The doctor is in and it is time for the 10 easiest countries to become a doctor. I have never wanted to be a doctor. I once was having blood drawn and said to the nurse, “Oh this is kind of gross to watch.” She was unimpressed. I guess nurses are pretty tough and have to face physical gross-outs on a daily or even hourly occurrence rate. I’m whining about one tiny vial, so skipping medical school was clearly the right move for me. You, on the other hand, should check it out–if you have what it takes, you could end up being a fantastic doctor.
My own primary care physician is pretty amazing, too. Occasionally he gives me brain teasers to solve; I fail every time. He is a curious, funny guy–who is also top rated on Yelp for my area. I’m not giving you his name; he’s popular enough already, man. I will give you the name of another top rated on Yelp area doctor because his name is Bruce Champagne. No joke. If he doesn’t refer to himself as “the Champagne of doctors,” then he is crazy.
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Being a doctor is certainly not easy, but the most difficult part is studying to become one. In the U.S. a person has to go through several years of education and training before becoming eligible for medical licensing. Also, the requirements and cost of getting into a U.S. medical schools are pretty steep. Now that said, many U.S. citizens often opt for foreign medical schools to get their degree, and then return to U.S. to start practicing as full-fledged doctors.
One thing to note here is that acquiring a medical license in the US for a foreign trained doctor can be extremely difficult, but that is a topic for another day. There could be any number of reasons for you to go for a foreign medical school, it could be the cost, maybe you would like to gain international experience and exposure, or perhaps you do not meet the academic criteria to get into the med school of your choice in the U.S. If you are weighing your options before committing yourself to a medical school, then this list of countries where becoming a doctor is relatively easier will help you quite a bit.
The countries listed here have much more relaxed criteria for getting in a medical school and also the cost of living is quite low. The education system is also in English, therefore you do not have to learn a new language. On top of that, in these countries, you will have to invest fewer years in your medical education to obtain your medical degree when compared to the United States and Canada. In order to compile our list, we sought help from online sources where similar topics are being discussed.
We would like to credit websites like StudentWorldOnline, WiseGeek and Window2India. We researched on these sites and then ranked them by the average ranking on other sites so you will have a comprehensive view of the easiest countries to become a doctor. If you study in any of the listed countries here, you will always have to option to returning to the U.S., and the start practicing there as a doctor. However you may need to go through an exam called United States Medical Licensing Examination United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). The hardest countries to become a doctor are the U.S. and Canada, because they both require completion of an undergraduate degree first, scoring highly on the MCAT and completing Medical School. But, the countries on our list require a much shorter study period and are also considerably cheaper. Since you are interested in medicine also check out the 16 Highest Paying Countries for Doctors. Now please enjoy the easiest countries to become a doctor.
10. Sweden
Medical schools in Sweden are free for EU students, unfortunately, they recently introduced a fee system for students outside of the EU. That means you will need to pay to study there, but on average you will be paying less than in the U.S. The exchange rate floats around 1 USD = about 8.5 SEK which is quite good. The living expenses are about 8,000 SEK per month and your studies are going to cost you roughly 12,000 SEK per year on average.
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9. Poland
Medicine courses in Poland that’s next on our list of easiest countries to become a doctor are quite affordable. On average it will cost you around EUR 3,000 per year. Each year, medicine schools in Poland see an intake of students from US, Scandinavian countries, and Saudi Arabia–among many others. The degrees offered by Polish universities are recognized worldwide. Of course, you will receive the education in English, but if you are well versed in Polish then living there would be much easier.
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8. Germany
Germany, that ranked 8th on our list of easiest countries to become a doctor operates a free education system, therefore if you manage to get admission in a German medical school, you do not have to pay a penny for tuition. However, the entry requirements can get difficult depending on to which school you apply.
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7. Italy
Even though tuition fees for medical courses in Italy are quite cheap, they are not more affordable than those in Sweden or Germany. Another plus is a relatively low cost of living here. The average cost is estimated to be around EUR 1,000 per year.
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6. Belgium
The expenses for medical degrees fluctuate wildly depending on the university and where you are living within Belgium, one of the easiest countries to become a doctor. The county is home to some extraordinary medical institutions, and is a beautiful destination that can help reduce the pressure of a tough medical course. The tuition per year would cost you a maximum of 835 EUR/year. Of course, the entry requirements are not as though as the US, and you do not need to spend 8+ years pursuing your degree.
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5. Russia
Russia has a plethora of options in over 50 medical colleges. Reputed institutions engaged in providing medical education are the Russian State Medical University, the Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Yaroslavl State Medical Academy, the Kursk State Medical University, and the Volgograd State Medical University. Here you can study courses in general and sports medicine, along with dentistry. The average cost of a medical college is between 15,000 USD and 26,000 USD for a six-year course that generally includes hostel accommodation, tuition fee, and study material cost. So for a measly $4,000 on average (6-year duration) you could become a doctor.
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4. Belize
In Belize, one of the easiest countries to become a doctor, you have a four-and-half year medical academic program recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and also the International Medicine Education Directory (IMED) of Medical Schools. The entry requirements are quite relaxed in Belize, however, things could get a bit expensive. As the average tuition fees run about $5,000 per trimester. Cost of living is around $1,000.
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3. Ireland
Students who want to pursue a medical degree in the Republic of Ireland have the choice of six medical schools, with costs averaging between $60,000 and $80,000, inclusive of tuition and living expenses. Again the cost is quite high, but we find the same relaxed entry requirements here as well.
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2. India
This developing country, one of the easiest countries to become a doctor, has come a long way since its independence. English is a preferred language all over India, therefore living and studying there for a US citizen is a breeze. Medical school program in India is one of the shortest. Since a student usually only need to complete four and a half years of an undergraduate program to earn a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree. Due to the fantastic exchange rate, the cost of tuition and living will not be a problem for you.
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1. Romania
You get everything you expect from any other country only at dirt cheap prices. It’s one of the best countries in Europe for becoming a doctor, but not necessarily the best place to work as a doctor. As the low cost of living will affect your income potential adversely. Everything is very inexpensive, you can easily cover your living expenses with around $500-600 a month for rent, food, etc. Regardless of which medical school you go to the tuition, will be about EUR 3200 – 5000 per year. Most Romanian medical schools are pretty easy to get enrolled in as well.
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Thanks for checking out the 10 easiest countries to become a doctor. Now it is time to get a handle on applying–soon enough you will be making house calls!
