This document summarizes the process for Vietnamese medical graduates to complete a residency in the United States. It notes that residency typically takes 3-7 years after 4 years of medical school. For Vietnamese graduates who complete medical school in 6 years rather than the typical US 8 years, the total time can be shortened to 9 years. It provides statistics on the number of international medical graduates (IMGs) in the US, including that IMGs make up 25% of US physicians. It outlines the eligibility requirements, application process, exam requirements, and financing options for Vietnamese graduates pursuing a medical residency in the US.

1. L DOANH DOANH, MDƯ
Study in America:
Residency in Medicine

2. Overview: The medical system in the US
Timeline:
 College: 4 years
 Medical school: 4 years
 Residency (chuyên khoa I): 3-7 years, depending on
specialty
 Fellowship (chuyên khoa II):1-3 years, depending on
subspecialty
 Still want to be in school: post-doc research
 Tired of school: get married, get a job
Grand total: 11 to 18 years

3. The good news is …
There’s a way you can cut that short by … 2 years!
 In Vietnam, it only takes 6 years to complete medical school,
compared to 8 years in the US
 You can apply to residency directly after med. school (chuyên
khoa I)
 You can go directly to the “get married, get a job” phase right
after residency.
 Your grand total is only 9 years

4. International Medical Graduates in the
United States
 In 2006, out of 902,053 physicians, 228,665 IMGs received medical
degrees from 127 different countries, accounting for 25.3% of the total
physician count.
 IMGs make up approximately 25% of the U.S. physician population.
 The heaviest concentration of IMGs is in New Jersey (45% of doctors);
New York (42%); Florida (37%); and Illinois (34%).
 California (23%), Texas (24%), Maryland 27.4%, Masschusetts 22%,
Virgninia 21%
 The largest national group is from India (20.7% of total).
 Among the top four primary specialties, the IMG population
represents 37% of total physicians in internal medicine; 28% in
anesthesiology; 32% in psychiatry; and 28% in pediatrics.
 Other specialties: General/family practice 24%, Obstetric/Gynecology
17.6%, Radiology 19%, General Surgery 20%
www.ama-assn.org

5. Top 20 countries where IMGs trained
India - 24.0% (44,585)
Philippines - 10.6%
(19,656)
Mexico - 6.7% (12,448)
Pakistan - 5.7% (10,689)
Dominican Republic -
3.8% (7,147)
Russia - 2.9% (5,343)
Grenada - 2.8% (5,196)
Egypt - 2.6% (4,884)
Italy - 2.5% (4,755)
South Korea - 2.5%
(4,676)
China - 2.4% (4,523)
Iran - 2.3% (4,355)
Spain - 2.3% (4,332)
Germany - 2.3% (4,269)
Dominica - 2.1% (4,050)
Syria - 1.8% (3,491)
Israel - 1.6% (3,098)
Colombia 1.6% (3,095)
England- 1.6% (3,071)
Lebanon 1.5% (2,871)

6. Are you eligible?
Yes, if you are a graduate of
 University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Ho Chi Minh city
 Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine
 University of Medicine Ha Noi

7. How do you get there?
The process of applying for residencies in the US is
complicated (even for US grads) and requires
patience and perseverance, but not undoable
You should start by gathering information and
required documents
Start months-years in advance for the application
process
Start NOW studying for USMLEs

8. Useful websites
www.ecfmg.org
 Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
(ECFMG), the organization that certifies foreign medical
graduates to enter U.S. residency and fellowship programs
and conductor of the CSA.
 Know the ECFMG well!!!
www.nrmp.org
www.ama-assn.org
www.google.com
www.acponline.org/about_acp/international/
www.usmle.org

9. Getting started
Contact programs for requirements and deadlines
Essential documents:
 Medical student performance evaluations
 Medical school transcripts
 Letters of recommendations (usually 3 or more)
Exams:
 USMLE 1 and 2 (testing centers in Singapore, Thailand, Hong
Kong, Philippines, etc)
 TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
 Clinical Skills Assessment (this may be hard because it’s
unfamiliar to Vnese medical students)

10. Getting started
Visa application
 www.acponline.org/about_acp/international/

11. Choosing programs
The programs that are more “foreign medical
graduate “friendly” are internal medicine, pediatrics,
and family practice
Surgical programs are competitive (even for US
grads)
Programs that traditionally take IMGs will be more
“friendly” as well, and easier to get in


12. How do you pay for it?
In residencies, you are paid a stipend, which is
about $30.000 – $45.000/year, depending on the
cost of living in that city. This is generally enough
to live on
So you (or more likely, your family) don’t have to
pay for it. You don’t need to apply for scholarship.
They actually PAY you. Which is nice.

13. In conclusion
This is a different tract than the master programs
After residency in the US, you can choose to return
to VN or to stay
The process is difficult (but not more difficult than
other scholarship programs) and chooses only the
most clinically competent medical students, but if
you get in, the pay and the US clinical training make
it all worth it.