Guest Farhana Posted November 24, 2001 Report Share Posted November 24, 2001 Hi there, I am just wondering if someone could advise me as I am about to make a major decision of my life. I have recently been offered an admission to King Edward Medical College - one of the best universities in Pakistan. The degree <MBBS> is of 5 years in length. The classes start in January 2002. At the moment, I am very confused about whether I should accept the offer or refuse it. Currently, I am a high school student completing my OAC year in Toronto. I would like to become informed of the procedure for dealing with Canadians who have earned medical degrees from abroad - Pakistan ... What requirements have to be met before one with a MBBS degree from Pakistan can practice in Canada. I understand that in the end it will be "my choice" but I would like to hear others suggestions and opinions on the matter. - Thanks Any feedback will be greatly appreciated. Kind Regards, Farhana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farhana Posted November 24, 2001 Report Share Posted November 24, 2001 Whoops... I just realized I have posted this in the MCAT Section of the forum... Sorry... I guess the Moderator can move it to the appropriate section of the forum. My apologies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Wong Posted November 24, 2001 Report Share Posted November 24, 2001 I've moved your post to the International Schools forum. I think it's most appropriate here. There's already been a fair amount of discussion here regarding international medical graduates (which is what you would be from Canada's perspective if you graduated from a medical school in Pakistan) and their route to re-entry in Canada. Basically, as an IMG, you will not be allowed to match into the first round of CaRMS, which decides which specialties you may train in, in Canada. It doesn't matter if you are a Canadian citizen; your IMG status will over-rule that. As a result, your chances of landing a competitive residency in Canada would be very small. In the end, it's ultimately your decision to make. You have the opportunity to take an acceptance at this point in your education; not many people in Canada have this type of chance. However, your future options as they relate to further training in Canada will likely be more limited. I'd advise to check out the other threads here, and visit some of the linked websites, and do some more research on your behalf before coming to a definite decision. Ian UBC, Med 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farhana Posted November 24, 2001 Report Share Posted November 24, 2001 Thanks for your response. I really appreciate it. "As a result, your chances of landing a competitive residency in Canada would be very small." Umm... If I do accept the offer then I would most probably do my residency there in Pakistan. However, if I return to Canada after having completed my residency... what requirements would I have to meet before I could practice in Canada? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kirsteen Posted November 25, 2001 Report Share Posted November 25, 2001 Hi Farhana, One of my pals (an Obs/Gyn from the UK) almost made Toronto her permanent home a couple of years back, but the tribulations re: becoming licensed here helped contribute to her decision to move back. Basically, she had to write and pass both, Ontario and Canadian board exams (she did actually write one, and was about to write another when her husband managed to snag a position in England). After that, although she had almost completed her Obs/Gyn "residency" or training in the UK, she would have had to gain admission to an Obs/Gyn residency position here and do the five years over again. It wasn't looking good, even with a number of great connections at one of the hospitals here. Lots of things for you to consider. Good luck, Kirsteen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farhana Posted November 25, 2001 Report Share Posted November 25, 2001 Hi Kirsteen, Thank you Kirsteen for replying to my plea for help. Hmm... Generally, how is a Pakistani MBBS degree looked upon in Canada? - Anyone with a slight clue? I have heard disturbing scenarios of Pakistani Med Grads who have ended up delivering Pizzas here in Canada - is this just over-exaggeration or the reality? :eek Indeed I have a lots of things to consider before finalizing such a huge decision that will change my life so drastically... From what I have seen/heard so far... I guess returning back to Canada after earning my degree from abroad would be not such a wise idea... Thank you guys once again for all your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ThugJaan Posted November 27, 2001 Report Share Posted November 27, 2001 When I volutenteered at a hospital two summers ago, a fellow volunteer showed me the ropes. I found out from talking with her that she was an 'MBBS; from Pakistan as well, and she was now volunteering in a hospital doing menial things, just to be close to the action MBBS is simply a person who has passed their medical exams and is now a Family Doc. As such, with an MBBS, after returning to Canada and then writing the licensing exams, you would need to land a residency. This is like nex to impossible. Something like 30 or so people land residencies, and most are from UK and not Pakistan. If you goto Pakistan, your best bet would be to try to land a US residency (provided you have a Green Card). They are much more willing to take on IMGs. To be honest with you, taking the offer doesn't make a ton of sense unless you wanna work in Pakistan. Coming back to Canada will be very hard, and unless you have a Green Card, you may be left out in the cold and unbable to work as a doc. I too knew people who had similar things going on and opted for the foreign root. One of them, after getting an MBBS and completeing a residency in his home country, came back to Canada and wasted 2 years trying to land a residency (since you must redo it). Dejected, and a little older (24), he entered first year university working towards a Comp Sci. degree. Bottom Line: Cavet Emptor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farhana Posted November 27, 2001 Report Share Posted November 27, 2001 Thank you ThugJaan for responding. "To be honest with you, taking the offer doesn't make a ton of sense unless you wanna work in Pakistan." I couldn't agree with you more - it doesn't make any sense at all. At this point in my life, I haven't got a clue where I would want to live and work. In addition, I have not lived in Pakistan before... I understand I am gambling my career but I have finally come to a decision to accept the offer. I will be heading there very soon... Wish me luck <Oh boy, I will be needing all the luck I can get! > By the way, is it at all likely that Canada will begin to recognize foreign degrees as there is a shortage of doctors and nurses? Thanks once again... you all are very helpful. Take care and keep smiling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Random Posted November 28, 2001 Report Share Posted November 28, 2001 In North America, schools do not allow one to apply for medicine unless they have done a minimum of 3 years at an undergraduate institution. This allows the schools to screen those individuals that not only have the academic backing/ablility to balance things in life, but also to give people a chance to see whether or not they really want to pursue this field of study. I have always wanted to study medicine, I went in to undergrad thinking that I would complete my degree and go straight to medical school and that would be my life. 7 years later now, I have learned a lot about life that I would not have had my plan gone through. I would still like to pursue medical studies, but I now feel that I have a better understanding of what it is and that I've developed a bit more maturity than when I was coming out of high school. Medicine will always be there, I think you should give college life a chance and learn about people and other important life aspects before you enter a field as demanding as medicine is. Many physicians I've spoken to that are very successful today tell me that they wish they could turn the clock back and have taken that world tour or learned how to sail when they had the time. Now they must not only answer to thier patients first, but most also have family lives to balance too. I am certainly not enlightened or anything like that. I've been dealt my cards and I try to make positive experiences out of what I have to work with. The thing I've realized though is that life is not a 100m dash. I only offer these words b/c I too was in your position 7 years ago and I am very happy with the choice I made. In the end I will hopefully learn about medicine and I will also have a number of life experiences that have made me the person I am today. Best of luck and don't be scared to try something just b/c you are afraid of failure. Random Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest redshifteffect Posted July 31, 2003 Report Share Posted July 31, 2003 Hey Farzana... my parents wanted me to go to Agha Khan and even KE...because you know the tutition rates are cheaper. But i would have prefered a western medical school because at least you can always stay there (well that was my opinion). But honestly an MBBS is an MBBS. You can still go to the US..there are a lot of Pakis' doing their rez's in the US from DOW med in Karachi. Also you have a chance of coming to Australia where I'm studying. I see Ian is still posting his usual CaRMS stuff...but honestly don't let him discourage you. If you want to do med and you don't get to come back to Canada oh well...ur parents left pakistan (Just like ian's parents left some other country) to come here, so you can leave here to go somewhere else. Go to Pakistan if you want...the discount of the education is a great value, and a lot of aussie's respect Paki doctors cause of the fact that they are skilled surgeons (and the fact that bodies are easy to get). email me for any other info.. zeshan1@hotmail.com or znshaikh@utas.edu.au Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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