Anonymous wrote:An American friend’s NYC raised child is dual US/Austalian. He decided to pursue his degree in Melbourne. 6 years combo total, not 8. And the tuition is subsidized by the govt. So his total tuition costs will average about (US)$12K per year. That 6 yr total $72K fees is in the form of a loan from the govt that gets repaid thru future taxation of income. Or he can pay it upfront as he goes and have zero debt.

So a complete medical degree for the cost of one year undegraduate at a private US college of similar repute to University of Melbourne. (Hovers around #30 on the global university ranking lists. Amazing.) Recapture two years opportunity cost. This makes it absolutely worth the effort/time/exams that will need to be undertaken to then get licensed in the US. It is possible and worth it.

For social support and a “college experience”, he lives on campus in an old sandstone college with peers, meals, tutors, sports. The works. Modeled on the college system at Oxbridge. And Melbourne is a very cool city. Cost is (US)$25K and he will do this for two years, then get an apartment with friends. I think you need to pay to live/be housed/eat no matter what. So this cost is what it is.

My point? We are doing it wrong in the US. If money is even slightly an issue, and she does not want a lifetime of debt, taking advantage of her dual citizen ship is smart. That effort she will need to put in to then be recognized as a doctor in the US has a meaningful value. By my calculations, it is about (US)$600,000.

Maybe she’s a genius, not a miser? Geniuses do well in med school. Go get it!

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Anonymous wrote:Where does she plan to practice medicine?

In the US. The plan is to apply for residence here.

Good luck with that.

Why? Nearly 70% applicants for residency who are trained abroad get them.

NP. You say that like it's a good thing? That means almost 1 in 3 of these people go all the way through medical school and then can't practice as a US doctor. A medical degree without a residency is worthless in the US. You think it's a good idea to waste 4 years of your life in school and however much money it is (even foreign medical school is not free) to run a 33% risk of not having that career? Those are actually really bad odds. And many of the residencies that take more international medical graduates suck and are low caliber training and lots of scut work. Nobody thinks it will be them until it is, and 1 in 3 to throw away years of schooling and earning and have to go in another direction with that failure on your back is not odds I like.

Anonymous wrote:PP
He had dual citizenship so it was not an issue of documentation. His specialty had to re revalidated by doing it again!

Anonymous wrote:Yes, she can do that.

But.

Medical degrees are not transferable from country to country, and they all require doctors with foreign degrees to re-take exams and residencies. That is NOT a negligible proposition!!!

My husband has an MD/PhD from a European country, and knows a lot of European doctors working in the US, some of whom chose to practice medicine here and retake their exams. The others work in clinical research at the NIH, or in biotech, like my husband.

So frankly, it's a chore. But if you don't have the means to pay for med school here, yes, it will shave off a significant amount of money. It might not add years at all, given that in many EU countries, you start medicine as an undergrad. But she'll have to stay sharp on her board exams, and know she has to find a residency here in the US.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, she can do that.

But.

Medical degrees are not transferable from country to country, and they all require doctors with foreign degrees to re-take exams and residencies. That is NOT a negligible proposition!!!

My husband has an MD/PhD from a European country, and knows a lot of European doctors working in the US, some of whom chose to practice medicine here and retake their exams. The others work in clinical research at the NIH, or in biotech, like my husband.

So frankly, it's a chore. But if you don't have the means to pay for med school here, yes, it will shave off a significant amount of money. It might not add years at all, given that in many EU countries, you start medicine as an undergrad. But she'll have to stay sharp on her board exams, and know she has to find a residency here in the US.

did they do their residencies abroad?