2 PATHWAYS TO HELP YOU BECOME A DOCTOR IN THE US
Recently, at the beginning of the new year, I received many questions asking for advice on work and study orientation. Many people ask me:
“I have graduated from A/B/C Medical School in Vietnam, and if I want to become a doctor in the US, what are the ways?
Therefore, in today’s article, I will share my experiences and knowledge about the paths that will help you become a doctor. in the US, as a pioneer, a Coach to guide young doctors.
Currently, there are 2 main ways to help you legally practice medicine in the US:
1. Studying (re)studying medical school in the US:
- Medical students/doctors in Vietnam or international students can take the MCAT and apply to a medical school in the US and re-study the Medical program from the beginning for 4 years. After that, you will go into residency, get a practicing certificate, and officially become a doctor in the US.
- Investment time: 6 years (if you have graduated from Medicine in Vietnam) OR 4 years premed in the US + 4 years of medical school in the US
- Advantages: The rate of being accepted into a US medical residency will be higher than the other path (because you will graduate from an American medical school instead of graduating from a medical school outside the US), and your knowledge will be reinforced during the process of re-studying medicine in the US.
- Minus points:
- The competition rate for medical schools in the US is very high, requiring extremely excellent scores and records. Especially for international students without permanent residence/citizenship, the success rate is only about 1-2% (According to information from Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) among nearly 200,000 admitted medical students, only 200 of them are international medical students – without citizenship/green card).
- Tuition for international medical students is usually from $50,000 to $90,000/year, especially at private schools, tuition can be even higher. To complete 4 years of study, the cost can be up to $200,000 – $300,000, plus additional fees. Living expenses, books, and study materials, etc. You will need to cover all of these costs yourself without support from government loans. In addition, medical schools will also ask you to provide proof of finances or pay all tuition fees 4 years in advance before enrolling. For some of you who apply for a school scholarship, your application usually has to be “top of the top.”
- If you have a green card or US citizenship, tuition, especially for schools in the state where you are a permanent resident, is significantly lighter, but on average it is around $170,000 – $200,000 for 4 years. Besides, you can also borrow money from the government to cover expenses. When you graduate, enter residency and officially become a doctor, you will work and pay back the loan and interest incurred.
- After completing 4 years of medical school in the US, you still have to register for residency training to practice as a doctor in the US. This training process lasts from 3 – 8 years depending on the specialty you choose.
2. USMLE path and American Medical residency:
Doctors who have graduated in Vietnam can compete directly to enter the US Medical residency program by passing USMLE exams, participating in clinical internships, having scientific research articles, having letters of recommendation from doctors in the US, and submitting application documents.
Note: Doctors need to graduate from medical schools on the list of accredited medical schools to participate in the American Medical Residency competition. style=”list-style-type: none;”>
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- Skip the step of re-entering medical school in the US. No need to worry about applying and competing to get into medical school in the US. Not having to repeat 4 years of American medical school means you can save a huge amount of money.
- The rate of admission to residency programs for doctors who have graduated in Vietnam according to statistics in recent years has ranged from 50-60%, for doctors who are serious about pursuing this path.
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- Investment time: This preparation process usually takes about 3-4 years and the preparation cost for this process (if you prepare yourself ~ 90 thousand dollars – exam fees, internship fees, living expenses in the US)
- Competitiveness: Your profile must be better than medical students in the US when applying to residency programs. Requires you to have a smart strategy and guidance from experienced people, otherwise it is easy to fail and give up halfway
- The larger the gap year (the time from when you graduate from medical school → submit your application), the more your acceptance rate will decrease over time. Therefore, you need to quickly prepare if you decide to follow this path.
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400;”>If you are a Vietnamese medical student or doctor who wants to become a doctor in the US following the USMLE path and wants me to Coach to guide you, please message your inbox for advice. If there is fate and compatibility, we will go together. Coaching 1:1 I do not accept many students to ensure program quality. In 2025, we only have a few spots left, so hurry up.
Please comment “yes” if this article is useful to you.
Dr. Christina Nguyen, MD, FAAFP
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