Studying In Ukraine

Hello everyone, I have being thinking about pursuing my MD program in Ukraine. I believe it is a cheaper option. How acceptable is it in the U.S? How successful are the grads in USMLE exam. Is there any Old Pre-med currently running the MD program in Ukraine? Who knows about the living conditions! Thank you

The ValueMD board can better answer those questions.

  • Anyanwu Said:
Hello everyone, I have being thinking about pursuing my MD program in Ukraine. I believe it is a cheaper option. How acceptable is it in the U.S? How successful are the grads in USMLE exam. Is there any Old Pre-med currently running the MD program in Ukraine? Who knows about the living conditions! Thank you



As was pointed you might get more specific info in ValueMD but here is some general on IMG/FMG

The issue with licensing becomes even more problematic and more of a gamble when you examine the nuances of what goes on. In every state, the law creates a medical board or other administrative entity to make specific rules/standards, review applications, and issue licenses. Some years ago, California's medical board starting reviewing the off-shore medical schools, including occasional site visits, to establish if the schools should be on their approved list (Link to California Medical School Licensing List ). This list is dynamic as 10 years ago, St. Matthews was on the list but was removed about 5 years ago. So a medical school on the list now, may not be when you graduate. Several state medical boards, such as vermont, michigan, and kansas, have adopted the California list as part of their licensing standard. Many others have similar lists, usually school's whose graduates are banned from obtaining a licenses. Yet with the physician shortage, some states, such as Arkansas, are removing prohibitions on IMG/FMG licensing due to shortages and lawsuits but that whole thing is still influx. Its all rather confusing really.

I'll add a few other quick thoughts on foreign schools (I'll provide full posts at a later time on these issues)

1. It is almost meaningless when schools that say they are "accredited" and/or push that they are certified for students to take USMLE. It is like the used car salesman saying "this car comes with 4 tires and a steering wheel." Almost anyone, and literally I mean anyone can create a school, get some form of government charter, such a business license from the local city, get UN-WHO recognized, and thus can have their students site for USMLE.

2. Some schools are great, some are crap, most are for-profit, some run by large companies, others by convicted crooks. (the link to the San Antonio Newspaper article no longer works)

3) Residency programs: Some will not consider any IMG/FMG, regardless if they are a citizen. Some will consider them for their secondary programs in the St. Elsewhere not in the University Hospital, such as Stony Brook. Yet some,like Stony Brook, seemingly have a long standing relationship with a few specific foreign schools. For example, Saba, a small school in Netherland Antilles seems to have this with one of Stony Programs. It may be due to friendships across faculty but that is purely speculative.

4) Data on matching is readily available.