IMG in Canada : How are you surviving?

[nayr69sg]

hi, keeping in mind my age what specialities do u think I can get in Canada, also does research work and fellowship in ophthalmology from Singapore make small chance f getting ophthalmology slot in canada

Very very low chance. I was Singaporean before I migrated to Canada. And I am not from India or Indian descent.

I had a friend who was a consultant eye surgeon from Singapore. He spent a year with Dr Gimbel in Calgary and even he said that it was unlikely he could get a spot. So I doubt your Singapore fellowship does much. But that is just my opinion. You will never know till you try.

Opththalmology is a very very popular specialty with no shortage of candidates. Frankly I have not heard of any IMGs getting into Ophthalmology, not even Canadian IMGs. (they call them CSAs Canadian Study Abroad IMGs).

You are lucky that in Singapore there is the CECA which forces Singapore to recognize all professional qualifications from India.

Are you a fully fledged Ophthalmologist in Singapore?

Why don't you stay in Singapore? The private sector is very very lucrative.

 

[nayr69sg]

Halo @ nayr69sg,
I am a 37 yr old, indian ophthalmologist with FICO, fellowship in medical retina considering to move to Canada. Kindly guide which route/exams to follow/prepare to work as an eye specialist in canada

https://www.aimg.ca/

You can look at this site for more information. But it is only for Alberta.

Most get placed in FM, then IM. The "Other" disciplines tend to be Pediatrics, Public Health, Pathology, Psychiatry.

During the early days of the program there were some surgical spots in General Surgery but since 2013 they have been very very rare.

If you want to continue doing eye surgery long term, I would advise against migrating to Canada. Most IMGs in Canada get matched to Fam Med if they are lucky enough to get a spot. I used to be a surgeon before I migrated to Canada but I was fully aware that it was very unlikely I would get back into surgery in Canada and FM was the more likely option.

 

[Bpandita1]

Very very low chance. I was Singaporean before I migrated to Canada. And I am not from India or Indian descent.

I had a friend who was a consultant eye surgeon from Singapore. He spent a year with Dr Gimbel in Calgary and even he said that it was unlikely he could get a spot. So I doubt your Singapore fellowship does much. But that is just my opinion. You will never know till you try.

Opththalmology is a very very popular specialty with no shortage of candidates. Frankly I have not heard of any IMGs getting into Ophthalmology, not even Canadian IMGs. (they call them CSAs Canadian Study Abroad IMGs).

You are lucky that in Singapore there is the CECA which forces Singapore to recognize all professional qualifications from India.

Are you a fully fledged Ophthalmologist in Singapore?

Why don't you stay in Singapore? The private sector is very very lucrative.

Hi there, my husband is a nonmedico and wants to settle in canada... Thats why i am so desperate

 

[nayr69sg]

Hi there, my husband is a nonmedico and wants to settle in canada... Thats why i am so desperate

Best to be prepared mentally.

When I came to Canada I was prepared that I would NEVER practice medicine again.

That is something you have to be prepared for. If you cannot accept that then you have to put your foot down and tell your husband "No" to moving to Canada.

There literally hundreds of thousands of IMGs in Canada who never ever practice medicine again. Not even Family Medicine!

In fact I would say that the more determined the IMG is to stay in their specialty the more unlikely they ever practice medicine ever again.

During my FM residency there was another IMG who was from India. A General Surgeon. We got on well together. He was the oldest resident in the program. He was mid 40s at the time.

Tell your husband stay in Singapore lah. LOL!

What field is your husband in?

 

[Bpandita1]

Hi, he is into IT

 

[nayr69sg]

Hi, he is into IT

I guessed as much. Haha.

You will do better in Singapore with you as an eye surgeon and your husband in IT versus him going to Canada and working as an IT consultant and you not working.

 

[steaky]

Hi there, my husband is a nonmedico and wants to settle in canada... Thats why i am so desperate

Then live separately.

 

[nayr69sg]

If I do long term fellowship from Singapore for 1 year, will that work in Canada? What specialities can I get in Canada (easier than ophthalmology)

Are you already working as Ophthalmologist in Singapore?

Which hospital? SNEC? NUH?

 

[canuck78]

Hi @canuck78 ,
Kindly clear ur words, " Dont beleive u wd qualify another type of residency...
Secondly... Residency progs will select a pathologist to redo a pathology residency..
Age factor i understand...

Don’t believe I have ever seen a opthamology residency spot leftover after Canadian students match. Similar situation with specialties like dermatology, radiology, plastic surgery, etc. You have been out of school for a long time so when selecting an IMG for a residency spot programs will prefer a newly graduated medical student who is young or someone that they had been practicing that specialty in their country. The only potential may be family medicine but still as spot isn’t guaranteed. There would always be concern that an ophthalmologist will not be happy in another specialty, especially family medicine, and may leave or not practice in Canada. There are a lot of Canadians who attend medical school abroad plus physicians who have worked in their home country all competing for a limited amount of residency spots and after graduation they may not be able to find a job. Not sure it is really worth moving to Canada just for IT opportunities for your husband. You are much better off relocating to a country where you both can work in your fields not only for financial reason but for so you both are satisfied with your lives in a new country.

 

[canuck78]

Then live separately.

Most married couple don’t plan to live for 20+ years apart.

 

[steaky]

Most married couple don’t plan to live for 20+ years apart.

They can plan to live apart 3+ years until one spouse became Canadian citizen. By their retirement age, the Canadian citizen spouse can sponsor the other spouse to live in Canada.

Btw, although they live separately. They can spend time vacation together.

 

[nayr69sg]

They can plan to live apart 3+ years until one spouse became Canadian citizen. By their retirement age, the Canadian citizen spouse can sponsor the other spouse to live in Canada.

Btw, although they live separately. They can spend time vacation together.

There is a problem with that plan if they are going to be split between Canada and Singapore.

So say the husband is the one who moves to Canada for 3 years. And the wife is the Eye Surgeon in Singapore.

After 3 years - Husband gets Canadian Citizenship. Wife gets Singapore Citizenship.

Husband wants to move to Singapore to be with his wife.

Wife tries to apply for PR for her Husband- IT WILL BE REJECTED. Because Singapore is sexist. They will allow Male citizens to apply for their wives but not women to apply for their husbands.

And even if somehow they managed to bypass this hurdle and got to the stage to apply for citizenship for the husband, Singapore does not allow dual citizenship. The husband must renounce his Canadian citizenship to obtain Singapore citizenship.

So .....nah it won't work.

Best they both stay in Singapore long term.

 

[Isaac44]

Hello,

I understood from previous discussions that an ophthalmology residency spot is as good as impossible to get in Canada. My situation is slightly different, so I would appreciate a feedback or if anyone can redirect me.

I am 32 years old and graduated in the Netherlands from one of Europe's best medical school in 2014 (and one of the world top 30) and just finished my residency in Ophthalmology. Netherlands not being an approved jurisdiction, my only options to practice in Canada are;
a) To repeat residency --> which is a definitive no from my side too
b) Try a Practice Ready Assessesment in a province that allows it for Medical Specialists (Alberta being one).

Should I decide to settle in Canada, what are the chance that I can practice Ophthalmology through a PRA program? I saw in statistics that European IMGs have the highest matching rate for residency programs, would that also be the case for PRAs?

Note also that I have a good understanding of French (not enough to apply in Quebec).

Thank you very much!

 

[canuck78]

Hello,

I understood from previous discussions that an ophthalmology residency spot is as good as impossible to get in Canada. My situation is slightly different, so I would appreciate a feedback or if anyone can redirect me.

I am 32 years old and graduated in the Netherlands from one of Europe's best medical school in 2014 (and one of the world top 30) and just finished my residency in Ophthalmology. Netherlands not being an approved jurisdiction, my only options to practice in Canada are;
a) To repeat residency --> which is a definitive no from my side too
b) Try a Practice Ready Assessesment in a province that allows it for Medical Specialists (Alberta being one).

Should I decide to settle in Canada, what are the chance that I can practice Ophthalmology through a PRA program? I saw in statistics that European IMGs have the highest matching rate for residency programs, would that also be the case for PRAs?

Note also that I have a good understanding of French (not enough to apply in Quebec).

Thank you very much!

Impossible to say. I would assume there are very few that have attempted it. Alberta is on the war path to cut it's healthcare budget so they may be unwilling to entertain the idea. Assume it will be dependent on how much they are in need of ophthamologists. Would suggest getting in touch with the opthomology heads of the various hospitals and see whether it has been done and whether they'd be willing to supervise and whether there are needs for opthamologists in Alberta and Canada. Salaries vary greatly between provinces. Martimes, Quebec and BC tend to be the lowest so of course that's where the demand tends to be. Urban hospitals are always desired especially the GTA, Vancouver, Ottawa and Calgary. Most of what you may have read about physician shortages is mainly budgetary. Some Canadian specialist graduates can't get jobs in Canada.

 

[Isaac44]

Impossible to say. I would assume there are very few that have attempted it. Alberta is on the war path to cut it's healthcare budget so they may be unwilling to entertain the idea. Assume it will be dependent on how much they are in need of ophthamologists. Would suggest getting in touch with the opthomology heads of the various hospitals and see whether it has been done and whether they'd be willing to supervise and whether there are needs for opthamologists in Alberta and Canada. Salaries vary greatly between provinces. Martimes, Quebec and BC tend to be the lowest so of course that's where the demand tends to be. Urban hospitals are always desired especially the GTA, Vancouver, Ottawa and Calgary. Most of what you may have read about physician shortages is mainly budgetary. Some Canadian specialist graduates can't get jobs in Canada.

Thanks for the quick feedback. I am already doing some research to reach out to local ophthalmologists and recruiters. Their feedback will be decisive on my decision to move forward with a PR application.

Few questions/comments regarding your answer;
- Most of what you may have read about physician shortages is mainly budgetary. Some Canadian specialist graduates can't get jobs in Canada. --> from what I could read most shortages are structural and due to barriers placed at entry level, and this since more than a decade. I guess the budgetary cuts are an additional blow, but typically the savings have a limited impact on (already) short supplied roles. At least, this has been my experience in Europe. Are you sure that Canadian specialists can't find jobs after going through approved education and trainings?