The Diary of an International Medical Graduate

So I haven’t posted on here in ages though I do occasionally page through others posts. Anyway - just wanted to let you all know I’ve accepted a fellowship position!

I can’t say what in because- well it’s a small world and there aren’t too many Polish FMG docs but I wanted to tell you. I’m still getting over the shock of getting a residency and specializing is more than I could have ever hoped for!

So much is different and yet it’s the same. I’m not the person I was then- I had no idea what I was getting myself in to haha I suppose I still don’t.

I wish I could tell myself no to worry so much- that in the end everything ends up okay.

Guys!!! It’s here!!!!!

Drove 10+ hours to hear all about this and I feel like a new Harry Potter book came out!

When I applied (all those years ago haha) the ranking was based on your percentile ranking in your class. It’s also ranked out based on Irish citizen, EU citizen, or other. Other being the lowest ranked. As far as the IEET- as far as I know there is no way around that unless you graduate in Ireland. That being said they might have changed the rules- when I did it there were 4 guys from a Polish program taking the exam and they had graduated previously so I assume they had taken the LEK to start their training after school. 

As far as other options I looked at the US (where I am working now), the UK, and New Zealand and Australia, I also looked into Germany and staying in Poland. New Zealand and Australia from what I remember are pretty much under the same system and are harder to get into because they have fewer intern spots thank graduating students (New Zealand is easier than Australia though), I think they have several exams you have to take as well but it was super expensive to fly there let alone going several times to take exams and apply for positions. The UK for non-EU citizens means taking an exam as well (the PLAB which has two parts) which you can’t take until you’re done with med school so I prepped for that kind of as I did step 1-2 with plans to eventually take it but never ended up needing to. Poland was a good choice but to stay I would have needed to do Staz which is pretty much like an intern year and would have needed to take the LEK exam (which the very kindly offer in English). Unfortunately, because I’m not from the EU Staz would not have been paid. So I’d of needed to do one year of intensive language study (because lets be honest my Polish is terrible) and then a year of Staz before I could actually get a job which would barely cover my living expenses let alone my school loan payment. 

The family kept telling us that what when G-d wants him, he’ll take him.

We decided a week ago to try and get him to a long term acute rehab hospital. Family couldn’t decide. Keep in mind there was literally nothing more we could do and despite crazy high oxygen nothing had changed in weeks. Today we spent 45 minutes on the phone with the family and got them to agree to the transfer.

An hour later the patient became brady and died. The whole ICU was shocked.