Anyone going to the USA with UK MBBS

**Rash** · 04-02-2004, 08:26 PM

Hi guys n gals..was wondering if u could shed some light on how I could go to the USA with a british MBBS...and when..aparently its hard to do it mid career, i hear the best time is straight after med school? I havent even got a place secured yet..but just considering my options...I've tried doing some google searches on the topic but no luck? If any of u know n e good sources of info please let me know

thanks...rAsh

**rainbow_mandi** · 04-02-2004, 09:12 PM

The reason it's hard to transfer mid career is coz you have to take the US final med exmas before you can practice over there, so it's easier to do it as soon as you finish med school when its all fairly fresh in your mind.

**Rash** · 04-02-2004, 09:19 PM

...thats so annoying...i thought it was some other exams of somekind..but to have to do ur ifnals twice is sick!..I've already done one set of 'final exams' and two go thru it again for med school is bad enuff..but a 3rd time would be madnessssssssss

thanks 4 ur reply n e way

Rash

**Van** · 04-02-2004, 09:26 PM

Look at these websites for more information about qualifying and working in the US

http://www.studentbmj.com/back_issue...reers/148.html

http://www.studentbmj.com/back_issue...reers/282.html

**big g** · 11-02-2004, 04:14 PM

you have to take the US final med exmas before you can practice over there

is that the sam with Canada as well?

g.

**geezer6** · 11-02-2004, 04:59 PM

I think you'll find that the americans only accept MD really as a qualification; not MBBS, which is an award of an honorary doctor in the UK.You need to do what we call 'smileys' too, to be accepted, not to mention negotiate the american immigration policies. Do some research.

**pretoria** · 14-02-2004, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by big g

you have to take the US final med exmas before you can practice over there

is that the sam with Canada as well?

g.

Similar - you have to pass the Canadian medical licencing exams, same as Canadian medical graduates, and pass an equivalency exam, to make sure you are of an equal standard.

Finally you have to do at least a year in a residency position. This is the hardest part, because there the number of residency places is very small, only just sufficient for graduates of canadian schools. So the competition for foreign-trained medical graduates to get one of these places is very fierce.

You stand a better chance if you are willing to work in remote areas for a few years.

Also you need to have landed immigrant status, or citizenship.

**Buzfvar** · 17-02-2004, 08:20 PM

After graduating from med school in this country, can one sit the American exams without having any immigration papers or anything at all.
I.e. just in case, 20 years along the line you wanna go to the states and faff about as a doctor?
Can you do the American exams from Britain / in America on holiday, w/o needing any immigration stuff or a residency thingy there?

[Badly-thought out here, not even thinking of the USA.... just curious].

**pretoria** · 18-02-2004, 03:22 PM

I think you can sit the exams at any time, but I'm pretty sure that the different parts of the exams have to be passed within so many years of each other.

**Friendly** · 19-02-2004, 05:58 AM

Originally Posted by pretoria

I think you can sit the exams at any time, but I'm pretty sure that the different parts of the exams have to be passed within so many years of each other.

Three exams must be passed:

1. USMLE Step 1 (Basic Biomedical Sciences).
2. USMLE Step 2 (Clinical Rotaions material)
3. ECGMG (Basic Clinical Exam)

The first two are entirely multiple choice and not easy. They can be taken in the U.K. or the U.S. After passing these, you have to pay a hefty fee to sit a third exam called the ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates). It's shows fluency in English and the ability to give a competent medical exam. This must be taken in the U.S. Only after this, are you eligible to apply for a U.S. residency. You will need a J-1 visa to work in the U.S. Most British students find they're a little bit better at clinical examination when they leave medical school, but they are not as good at taking care of real patients. North American medical students are given a lot more responsibility, but generally rely on laboratory tests to a greater extend also - yielding differing strengths immediately after graduation. Good luck!