Good morning fellow nairalanders, I have been in this forum for a while. I am fresh graduate from one of the medical school in the south south, Nigeria. I need advice from experienced senior colleagues am considering doing my residency abroad but need a guild on which of the countries I stand better chance of getting into their residency. Please doctors practicing abroad I need advice on which path to take I don't want to Spend money writing any Exam when I don't have a first hand knowledge about medical practice in the country. Your responses Will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Cc lalastica, all mod

First, complete your internship, then complete your NYSC. During the latter, you can start to prepare hard for the board licensing exams (PLAB - UK or USMLE). After service, write the exams, whichever you deem necessary. For one, USMLE is a very technical exam to write, which you have to dedicate several months of study too, compared to PLAB. If you have passed the licensing exams and have started working, you can now apply to GMC to start working before a rare slot for residency pops up


In the US however, getting into residency might be a little less strenuous than in the UK

GogetterMD:
First, complete your internship, then complete your NYSC. During the latter, you can start to prepare hard for the board licensing exams (PLAB - UK or USMLE). After service, write the exams, whichever you deem necessary. For one, USMLE is a very technical exam to write, which you have to dedicate several months of study too, compared to PLAB. If you have passed the licensing exams and have started working, you can now apply to GMC to start working before a rare slot for residency pops up


In the US however, getting into residency might be a little less strenuous than in the UK

Thank you very much for the prompt response, please with your experience which of these countries would you advice I go for. I know little about the exams you just listed, some of my friends have written and passed USMLE STep one when we were still undergraduate, my real challenge is I have not been outside Nigeria before, so which country do you know is preferable based on, chances and ease of getting into residency, work hour, allowance and general living condition for a foreign resident.
Thanks for response in advance

Gr8amechi:
Thank you very much for the prompt response, please with your experience which of these countries would you advice I go for. I know little about the exams you just listed, some of my friends have written and passed USMLE STep one when we were still undergraduate, my real challenge is I have not been outside Nigeria before, so which country do you know is preferable based on, chances and ease of getting into residency, work hour, allowance and general living condition for a foreign resident.
Thanks for response in advance

It's easier getting into the UK as a medical doctor than the US, but getting a residency slot there is darn difficult. However, you can work there as a MO and earn cool money, while using it as a stop-gap to get into the US, where passing the USMLE is tedious but getting residency placement is easier than in the UK.
Consider Australia and Canada as options also
All the best

GogetterMD:

It's easier getting into the UK as a medical doctor than the US, but getting a residency slot there is darn difficult. However, you can work there as a MO and earn cool money, while using it as a stop-gap to get into the US, where passing the USMLE is tedious but getting residency placement is easier than in the UK.
Consider Australia and Canada as options also
All the best

Thanks alot, Australia used to be my first choice followed by Canada, but Australia require two years of internship with what I saw on forums online ( don't know how truth it is) then Canada they said over 95% IMG don't get into their residency, anyway your advice is nice, don't know if I can send you pm to ask more about Australia and Canada

Gr8amechi:
Thanks alot, Australia used to be my first choice followed by Canada, but Australia require two years of internship with what I saw on forums online ( don't know how truth it is) then Canada they said over 95% IMG don't get into their residency, anyway your advice is nice, don't know if I can send you pm to ask more about Australia and Canada

https://www.quora.com/Foreign-Medical-Graduates-Which-first-world-country-has-the-most-IMG-friendly-licensing-and-residency-matching-process

https://www.quora.com/Foreign-Medical-Graduates-Which-first-world-country-has-the-most-IMG-friendly-licensing-and-residency-matching-process

I currently do not practice in any of these countries, as clinical medicine is not my thing. The links up there would be of immense help to make a choice

GogetterMD:

https://www.quora.com/Foreign-Medical-Graduates-Which-first-world-country-has-the-most-IMG-friendly-licensing-and-residency-matching-process

https://www.quora.com/Foreign-Medical-Graduates-Which-first-world-country-has-the-most-IMG-friendly-licensing-and-residency-matching-process

I currently do not practice in any of these countries, as clinical medicine is not my thing. The links up there would be of immense help to make a choice

thanks alot God bless, the link was good. But since you are not practicing clinical medicine abroad, do you mind giving me a clue of other areas I can do well overseas

Gr8amechi:
thanks alot God bless, the link was good. But since you are not practicing clinical medicine abroad, do you mind giving me a clue of other areas I can do well overseas

Don't get me wrong, I am a die hard believer in the Nigerian dream, and I'm based in Nigeria, with no intention to relocate to go practice anytime soon. I do have friends that practice abroad though

Good day everyone , Please does any one know A USMLE WhatsApp group chat I could ,this is my number 07030840677.

Doing Residency in the US is not that difficult. All you need is to prepare well for your USMLE especially by preparing on time. Many people make the mistake of preparing for the USMLE after they graduate & this is very wrong, You can still do that if you have no option but the best thing is to start preparing from 200level this has thee 3-fold advantage,

First, since you are studying side by side with your medical school course work, it makes preparation much easier, unlike if you wait till you graduate where you would have forgotten most of these things.

Second, you start Residency earlier because if you plan your time well, you can actually finish your exams just before internship, & you don’t spend extra years preparing which takes more time.

3rd you have an advantage when you match(residency application) because recent graduates have higher points then older graduates( though your Scores are also extremely important & your medical school grades), you would have higher points because you would have finished the exam earlier compared to someone who started preparing after NYSC.

To know more, get materials, get study partners go to [url]usmle.com.ng[/url], to register for the exam go to Online Services [url]ecfmg.org[/url]

benjola2222:
Doing Residency in the US is not that difficult. All you need is to prepare well for your USMLE especially by preparing on time. Many people make the mistake of preparing for the USMLE after they graduate & this is very wrong, You can still do that if you have no option but the best thing is to start preparing from 200level this has thee 3-fold advantage,

First, since you are studying side by side with your medical school course work, it makes preparation much easier, unlike if you wait till you graduate where you would have forgotten most of these things.

Second, you start Residency earlier because if you plan your time well, you can actually finish your exams just before internship, & you don’t spend extra years preparing which takes more time.

3rd you have an advantage when you match(residency application) because recent graduates have higher points then older graduates( though your Scores are also extremely important & your medical school grades), you would have higher points because you would have finished the exam earlier compared to someone who started preparing after NYSC.

To know more, get materials, get study partners go to [url]usmle.com.ng[/url], to register for the exam go to Online Services [url]ecfmg.org[/url]