I’m in medical school in the UK but once I graduate I will leave to train in the United States, here’s an outline of why I made this decision.
If you like watching videos, this YouTube video summarises the key points well.
The US process is no joke. People are easily put off when they hear about the exam and residency competition. I welcome challenge. I think it’s exciting. Seeing the sheer volume of content in the USMLE Step 1 and 2 makes me want to perform and have a go.
When I was applying to medical school I was often told ‘Medical school? That’s so hard are you sure you’ll get in?’
I made it into medical school, so I don’t have an issue with doing difficult things. If thousands of IMGs move to the US, why can’t I?
Medicine is not about the money, but this is part of the deciding process for me. After graduation, I need to fund my living costs and once I have a family (insha’Allah - God willing) I will be financially responsible for them too.
I would rather give them the best life with little to no restrictions. As easy as it would be to train in the UK, it will leave me in a difficult financial position and I would like to avoid that.
The average salary of attending physicians in the United States is around $313,000/year. If I have that salary, I can support my family comfortably. I have studied 2 degrees, and spent 8 years so far to become a doctor, I believe that amount of hard work deserves a high salary.
As a post-graduate student, I have done my fair share of exams. I will graduate at 27 and ideally want to finish my medical training quickly. I don’t want to be a 40-year-old dad studying for exams because I chose the long pathway for medicine.
In the United States to train as a Psychiatrist (my chosen speciality) the length of training is 4 years after medical school. That means after 4 years I would be an attending physician, with no more exams and the ability to open my practice.
I would also have that $300K+ salary from 32, which is very appealing for my lifestyle. As someone who is also a content creator, I have other ambitions in life other than medicine. Once I finish my training I will be able to grow my business and work on other avenues as well as medicine, so this one is a no-brainer.
In case you were wondering, the same training in the UK would take me an additional 6-10 years, after which I would make around £80K which sounds nice but after tax is not a lot.
The quality of training in the United States is of a higher standard than in the UK. This is because the NHS is underfunded, they cannot provide the best training due to costs. A big part of the job in the UK is service provision rather than prioritising one's medical training. This makes training last significantly longer too.
The funding is much better in the US since it is a private healthcare system. They also have several principles that make training better in my opinion. For example, in some hospitals doctors are limited to a maximum of 10 patients at once for patient safety. In the UK it is common to have 40+ patients under your care at once which is unsafe, although it happens often.
I know I will work long hours, whether I'm in the US or the UK. The US just has more incentives than the UK for me.
The current state of the NHS is worrying.
I am yet to meet a doctor in the NHS who recommends working here. I have been advised by several doctors that the US is a great decision for my future.
I don’t mind moving location for medical school and university. Once I’ve graduated I would like long-term stability. I want to settle and be comfortable working in a place where my job doesn’t feel threatened.
I won’t go into details, but there are specific opportunities and people I would like to work with in the future, who I can only connect with if I’m in the USA.
In the UK you have to reapply for jobs at the end of foundation training (2 years post-medical school) and probably again during speciality training. This might mean that you are 5 years into training and have to change location. New house. New city. New school for the kids. New job for your wife.
In the United States residency will be in one place, meaning I don’t have to relocate during training. Actually, in the US after completing residency it isn’t that difficult to find a job. There are several vacancies and hospitals often approach you offering you work.
In addition to this, the US has a varied climate. Some areas are cold and some are scorching hot. As someone who has been brought up in the UK, I am sick of British weather and would rather live somewhere warm. Seasonal depression is real and I always feel happier in warmer climates. I think living in a place with good weather will be better for me mentally. That’s something I can have if I move to the US.
I lived my whole life in the UK.
I have already completed everything here. I have visited Scotland, London, Manchester, Birmingham, as a child I did the Alton Towers and Thorpe Park summer trips, the Peak District and Lake District, and the beaches in the South in our 7-day summers - I have seen all the sites. If I stay here and raise my kids here, I am likely to take them through the same upbringing as I had. There isn’t much excitement in that.
If I move to the States it’s a whole new world. More new areas to see and experiences to have. That excites me and makes me want to move even more.
Since I started creating content I have made a lot of connections with creators internationally and the majority of them are in the US. Moving over opens the doors to collaboration, business and opportunity that doesn’t exist in the UK.
Decision-making is an important skill. I have a good process of making decisions. I consult my parents, Allah (through prayer) and I look at the pros and cons behind each option. I didn’t wake up today and decide to go to America, I spent years researching and considering all of my options before I made the decision.
If you’re someone who is thinking of doing the same, do not have haste with your decision-making. Take your time and think it through. Most importantly, decide without letting others influence your decision.
Ultimately this is your life. Your future. Your work. Your time. Your efforts.
You are the one who will be affected most by this decision.
It might not make sense to the vast majority of others, but that’s okay, it doesn’t need to.
It just needs to make sense to you.
It did for me, that's why I'm doing this.
© 2024 - Powered by
Cured Click
