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What Other Options are available for foreign graduated doctors in Canada

aisha19

Member
Sep 18, 2013
12
0
Hi All
I need to know what options other than practising medicine is available for foreign graduated doctors?
Passing Canadian medical council exam is a time consuming process and even after passing the chances of residency are very remote so guys what do u suggest to do? What other fields are available like nursing, Radiography etc ? I have heard/ gone through various college sites which are offering diploma in nursing / radiography however for admission,high school maths is compulsory, whereas mostly foreign graduated doctors from Asia do not study maths in their high school. so what to do ? What other options are available?
 

voltron

Full Member
Feb 26, 2014
27
3
With out having the degree granted or recognized by Canada, its like not having a degree, so you cant really do much, with out some sort of schooling in Canada. I got applied as a dentist for immigration into Canada. Prior to even applying for immigration, I took the Canadian .Dental .board exam and passed. So i was able to get a license, my only problem was I could not practice bc i needed a working visa, or pr. So i applied to PR as under skill worker. Since I already have my degree recognized by Canada, I can work as a dentist, dental tech, hygenist etc anything related to the dental field.... My friend who was also a dentist did it backwards compared to me. .she applied for her PR status first and got approved. So my friend moved to Canada, but could not work in Dentistry until they passed the Canadian Dental board. Unfortunately my friend failed the test multiple tmes and can no longer take it, and while my friend has the pR status, my friend can not work in i the dental field and presently just has an office job. So you need to take the exam if you want your degree to be recognized, otherwise it will be as if you never went to school. immigration and the provinces have different rules regarding degrees, so while immigration may recognize the degree, the province may not recognize it if they have certain requirement in order to practice.
 

aisha19

Member
Sep 18, 2013
12
0
#Voltran Thnx for ur reply.....yeah I understand that passing Canadian Med Board exam is compulsory to practice medicine, but I need to know what other available options beside this coz even after passing exam its not possible to get residency in my field of interest., so there is no point to waste efforts, time and money in doing that. Can Any body suggests some other fields related to medicine as alternative?
 

jazibkg

Hero Member
Apr 4, 2014
378
35
A friend of my mother's, a doctor by profession, did a course similar to this one:

http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/6580diplt

and she's been employed for the past 15 years in Canada.

Keep in mind that such courses have long waitlists, etc. So look around for what is suitable.

It is indeed a sad state of affairs in Canada as far as the licensing of the medical professions is concerned. And even then, doctor visits would reveal to you that the doctors here aren't competent enough to even diagnose simple ailments.
 

voltron

Full Member
Feb 26, 2014
27
3
aisha19 said:
#Voltran Thnx for ur reply.....yeah I understand that passing Canadian Med Board exam is compulsory to practice medicine, but I need to know what other available options beside this coz even after passing exam its not possible to get residency in my field of interest., so there is no point to waste efforts, time and money in doing that. Can Any body suggests some other fields related to medicine as alternative?
Thats my point the other options you mention become options if you pass the med board. So the first step is take the exam and worry about residency later. By passing the med board, you degree will be recognized, so then you have other options, like nursing, radiography etx, all the stuff you study to become a doctor. If you don't take the med board, you really dont have much options. Plus residencies, are plenty, the problem is it may not be where you want to go. .for example when .i graduated from .dental school, we had an option of going to a residency for advance training, 95% of the applicants for residency apply to the same places, in my case California and Florida, while places in the middle of the country had unfilled vacancies. I decided to do a residency and picked a hospital in south dakota, middle of no where. In my mind this was temporary, i was doing it to complete my residency and gain experience, once i finished the residency I was free to move anywhere. So it was not a life sentence.. My point is that you can find a residency, but you may have to spend time in an undesirable region of the country, keep in mind this is temporary, once done with the residency you are free to move. Nunavut, Yukon, and NWT always have unfilled vacancies, but people are hell bent on not going there that they lose sight of the big picture, which is they dont have to be there forever.

So take the test, otherwise its like you never went to school, and you will end up being a taxi driver. Once you pass, you can check your options, if a residency is not available in an region of the country you like and are unwilling to move to a less desirable region, then you can do nursing, radiology etc. If a residency is available but in an undesirable region, but you are willing to go, you will have full medical privileges in the field you like upon finishing the residency, and you can move to a more desirable region and practice there.
 

sherdil

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May 22, 2013
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Nicely put and very encouraginv. Was almost starting to have second thoughts. Do u have any idea about the practice ready stream for licensure specially for specialists trained outside uk australia canada newzealand and uk? Thanks in advance
 

Leon

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You could challenge the exam to work as a registered nurse or as a practical nurse. The latter is easier but they also make less money.

Another suggestion might be trying to get an administration job at a hospital or get a job dealing with medical supplies. I have heard of foreign trained doctors going into both of those fields.
 

davek1979

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The other thing is what is your willingness to go into a remote area of Canada? You will be paid well and more likely to need a doctor. For example if you work in THe far north they need doctors were as major cities has a lot of doctors.
 

jazibkg

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Apr 4, 2014
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FYI, one can give the initial medical licensing exam of Canada, the MCCCE, prior to arrival. They have tests conducted throughout the world. Google is your oyster.
 

cooldoc80

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dear practice ready asessment is very vague and difficult from what i know because even if you apply you still have to find a training post to asess you which is also difficult like getting into residency !

for me i will maybe come and go and only maintain my residency while my wife stays in canada to get citizenship , thats the only solution i came up with , becuase i'm a well established dermatologist and of course dermatology is impossible and even fellowship training ( subspeciality ) is difficult due to many posts being given to arab gulf countries and they pay for it
 

drgrishma6

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May 3, 2018
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dear practice ready asessment is very vague and difficult from what i know because even if you apply you still have to find a training post to asess you which is also difficult like getting into residency !

for me i will maybe come and go and only maintain my residency while my wife stays in canada to get citizenship , thats the only solution i came up with , becuase i'm a well established dermatologist and of course dermatology is impossible and even fellowship training ( subspeciality ) is difficult due to many posts being given to arab gulf countries and they pay for it

Hello. I want to know if it is possible to get a lisence to practice Dermatology in Canada ? You’re a dermatologist so can you please guide me through the process ?
 

canuck78

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Jun 18, 2017
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Hello. I want to know if it is possible to get a lisence to practice Dermatology in Canada ? You’re a dermatologist so can you please guide me through the process ?
Where were you licensed? It will be nearly impossible unless you are from a select few countries.
 

canuck78

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You would have to do all your licensing exams and then repeat residency. Would be likely impossible to get a residency spot in derm. Canada is very tough for foreign trained physicians. If they are able to get licensed they usually are limited to GPs, some OB/GYN. Some retraining programs are targeted specifically to fill rural/underserviced GP vacancies. If you want to continue practicing medicine would discourage moving to Canada especially if you wan to be a dermatologist. The majority don't get a spot even after passing and paying for their licensing exams. Sorry want to be brutally honest.
 
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