October 23, 2002
Dear Mr. ________________:
Your inquiry is one of the most common requests we receive from foreign, non-North American, medical doctors residing outside Canada.I personally feel very compassionate toward people in your situation and wish I could be of real help. Unfortunately, however, recruiters and recruiting agencies will not help you. Recruiters only accept those assignments that can be successfully fulfilled within a short period of time, which is far from being the case in your situation.
Theoretically, what you were told at the Canadian Embassy is correct. You can get an Employment Authorization (or a Letter of Introduction, to be precise, since the actual work permit/employment authorization is issued at a Canadian Point of Entry) from the Canadian Embassy/High Commission, having obtained a job offer from your prospective employer. That is true. But this is theory. In reality, employers will not make you a job offer (they won’t even invite you for a job interview!) unless you already have all the necessary certifications, accreditations and in 99.9% of cases your immigration papers on hand. This is a catch 22, unfortunately. For medical professionals, the situation is worse than for anyone else, since the accreditation requirements are particularly strict. If you were a software developer 2 years ago (at this time, the situation has changed already), you would have no troubles getting to Canada within a short period of time. But not for medical doctors. There is a vast number of foreign-qualified doctors who are already living here in Canada with all the necessary residency documentations and still trying to pass the required professional examinations, in vain and for years. Very few manage to pass. It is ironic if not ridiculous, since there is a shortage of doctors and medical professionals in Canada, but it is the case nonetheless. The official requirements are such that the majority of foreign medical doctors are forced to change their profession, after having tried for years. It is somewhat easier for foreign Nurses (RNs) and other healthcare Technicians.
If you are hoping to find a hospital job in Research, Management, etc., unfortunately, you will most likely be classified as either “overqualified” or “no local knowledge/experience”. In the real world, hospitals will not hire a former Medical Doctor to work under the supervision of a Registered Nurse or Registered Technologist.
Here are a few options you might want to consider, instead on knocking on the doors which will never open:
1) Repeat your medical education (it is a very unfair but often the quickest solution in some cases, depending on your age and family circumstances, of course). It is very expensive, but you can try finding a scholarship. Target “specialized” scholarships. Do not waste your time applying for general ones. Make sure that you meet all requirements as they are specified. This type of information is available on the websites of the respective organizations. You do not need to pay consultants to help you do that. Make sure to satisfy absolutely all requirements, point by point. In Canada the paper work is very important, so make sure you present your papers professionally. In most cases, all the requirements are outlined and available free of charge through official government sources. Look for them on the web. This will save you thousands of dollars in consulting and lawyers fees.
2) Change careers. Take a 1-year computer programmer course. This profession is among the most wanted professions, as outlined by the government of Canada Citizenship and Immigration Department). This may help you immigrate faster.
3) Apply for graduate school to a “related field”. For example, apply for a Ph.D. Program in Chemistry, Biology, or other fields in Life Sciences to one of the Canadian Universities. This would be the fastest way to get in the country and the most forward looking approach to your future. Once here, you can start working on getting your medical credentials certified, if you wish. However, be aware that all previous restrictions will still apply to you. Having a Ph.D. from a Canadian University, however, accompanied by an M.D. degree from your country of origin would elevate you to a position of high ADVANTAGE, compared to 95% of the population, pretty much. There are very few people in this country who have an M.D. degree, international work experience, and a local Ph.D. degree. If you get teaching experience in addition to this while working on your dissertation, you will be 1000 miles ahead in the race.Do not, however, jump at the first available opportunity. When we are desperate, we tend to settle with anything that comes along our way. Try to avoid it. Canada welcomes new comers and foreign students. With some research and dedication, you WILL BE accepted into one of the programs. Just make sure to get into the ONE that would be the best for you in the long run. Consider all factors carefully.
Some of the most important factors to consider when choosing a graduate school are the following:
a) prestige of your potential University
b) prestige of your particular program (sometimes good universities have weak programs in certain fields, and vice versa)
c) your future supervisor, his/her position and influence are important. If your future supervisor is in good standing with the faculty, his/her students have better chances to receive funding. They also have more opportunities to participate in conferences, publications, etc. Review publications written by your potential supervisor. A list of publications by University Staff Professors is usually available. If not, ask Admin Support people at the Department, they will mail it to you. Make sure you read these publications. It will give you a good idea of your future as a student with this person. Also, please remember that only 10% of Ph.D. students actually finish their program and obtain official degree. 90% complete the course load, and then move on with finding a job, then pass the Qualifying Candidate Examinations, complete 95% research for their dissertation, but fail to actually prepare it for a defence. The main reason for that, usually, is inability to organize themselves to actually "finish" writing and editing the text. Other reasons include financial difficulties (everyone gets tired of living on a stipend), busy schedule filled with part-time and often full-time jobs, and family life. In this regard, a lot depends on your supervisor, especially in terms of organizing your program, directing you and motivating you.
d) field of specialization (find out if this field receives government funding in Canada. Doing thorough research on this topic will save you a lot of unnecessary hassle and prevent you from applying to the "wrong" program).
e) feasibility of getting employment quickly after finishing school (search for companies in this field and browse through their job opportunities. See what kind of specialists are required, how many, read job descriptions, and make your assessments accordingly). But make sure to account for changes within the next 5 years.
f) cost of living (Alberta is the most economical of all provinces. It is also the richest province in Canada. The University of Alberta has an excellent reputation. Ontario, on the other hand, is probably the most expensive province, Toronto especially).When you have selected a program and done your research on what your future department is all about, contact the department and ask for an application form to be mailed to you. In many cases, you can nowadays apply online. As a rule, applicants are required to provide letters of references (minimum 2), TOEFL score, a filled application form, non-refundable fees (amount varies), Curriculum Vitae (CV), and a Proposal of Intended Study. Your department needs your proposal primarily for the purposes of determining whether they can offer you a good program (what courses are available, etc.) and whom to appoint as your future supervisor. They need to determine whether they have a full (not associate) professor on staff who would be able to follow you through your program until you graduate. It is, therefore, very important to research what courses, seminars, staff members your desired department has and then submit a proposal which would be easy to "approve". But make sure that you choose something you really want to do, or else you risk finding yourself "trapped" into the subject you are not interested in. This subject will also be your specialization and future employment. One can change specialization while in the program, of course, but please keep in mind that doing so might significantly delay your graduation date. Your proposal does not have to be very specific, since it is, after all, a proposal for an intended program, not a completed one. However, your proposal needs to demonstrate your knowledge of the field and ability to exercise good quality of rhetoric. Make sure that your CV backs up what you write in your proposal as well, point by point. When applying to a graduate school, do not worry much about the length of your CV (maximum of 5 pages, though). Include all important factors. Provide all details which you think can increase your chances of getting admitted into your desired program. Each candidate is evaluated by a whole committee. They will send you a reply by mail after the decision has been made. You can occasionally inquire about the status of your application by talking on the phone with a secretary (once a month), but please keep in mind that there are specific procedures established at each department, and before all the procedures are completed, the department will not be able to inform you of the results. Make sure not to miss the TOEFL score submission deadline.
Many universities offer scholarships to foreign students. Some scholarships are highly competitive and difficult to win. But if you find an "important" or 'hot" subject (from the point of view of the subsequent benefits to society) for your research and present a convincing proposal, your chances of winning a scholarship are good. Make sure to find out whether the government allocates funding in this field. In addition, most Canadian universities offer Teaching Assistantship (TA) and Research Assistantship (RA) to graduate students. For students at a graduate level, funding and financial assistance are much easier to obtain than at an undergraduate level. These types of financial assistance will give you enough money to exist. Aim for the Teaching Assistantship, since this will also give you an opportunity to gain valuable Teaching experience, while working on your Doctorate degree, whereas Research Assistantship will not bring as much "added" value to your background (after all, as a Ph.D. student you are involved in doing research head to toe anyway). As a foreign student, you will also have the right to work on campus. Keep in mind, however, that most of these positions are part-time and in the Customer Service or similar type of areas. If you want to start your program in September, apply no later than February. Some programs start in January, which means that you need to apply no later than May. Select 2-3 programs and apply to all of them. Have your TOEFL results ready, apply for it 2-3 months in advance, or else you might miss a deadline, which might postpone your study by a whole year.Whatever you do, make sure you present your papers properly. I cannot repeat it enough! Format your papers by professional standards accepted in your host country. Look for examples on websites, look for clues. If you do not present yourself professionally, your chances of getting a good scholarship are very low. Type “scholarship writing tips” or similar keywords on search engines and go from there. Devote at least a month to this research. While doing this, you will be able to pick up, in passing, a lot of “stuctural” and “cultural” clues about how things work here.
Do not rely on “word of mouth” information. Obtain official information from the government departments in Canada (websites, websites!). It is illegal in Canada to post misleading or wrong information, it is also illegal to hide essential information, so everything you find on the government websites is of great value. I am sure you would be able to conduct good research and figure things out pretty quickly.
Prepare for a long journey, not a quick trip, and do a thorough research (do not overlook cultural differences). For example, you should not be addressing your letters to “Dear Sir” when writing to organizations in the West. The feminist movement has been very successful here, thankfully, so you are risking an unwanted impression. Use "Dear Co-ordinator" or "Dear Officer" instead.Don't you love the Internet, just a few years ago all this was not possible. So take advantage of it and learn as much as you can before you make any serious decisions. With all that said, feel free to go back to the previous page and bookmark it! It will save you hours of surfing the Net.
Everything You Need to Know to Come to Canada (Work, Study, etc.)
This info is prepared by the Canadian Immigration governing body, Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). It is intended for persons outside Canada who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada and who want to work temporarily in Canada.The Employer's Role
It is useful to know what issues Canadian employers face in terms of laws and regulations concerning hiring foreign workers.Industry Canada: Business Information by Sector
This is an invaluable information portal on all aspects of the Canadian economy.Statistics Canada
From publications to electronic data, census to survey information, www.statcan.ca is THE official source for Canadian social and economic statistics and products.Canadian Universities
American UniversitiesTOEFL web site
Useful Sites for Health Professionals and Medical Students
I hope this will be of help to you and your family. Do not forget to drop me a line when you get admitted to a grad school.
Wish you best of luck in your journey!
Truly Yours,
Anna Tulchinsky,
Ph.D. Candidate and PulseHR Co-founder
(613) 231-6308
| Home
| Job Seekers Info |
Search Jobs | My PulseHR |
Medical Employment Resources |
Medical News |
| Biotechnology Companies |
Featured Employers | Job Seeker
FAQs | Employer Info |
Site Map |
Legal ©Copyright 2002-2006 (PulseHRTM Inc.) All Rights Reserved