being a serial killer making the rounds in rural hospitals leaving a trail of death. He ended up fleeing to Australia eventually. There was a book written about it (don't remember the title).

Since that event, Oregon is very strict with their licensing policies.

 

[IamnotFreud]

The one I live in.

Lol, you are terrible!

 

[IamnotFreud]

Oregon is one of the harder licenses to get. It took me 8 months. I was born in the US, went to med school in US, residency in US, have a totally clean record and it still was super hard to get.

About 20 years ago there was a doctor who was licensed to practice medicine in Oregon and worked as a locums there. He ended up being a serial killer making the rounds in rural hospitals leaving a trail of death. He ended up fleeing to Australia eventually. There was a book written about it (don't remember the title).

Since that event, Oregon is very strict with their licensing policies.

What do they specifically look for in the app? I mean if you have a clean record, how can it take 8 months, what were they looking at?

 

[gutonc]

What do they specifically look for in the app? I mean if you have a clean record, how can it take 8 months, what were they looking at?

If you have a clean record and no other licenses, it will be fast (mine took 3 months). If you have a trail of other licenses, even if they're clean, it can take forever (8 months isn't all that unusual).

 

[cabinbuilder]

What do they specifically look for in the app? I mean if you have a clean record, how can it take 8 months, what were they looking at?

Heck, I don't know. I'm not on the medical board. I just know that Oregon is very nitpicky. There was an issue with my fingerprints, they didn't like how they were taken and I had to re-submit 3 times. That was part of the hold up. Other than that, the board doesn't share why it takes so long.

 

[cabinbuilder]

If you have a clean record and no other licenses, it will be fast (mine took 3 months). If you have a trail of other licenses, even if they're clean, it can take forever (8 months isn't all that unusual).

My Oregon license was my 4th license. Maybe that's why it took so long?

 

[gutonc]

My Oregon license was my 4th license. Maybe that's why it took so long?

One of our senior division faculty had 5 other licenses (as a productive academic physician moving up in the ranks will often have after 20+ years in the business) and it took them 10 months to approve his.