Work experience and strengthening application (plus meet some expats!)
Apr 18th 2013, 7:39 pm
#16
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 49
Re: Work experience and strengthening application (plus meet some expats!)
Hi Sarah.
I might be able to help. I'm a doctor (just qualified), doing my F1 year right now in London, and hoping to move soon. I'm doing part 1 of the MLEs in June. I've met quite a few Brits who have made it over recently, and it is a massive pain, with the exams and all the paperwork, but manageable.
Luckily, I have an American wife, so the process is a bit easier for me, as I won't need visa sponsorship. In terms of applying for medical jobs, this is a huge advantage, as most medical training programs (called residencies) won't consider sponsoring an H1B.
To all the posters above: it is basically impossible to transfer to a US medical school, because the entry requirements involve a US college degree, and there is no federal funding for foreigners to enter medical school. So that's not a realistic option for the OP.
Currently it's very possible even if you need an H1B, but I would strongly suggest finishing F1 year after medical school, because after graduating you only get provisional registration; you need to do F1 for full registration in the UK. If you ever needed to go back here, it would be extremely hard for you to be able to work as a doctor, as most jobs require full registration.
Also, it depends what field you want to enter. Some fields are basically impossible for foreigners to get into, for example, radiology, dermatology, plastics, etc. - mainly because loads of americans want to do them, and they are lucrative.
The fields that foreigners tend to get into are things like internal medicine, family medicine (GP), paediatrics, and psychiatry- because not many American doctors want to do them, and they pay a lot less money. So if you want to do something fancy... I would think twice.
Quite a few residency programs in these fields, mainly along the east coast (California is impossible, because you need a social security number to apply), currently sponsor H1B visas. However, you will generally need good scores in your USMLEs, have some US experience (2 months on elective should be enough), and have some letters of recommendation from known US physicians.
Also- don't want to be alarmist, but American medical schools are increasing their enrolments, and currently the amount of graduates they produce is on target to exceed the amount of spaces in residencies by 2017. So whilst it is possible now to get H1Bs, in 4 years it's gonna get a lot harder to compete for spaces, because there will be more American doctors.
I think currently half of foreign doctors who apply for jobs get them. I think coming from an English-speaking first world system will help.
I hope this information is helpful, please ask if you need clarification.
I might be able to help. I'm a doctor (just qualified), doing my F1 year right now in London, and hoping to move soon. I'm doing part 1 of the MLEs in June. I've met quite a few Brits who have made it over recently, and it is a massive pain, with the exams and all the paperwork, but manageable.
Luckily, I have an American wife, so the process is a bit easier for me, as I won't need visa sponsorship. In terms of applying for medical jobs, this is a huge advantage, as most medical training programs (called residencies) won't consider sponsoring an H1B.
To all the posters above: it is basically impossible to transfer to a US medical school, because the entry requirements involve a US college degree, and there is no federal funding for foreigners to enter medical school. So that's not a realistic option for the OP.
Currently it's very possible even if you need an H1B, but I would strongly suggest finishing F1 year after medical school, because after graduating you only get provisional registration; you need to do F1 for full registration in the UK. If you ever needed to go back here, it would be extremely hard for you to be able to work as a doctor, as most jobs require full registration.
Also, it depends what field you want to enter. Some fields are basically impossible for foreigners to get into, for example, radiology, dermatology, plastics, etc. - mainly because loads of americans want to do them, and they are lucrative.
The fields that foreigners tend to get into are things like internal medicine, family medicine (GP), paediatrics, and psychiatry- because not many American doctors want to do them, and they pay a lot less money. So if you want to do something fancy... I would think twice.
Quite a few residency programs in these fields, mainly along the east coast (California is impossible, because you need a social security number to apply), currently sponsor H1B visas. However, you will generally need good scores in your USMLEs, have some US experience (2 months on elective should be enough), and have some letters of recommendation from known US physicians.
Also- don't want to be alarmist, but American medical schools are increasing their enrolments, and currently the amount of graduates they produce is on target to exceed the amount of spaces in residencies by 2017. So whilst it is possible now to get H1Bs, in 4 years it's gonna get a lot harder to compete for spaces, because there will be more American doctors.
I think currently half of foreign doctors who apply for jobs get them. I think coming from an English-speaking first world system will help.
I hope this information is helpful, please ask if you need clarification.
Apr 18th 2013, 7:42 pm
#17
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 49
Re: Work experience and strengthening application (plus meet some expats!)
I forgot to mention; some programs also sponsor J1 visas for residency. But then you have to return to the UK for at least 2 years, as part of the terms of the visa, unless you commit to working in an underserved area for 3 years (as the posters above alluded to). So NY/CA would definitely be a long term plan in that case.
Apr 18th 2013, 7:49 pm
#18
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 49
Re: Work experience and strengthening application (plus meet some expats!)
Another thing - (sorry for this, I seem to be regurgitating my thoughts)- to consider is that if you are on an H1B visa, your husband will only be able to get an H4 visa. This means he unfortunately would not be able to work- so something to think about. I think there may be similar problems with a J-1 visa- but it's all far in the future!
Just enjoy medical school because it is pretty awesome compared to the real world, is my advice.
Just enjoy medical school because it is pretty awesome compared to the real world, is my advice.
Apr 18th 2013, 8:02 pm
#19
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 38,865
Re: Work experience and strengthening application (plus meet some expats!)
To all the posters above: it is basically impossible to transfer to a US medical school...
Some fields are basically impossible for foreigners to get into, for example, radiology, dermatology, plastics, etc.
Ian
Apr 18th 2013, 8:33 pm
#20
@matthewb76
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Missouri
Posts: 21,886
Re: Work experience and strengthening application (plus meet some expats!)
in my wifes residency in Akron Ohio for OB was 2 egyptians, 3 Indians and a Iranian lad.
Apr 18th 2013, 8:34 pm
#21
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 49
Re: Work experience and strengthening application (plus meet some expats!)
1) This may be the case with Kentucky, but Kentucky only has, say 2 internal medicine residency programs, and it is a generally underserved area medically. There are nearly 400 internal medicine programs throughout the country, so this is not a fair sample size. You may find that more desirable areas and prestigious programs will not have any foreigners on their resident program, because many Americans want to train there. Many of the residency websites explicitly say they will not sponsor visas! But- I would love to be corrected on this one.
1.5) How are the students on H1Bs? I thought they would have been on F1s if they were foreign?
2) https://services.aamc.org/tsp_reports/ - I challenge you to find a medical school that has spaces free, and is accepting foreign transfers who have no US citizenship. If you can, I stand corrected!
And that is without taking into account hefty medical school fees for the OP... No doubt it's happened before, but the odds are extremely low....
3) I will admit to being a tad hyperbolic on this one, but...
http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsanddata2012.pdf
Go to page 13- Look at the stats.
1 foreign graduate successfully got a place in dermatology (out of 240)
11 foreign graduates successfully got radiology (out of 135)
0 foreign graduates got thoracic surgery (out of 20)
1 foreign grad got plastics (out of 135- and they were a US citizen)
These successful candidates typically have worked in that field for many years in their own country, with numerous publications and contributions to the field. It would be extremely difficult for the OP to achieve this out of medical school.
There are plenty of foreign trained terms, radiologists, neurosurgeons etc... but they trained, as a whole, 5 to 10 years ago, when it was less competitive. That's not to say they didn't work hard!
1.5) How are the students on H1Bs? I thought they would have been on F1s if they were foreign?
2) https://services.aamc.org/tsp_reports/ - I challenge you to find a medical school that has spaces free, and is accepting foreign transfers who have no US citizenship. If you can, I stand corrected!
And that is without taking into account hefty medical school fees for the OP... No doubt it's happened before, but the odds are extremely low....
3) I will admit to being a tad hyperbolic on this one, but...
http://www.nrmp.org/data/resultsanddata2012.pdf
Go to page 13- Look at the stats.
1 foreign graduate successfully got a place in dermatology (out of 240)
11 foreign graduates successfully got radiology (out of 135)
0 foreign graduates got thoracic surgery (out of 20)
1 foreign grad got plastics (out of 135- and they were a US citizen)
These successful candidates typically have worked in that field for many years in their own country, with numerous publications and contributions to the field. It would be extremely difficult for the OP to achieve this out of medical school.
There are plenty of foreign trained terms, radiologists, neurosurgeons etc... but they trained, as a whole, 5 to 10 years ago, when it was less competitive. That's not to say they didn't work hard!
Apr 18th 2013, 10:59 pm
#22
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Work experience and strengthening application (plus meet some expats!)
I did too, before I ever lived here, .... and I still do! 
Is it possible to get the wrong end of the stick? Sure, but it is possible to get a fair picture and expectation of life in a new location. Though obviously some extrapolate their Florida vacation to a 52 weeks of the year lifestyle, and then get disappointed, so I can't help but wonder if sometimes no experience is better than just a little experience?
Is it possible to get the wrong end of the stick? Sure, but it is possible to get a fair picture and expectation of life in a new location. Though obviously some extrapolate their Florida vacation to a 52 weeks of the year lifestyle, and then get disappointed, so I can't help but wonder if sometimes no experience is better than just a little experience?
If a location was in mind then it's much easier to have proper expectations but if you're hoping to wing it in a grab bag, well life style in Alabama is going to be miles different to that of Vermont etc.
Apr 20th 2013, 2:33 pm
#23
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2013
Location: Essex, England
Posts: 8
Re: Work experience and strengthening application (plus meet some expats!)
Hi Sarah.
I might be able to help. I'm a doctor (just qualified), doing my F1 year right now in London, and hoping to move soon. I'm doing part 1 of the MLEs in June. I've met quite a few Brits who have made it over recently, and it is a massive pain, with the exams and all the paperwork, but manageable.
Luckily, I have an American wife, so the process is a bit easier for me, as I won't need visa sponsorship. In terms of applying for medical jobs, this is a huge advantage, as most medical training programs (called residencies) won't consider sponsoring an H1B.
To all the posters above: it is basically impossible to transfer to a US medical school, because the entry requirements involve a US college degree, and there is no federal funding for foreigners to enter medical school. So that's not a realistic option for the OP.
Currently it's very possible even if you need an H1B, but I would strongly suggest finishing F1 year after medical school, because after graduating you only get provisional registration; you need to do F1 for full registration in the UK. If you ever needed to go back here, it would be extremely hard for you to be able to work as a doctor, as most jobs require full registration.
Also, it depends what field you want to enter. Some fields are basically impossible for foreigners to get into, for example, radiology, dermatology, plastics, etc. - mainly because loads of americans want to do them, and they are lucrative.
The fields that foreigners tend to get into are things like internal medicine, family medicine (GP), paediatrics, and psychiatry- because not many American doctors want to do them, and they pay a lot less money. So if you want to do something fancy... I would think twice.
Quite a few residency programs in these fields, mainly along the east coast (California is impossible, because you need a social security number to apply), currently sponsor H1B visas. However, you will generally need good scores in your USMLEs, have some US experience (2 months on elective should be enough), and have some letters of recommendation from known US physicians.
Also- don't want to be alarmist, but American medical schools are increasing their enrolments, and currently the amount of graduates they produce is on target to exceed the amount of spaces in residencies by 2017. So whilst it is possible now to get H1Bs, in 4 years it's gonna get a lot harder to compete for spaces, because there will be more American doctors.
I think currently half of foreign doctors who apply for jobs get them. I think coming from an English-speaking first world system will help.
I hope this information is helpful, please ask if you need clarification.
I might be able to help. I'm a doctor (just qualified), doing my F1 year right now in London, and hoping to move soon. I'm doing part 1 of the MLEs in June. I've met quite a few Brits who have made it over recently, and it is a massive pain, with the exams and all the paperwork, but manageable.
Luckily, I have an American wife, so the process is a bit easier for me, as I won't need visa sponsorship. In terms of applying for medical jobs, this is a huge advantage, as most medical training programs (called residencies) won't consider sponsoring an H1B.
To all the posters above: it is basically impossible to transfer to a US medical school, because the entry requirements involve a US college degree, and there is no federal funding for foreigners to enter medical school. So that's not a realistic option for the OP.
Currently it's very possible even if you need an H1B, but I would strongly suggest finishing F1 year after medical school, because after graduating you only get provisional registration; you need to do F1 for full registration in the UK. If you ever needed to go back here, it would be extremely hard for you to be able to work as a doctor, as most jobs require full registration.
Also, it depends what field you want to enter. Some fields are basically impossible for foreigners to get into, for example, radiology, dermatology, plastics, etc. - mainly because loads of americans want to do them, and they are lucrative.
The fields that foreigners tend to get into are things like internal medicine, family medicine (GP), paediatrics, and psychiatry- because not many American doctors want to do them, and they pay a lot less money. So if you want to do something fancy... I would think twice.
Quite a few residency programs in these fields, mainly along the east coast (California is impossible, because you need a social security number to apply), currently sponsor H1B visas. However, you will generally need good scores in your USMLEs, have some US experience (2 months on elective should be enough), and have some letters of recommendation from known US physicians.
Also- don't want to be alarmist, but American medical schools are increasing their enrolments, and currently the amount of graduates they produce is on target to exceed the amount of spaces in residencies by 2017. So whilst it is possible now to get H1Bs, in 4 years it's gonna get a lot harder to compete for spaces, because there will be more American doctors.
I think currently half of foreign doctors who apply for jobs get them. I think coming from an English-speaking first world system will help.
I hope this information is helpful, please ask if you need clarification.
Thanks so much this is incredibly useful. I'm hoping to apply for Internal Medicine. I guess all I can do is evaluate closer to the time if i'm likely to get a visa. I know obamacare is supposedly going to increase the number of jobs, so even though there will be more american graduates, the job number will also increase (fingers crossed). Good luck with the USMLE exams! I'd love to hear what you think of them after you take them!
