Thread: American wanting to go to UK/Ireland and LIVE there.

Hey all-

This forum has answered a lot of the questions I've had, but I haven't come across a thread that talks about the actual possibilities of living and working in the UK/Ireland after graduation from a medical school. As an American who could probably get into a medical school in the United States, I have a lot of people looking at me strangely when I tell them I want to go to medical school in Europe. I want to do so because I've lived in London for 6 months and travelled all around Europe, and I like it much more than the US. My questions are as follows:

1) Is it really hard for an American to get into medical school in the UK/Ireland simply because they're an American?
2) After graduation from a UK/Irish medical school, is it possible for a "non-EU" citizen to get licensed and get a job in the UK/Ireland/Europe?

Essentially, I'm trying to move to Europe, and I also want to be a doctor. I would like to kill two birds with one stone, if it's possible. ANY info or websites that can help me with these issues will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Dave

Absolutely, especially when you graduated from a EU medical school. It should not be hard for American doctors to obtain working visas and eventually permanent EU residency.

Honestly,

I would really look into that pretty seriously. I think most people go over there with the intention of going home after wards.

So really i would call the schools and ask them.

I would imagine that it would not be easy for an American to get a job there.

hi dsomsen,

there have been rumours of non-EU citizens struggling to get jobs in the UK regardless of their place of study. But recently, they released information stating that all british medical graduates even if they are international students.

hope this info helps. all the best

Here in Ireland they decided to cut number of spots for non eu ppl, so dont get ur hopes up

You can pm me - we have a lot of americans and canadians at my school. It's possible - also depends on what qualifications you hold.

It shouldn't be too difficult to get into an Irish or UK medical school. Look into graduate entry programs, have you MCAT scores ready and sit the UKCAT (each school may have a different test requirement). The application process is straightforward and really cheap compared to the U.S. Staying and working is completely do-able but know what's going in the country you'd like to live in first. NHS has reorganized a good bit, so i'd advise reading up on that, and as mentioned above, Ireland has cut non-EU spots. That being said, there really shouldn't be any problem getting a skilled worker visa. There are a handful of American born doctors scattered about Europe, either because they married and moved her or became educated here and decided not to go back. Best of luck!

Hi Dave,

Don't know if you're still looking for answers to how to get to live/study/work in UK, but if you are, please get in touch. britwymn, hotmail dot com

Hi Dave,
If you are not adamant about the UK and Ireland, you could try Italy. I was born and bred in the Uk but ended up in Italy, and I am happy here. There is a new International MD program at the San Raffaele University which has been inaugurated here in Milan where I live and work. I think it might interest you as it covers both an EU recognised licence (you can work in the Uk or Italy or other EU countries) aswell as includes two steps of the USMLE in the curriculum just in case you change your mind about Europe. You get the chance also to live in a country which is warm, full of cultural treasures and of course the lessons are english.
Hope that may help you
Good luck!

I am a UK citizen with permanent resident status in the US and have received my MD in the US. I am now wondering if it is possible for me to obtain a residency or employment in the UK having not resided in the UK for some time now. From the limited research I've done so far it appears that I would be considered a non-EU IMG with no preferential pathways for training in the UK. Can anyone advise me about this?