ACADEMIC
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Start |
- End of R5 year, once the PEM was confirmed
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Support |
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Choice of site/specialization |
- One year at Stanford University
- Procedures are very complicated
- There is little information on the subject
- No program provided what he was offered as a fellowship, i.e., a combined fellowship in clinical work and research
- He wasted a lot of time looking for a site, but was finally able to apply to a clinical program, which is standard in the field
- After reading a lot about equivalences and whether or not it was necessary to take the United States Medical Licensing Exams (USMLE), he was able to select a few sites
- He had a first interview that did not lead to a position
- He then applied to Stanford, where he was told they could not take him because of the visa requirement. Finally, after checking with the university directly, he was interviewed and obtained the position
- The choice of subspecialty was a personal one
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Interview |
- Candidate had two on-site interviews: one in Tampa, the other at Stanford
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Exams |
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Pay/bursary |
- Paid by the facility/R7 level
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Prior rotation |
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Work permit/visa |
- Application process went smoothly
- Lots of red tape, but the host university was very helpful
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Visitor's visa |
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PERSONAL
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Health insurance |
- Health insurance provided by the hospital in the work contract
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Car |
- Too complicated to acquire a car
- The candidate preferred to rent an apartment near the hospital and get hold of a bicycle, to move around more easily
- He occasionally rents a car when he wants to do long distances on weekends
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Bank account |
- It is necessary to open a bank account in the U.S.
- The easiest thing is to open one once you are on site
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Accomodation |
- It is hard to find anywhere furnished, and rents are very high (between $3,500 and $4,000 per month for a 3½)
- It is impossible to reserve ahead of time
- The university offers apartments, and can place you on a waiting list for lower-cost units
- They can call you only 1-2 months before you arrive. But you are unlikely to get one of the apartments near the university
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Driver's licence |
- The Quebec driver’s licence is valid in the USA (occasional driving)
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Quebec Health Insurance Board (RAMQ) |
- Notified RAMQ before leaving. RAMQ covers emergencies only for the U.S., so you need to take out other insurance to cover health care.
- Health insurance is offered by the host site on clinical fellowships associated with a salary
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Social Security Number |
- For all clinical fellowships, you will need a U.S. Social Security number, which you can apply for only when you have already been in the USA for 10 days
- Plan to arrive more than 24 hours ahead of your first day, if possible
- You cannot work without a Social Security number, as your medical licence will not be available without that number (at least in California)
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