From Romania

Accreditation, permit of residence, language, licensing, specialist training, et cetera.
Iulian Novac

Romania to residency in Sweden

Inlägg av Iulian Novac »

Hello!

I greatly appreciate your information and I thank you for it. It's of great value for me.

I'd like to ask some questions to clarify everything. To make matters easier, I studied medicine in Romania and I'm about to graduate next September.

1) Even if I start an internship or get full-on in a residency program, is experience needed? What does 'experience' mean in this context? (participation at congresses, clinical studies, etc?)

2) Can I cut my internship to 6 months to gain experience and learn Swedish and afterwards go into the residency program?

Thanks a lot!
Gäst

Re: Romania to residency in Sweden

Inlägg av Gäst »

"Experience" refers to clinical work experience.

If you mean the AT / licensing internship, it is not possible to cut it below the standard 18 months. However, being a Romanian md, don't you already get a medical license at graduation?
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Nils
driver läkarstudent.se
Inlägg: 4717
Blev medlem: 22 apr 2008, 23:52

Re: Romania to residency in Sweden

Inlägg av Nils »

It is, however, possible to do (unpaid) non-licensing internships, which do not have to be any particular length, or to work as an unlicensed MD with the title "underläkare" (I guess "junior physician" could be a reasonable translation).
Iulian Novac skrev:participation at congresses, clinical studies, etc
These things might help slightly in the competition for internships but could be more useful in the competition for a residency spot, particularly research experience.
Iulian Novac

Re: Romania to residency in Sweden

Inlägg av Iulian Novac »

Taking a better look at the system, I indeed realized I don't have to do an internship to get my license - I simply have to apply to get a Swedish licence, the equivalent of the Romanian one.

Last question: Do I have to know the language PRIOR to starting the residency or are there programs which include learning the language while starting the residency? Or could they provide a language course on their expenses BEFORE starting the residency?

(I know, I'm a great optimist :flinar: )

Cheers, thanks!
empezar
Inlägg: 666
Blev medlem: 20 apr 2008, 15:21

Re: Romania to residency in Sweden

Inlägg av empezar »

Iulian Novac skrev:Last question: Do I have to know the language PRIOR to starting the residency or are there programs which include learning the language while starting the residency? Or could they provide a language course on their expenses BEFORE starting the residency?
I really hope you need to take the language course before starting to work as a doctor. Being able to communicate with patients is kind of important.
Fd läkarstudent (termin 7 Uppsala)
IulianL

Re: Romania to residency in Sweden

Inlägg av IulianL »

Hello. i need some informations, if you could help me. i am a fresh medical graduate from "carol davila" university of general medicine and pharmacy, bucharest, romania. i want to know what are the steps exactly for me to conduct my medical residency in sweden. i would really appreciate all your help. thank you very much
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Nils
driver läkarstudent.se
Inlägg: 4717
Blev medlem: 22 apr 2008, 23:52

Re: Romania to residency in Sweden

Inlägg av Nils »

Hello Iulian L!

To begin with, you need to apply for a medical license in Sweden:
http://www.socialstyrelsen.se/applicati ... ofmedicine

You must also have a decent grasp of the Swedish language since it is the language used when interacting with patients.
Hash

From Romania

Inlägg av Hash »

Hello! My name is Vali, I'm from Romania and I'm a medical student in the 4th year of studies in general medicine.
I have a big respect and admiration for the north countries, especially Sweden, where I would like to do my residency period and if things go well I intend to stay and work as a specialist. I already started to learn the Swedish language by myself and I enjoy it even if I'm at the begin and it's kind hard to do it by your own.
Some of the questions I have would be:
1) What are the chances to start the Specialist Training program in Sweden from the 1st year for me as a new fresh graduate licensed medical student?
2) What's the image of Romanian medical school in Sweden or it counts only the image and skills you show once you get to work into a hospital on the probationary period?
3) If I get my medical license and the right to practice it in Sweden do I have to resume only at the vacant posts from hospitals or I'm free to add my CV in other clinics also?
Thank you for your attention and I'm looking forward for your answers.
Good luck!
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Nils
driver läkarstudent.se
Inlägg: 4717
Blev medlem: 22 apr 2008, 23:52

Re: Chances to start the ST from 1st year

Inlägg av Nils »

Hello Vali!

1. Your chances to start immediately may not be the best, since medical doctors are expected to have acquired some practical experience in general medicine, internal medicine, surgery and psychiatry before beginning their Swedish residencies. There is also a "bottleneck" at the residency entry process, with many applicants per open position. Factors that could help make you more competitive are work experience as a doctor, local acquaintances who can vouch for you being a good pick and previous merits (such as research projects, especially in the same field as the residency, and good medical course grades if you are not studying in a pass/fail medical programme - the latter is the standard in Sweden). As an immigrant, being unexpectedly skilled in the Swedish language would also be a significant benefit (keep in mind that being able to communicate in Swedish is necessary to begin with).

Also, the central / university hospital residencies see significantly more competition than residencies located in more rural areas.

2. Romanian medical schools for international / Swedish students have gotten a bad reputation in Sweden and it might very well have rubbed off on the general image of Romanian medical schools. You might have an easier time getting into a Swedish residency if you first do an internship or work as a plain physician, showing that your abilities meet the Swedish standards and getting reference persons who can vouch for you when contacted by future employers (and, as mentioned above, work experience also helps with becoming more competitive anyway - it is common in Sweden that fresh graduates work for perhaps a year before even beginning their license internship).

3. I am not sure what you mean here, could you elaborate?
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Nils
driver läkarstudent.se
Inlägg: 4717
Blev medlem: 22 apr 2008, 23:52

Re: Romania to residency in Sweden

Inlägg av Nils »

I was recently asked this elsewhere (individual information has been removed):
I am from Romania. I graduated medical school this year, in my home country (so I gain an EU medical diploma).

I have a high interest in ------- area (both research and clinical approach, especially for ------- ------- ------- -------). I am interested in further medical studying in your extraordinary country, Sweden.

Is there a possibility so I can apply directly as a EU foreigner to one of your ------- residency program, without going the internship or I just have to apply for a Swedish license to practice before? (I ask this, because I got a little confused regarding the EU medical qualifications requirements, even if we underwent the Bologna process directives and regulations during studies)

Can you give me please more information regarding admission and requirements of eligibility? And any other necessary paper-works that needs to be filled in? Thank you very much in advance for all those
To which I answered:
I have compiled some information and references (for immigrating physicians) on the läkarstudent.se forum:
http://läkarstudent.se/forum/viewtopic.php?f=103&t=2259

Specifically, this page might be what you are looking for in terms of paperwork before beginning a residency application:
http://www.socialstyrelsen.se/applicati ... ofmedicine

Basically, since you get a medical license upon graduation in Romania, you are supposed to just send in an application for the Swedish medical license. You do not have to, and you are actually not even allowed to, undergo the AT intership because of your pre-existing medical license in another EU country.

Sweden does not have a centralised residency application program like, for instance, the United States. Every residency slot is instead advertised as a job opening, usually in Läkartidningen, which prospective residency physicians then apply for.

While being fluent in Swedish may not be a formal requirement for beginning a residency, you may still have to obtain sufficient proficiency in the language in order to be able to compete for the limited residency slots.
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