Studying medicine in Europe
and want to practice in the US?

Read how to study for the USMLEs,
get elective in US and match into residency.

International medical graduates can apply for a residecy in the US

The universal condition is to to pass USMLE.
US Medical Licensing Exam comprises Step 1, Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS.

Step 1 is about basic science and mechaninsms of diseases. It takes a lot of time to study for and is best taken during med school.

Step 2 Clinical Knowledge is about recognizing clinical patterns of a disiease, differential diagnosis, workup and basic treatment.

Step 2 Clinical Skills asks you to show neat and efficient communication with a patient, take history, do a focused physical exam and write a patient note that you would not make you embarrased.

Sounds like a lot of studying. Why to do it?

If you want to be a doctor in the USA, you've got the answer.

If you are happy where you are, and want to work in your home country or elsewhere in Europe, that's good. It's the easier way. You don't need the USMLE, unless you have OCPD personality, no better things to do and money to spend :)

Medicine in the USA

Residency programs vary, but generally:

  • Very high workload: 80hrs/week = 11.5hrs/day (incl. weekends)
  • Patient centered
  • Insured patients gets excellent care (uninsured not always)
  • Performance driven
  • Well organized teaching and care
  • Research opportunities
  • High salary
  • Excellent salary once specialized
  • Doctors valued for peformance.

Medicine in Europe

Differs gratly in the regions: north and west have well organized programs, high salary. South and east vary.

  • Good workload: 10hrs/day
  • Society centered
  • Good teaching and care
  • Research opportunities
  • Salary varies
  • Salary once specialized varies
  • Respected for determination and sacrifice
  • More time for hobbies&family

In Czech republic, patients get effective care, which is not always patient-centered. Payment of hospitals and doctors are as low as they can tolerate and not directly related to performance.

What's this site about?

Peer advice

I have written these pages after doing USMLEs in 2014. It is essentialy a snapshot of my feelings, reflections and ideas on these tests ...and also a kind of "self-delivered" psychotherapy for adjustment disorder :).

I tried to write a brief yet usefull summary of my advices for those contemplating or preparing for this exam. Many similar experiences has been written; however, most of them are written by students from carribbean, India and middle East. My contribution is a perspective from the central Europe: I studied medicine at Masaryk University (Brno, Czech republic). Therefore, students and graduates from Central Europe: Germany, Austria, Bohemia, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia or Romania might find my notes more relevant.