If you complete residency in Ireland or Australia what is the process for coming back to Canada like?

[VigoVirgo]

Considering going to Ireland or Australia for medical school. I have an EU passport so getting a residency/internship spot in Ireland should not be an issue if I go that route but I'm wondering what the process is like if I'd like to come back to Canada after I am done? Are there reciprocity agreements between the Royal Colleges or is the process just as difficult as trying to land a Canadian residency spot as an IMG? 

[IMislove]

1 hour ago, VigoVirgo said:

Considering going to Ireland or Australia for medical school. I have an EU passport so getting a residency/internship spot in Ireland should not be an issue if I go that route but I'm wondering what the process is like if I'd like to come back to Canada after I am done? Are there reciprocity agreements between the Royal Colleges or is the process just as difficult as trying to land a Canadian residency spot as an IMG? 

 

 

Found this, hope this helps http://www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/credentials-exams/exam-eligibility/assessment-routes-international-medical-graduates-e

[VigoVirgo]

On 10/28/2018 at 9:56 AM, IMislove said:

Found this, hope this helps http://www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/credentials-exams/exam-eligibility/assessment-routes-international-medical-graduates-e

Thank you!

[JohnGrisham]

Easiest for Family Medicine, don't count on most of the other specialties. Was much easier 10-20 years ago as a specialist, harder these days. Not impossible, but much harder.

[VigoVirgo]

On 10/29/2018 at 10:30 PM, JohnGrisham said:

Easiest for Family Medicine, don't count on most of the other specialties. Was much easier 10-20 years ago as a specialist, harder these days. Not impossible, but much harder.

 

Even for something like psychiatry? I've generally heard family med and psychiatry are 2 of the most "friendly" options for people who either did their residency abroad or want to get a residency in Canada.

[Kasiunut]

You can definitely do it in Ireland or the UK but don't count on Australia as its even harder for IMG  Aussies to get residency spots than for Canadian IMGs to get Canadian residency spots. Plus Aussie med school tuitions is INCREDIBLY high ($70K + per year). I'd 100% go the Irish route if I were you! Plus, worst case you stay and work and live in Ireland, but unless you have Aussie citizenship, you wont be able to stay in Oz after.

 

[StarStrike]

On 10/28/2018 at 3:16 PM, VigoVirgo said:

Considering going to Ireland or Australia for medical school. I have an EU passport so getting a residency/internship spot in Ireland should not be an issue if I go that route but I'm wondering what the process is like if I'd like to come back to Canada after I am done? Are there reciprocity agreements between the Royal Colleges or is the process just as difficult as trying to land a Canadian residency spot as an IMG? 

Having EU citizenship doesn't guarantee you internship in Ireland btw (unless you apply through the CAO and do the HPAT, etc.). If you apply through the Atlantic Bridge as a Non-CAO applicant you would be eligible to receive any leftover spots after Irish and EU CAO applicants are sorted. Having EU citizenship does give you an advantage over a non-CAO applicant without EU citizenship, but I wouldn't rely on it. At my school last year I think there were only 3 non-CAO applicants given a spot for internship to put things into perspective (we have about 40-45 Canadians in our class).

Something to consider. Before making the jump - make sure you do your research so you know what you're getting yourself into. 

Anecdotally, I hear from other people that if you study in the UK you can do your foundation years as a UK graduate, but I'm not sure if that has/is changing. I think it also used to be the same for AUS as well...but things there have been getting more difficult.

[VigoVirgo]

6 hours ago, StarStrike said:

Having EU citizenship doesn't guarantee you internship in Ireland btw (unless you apply through the CAO and do the HPAT, etc.). If you apply through the Atlantic Bridge as a Non-CAO applicant you would be eligible to receive any leftover spots after Irish and EU CAO applicants are sorted. Having EU citizenship does give you an advantage over a non-CAO applicant without EU citizenship, but I wouldn't rely on it. At my school last year I think there were only 3 non-CAO applicants given a spot for internship to put things into perspective (we have about 40-45 Canadians in our class).

Something to consider. Before making the jump - make sure you do your research so you know what you're getting yourself into. 

Anecdotally, I hear from other people that if you study in the UK you can do your foundation years as a UK graduate, but I'm not sure if that has/is changing. I think it also used to be the same for AUS as well...but things there have been getting more difficult.

Thanks for the input, that's what I feared about Ireland honestly. I don't think I'd want to bet on it. From what I understand Australia is slightly more friendly especially if you're willing to work rurally but I would likely put most of my eggs in the US. Not sure if I'd be able to handle medical school, studying for the USMLE and MCCEE all at the same time. I'd have to have a specific timeline. 

[StarStrike]

20 minutes ago, VigoVirgo said:

Thanks for the input, that's what I feared about Ireland honestly. I don't think I'd want to bet on it. From what I understand Australia is slightly more friendly especially if you're willing to work rurally but I would likely put most of my eggs in the US. Not sure if I'd be able to handle medical school, studying for the USMLE and MCCEE all at the same time. I'd have to have a specific timeline. 

Yeah. Well I suppose the best thing you can do is inform yourself as best as you can - taking the risk is fine as long as you know what you're up against. Being an IMG is NOT an easy road unfortunately. All it does is set the chokepoint further back to residency rather than medical school.

As an IMG myself, I definitely found preparing for the USMLE, MCCEE/QE1, and the Irish curriculum difficult. Lots of classmates ended up skipping clinicals and sacrificing the home curriculum as a result to try and cross-prep for Canada and the US. I couldn't do that (out of stubborness to an extent haha. I get where it comes from, but I find it silly that the focus is more on destroying a board exam rather than being a good doctor - but alas board scores are mainly what residency directors look for!).

Definitely try to get into the US first before considering options abroad. Failing that, look into your international options. UK/AUS/IRE are the main ones. Though some people go to some Eastern European countries that have an internship built in (5-6 year program) - I can't vouch for how good those programs are, but having an internship that is recognized in the EU could be an avenue to pursuing a training program elsewhere (e.g. I met a Canadian that trained in Hungary and is doing her psychiatry specialty in Ireland).