How can a foreign doctor practice medicine in the US?

Question

Hi, im thinking about going back to my home country, Peru, and attend a medical school there. I wanted to return to the US afterward and practice medicine. I would like to know if i would have to take a test, or if there any more years of studying when i get back to the US. In Peru Med school is 7 years. Would this be a good idea?

Answer 1

I work in a hospital with a lot of foreign doctors who attended medical school in their home countries.  Most of them did their residency here in America....I think that makes things easier.  As long as the school you want to attend in Peru is accredited I don't think there will be a problem.  You may find that med school in the US isn't quite so long... you should also look into the way they practice medicine in Peru.  If it is drastically different ( if one country is way ahead of the other) you may have a problem catching up.  Ask the school you are thinking about attending these questions, they should have all of your answers!! :)

Answer 2

I'm doing med school in Mexico; according to the world university index 2008 site, Peru has got some great universities that are even better then my university (sadly the website doesn't detail the best universities in each field, just the full score overall).

Once you become a general practitioner, you'll have to take the USMLE exams to become accredited in the US to pursue a residency. I'm personally wanting to take this route.

Most universities that are half decent are accredited. Heck, the Tominaga Nakamoto med school university in Mexico City is accredited!!! O_O' It's very highly likely your university is accredited to let you take the tests as well.

I'll have to see it when I'm in the US to see whether the more clinical focused medicine of Mexico is better than the CAT scans-for-all medicine style of the US.

Answer 3

A US residency does make things easier.

If you do a Peruvian residency, then you'll need to take special licensing exams for foreign medical graduates.