Psychiatry residency in Switzerland

[Maykel]

Hi everyone,

My situation is a bit odd, so I will try and explain it as brief as possible, perhaps someone can or may be able to help or provide me some insight.

I am a Canadian citizen, who completed his medical degree in Cairo University-Egypt (2004-2012). I completed my medical degree there due to unavoidable family circumstances, so in other words, it wasn't my first choice. Nevertheless, it was an amazing experience, which opened me up both culturally and intellectually.

Following medical school, I completed my internship year in Northern Ontario School of Medicine (OB/GYN), Tufts-brockton hospital (Boston, USA-Psychiatry and Gastro) and in Egypt (ER, Plastic, surgery) given the 2011 revolution (2011-2012).

I returned back to Canada in 2012 and completed the MCCEE, MCCQE1 and NAC-OSCE Canadian Board Exams (2012-2013).

Unfortunately, I was unable to match to residency in Canada (applied first to Psychiatry, then tried family medicine as well), nor was I able to go back to Egypt to pursue or commence a residency during the 2013 revolution given the escalating political situation back then.

Hence, I moved to Montreal and completed a masters degree in clinical psychiatry (McGill University) on resistant depression and the use of mood stabilizers and atypical antipsychotics for augmentation therapy. I ended up writing my thesis on 78 patients, most of which I had been following up during my time there. I also gained much clinical and research experience in bipolar disorders, MDD, substance use disorders, anxiety disorders, the use of rTMS, biomarkers and endocannabinoids/cannabidiol (2013-2016).

I landed a clinical postdoctoral fellowship in University of Montreal (2016-present) in addiction, where I wrote part of the only pan-Canadian research protocol for the opioid crisis and I see patients on a daily basis (60% patients, 40% research) who are started on methadone or suboxone treatments in our clinic. I also train first year residents on using SCID and MINI for psychiatric diagnoses and patient encounters. Since 2016, I also learnt how to speak French (I speak French, English and Arabic fluently), and I published 8 clinical scientific papers in high impact journals since 2015.

I also received multiple awards from both the Canadian and American Psychiatric Association (CPA and APA), and I even received APA resident-fellow membership in 2018 because of my work in Canada. Much of the science/experience I gained till today, is self thought.

I tried to match to residencies in 2018 in Canada, however, I am now being told that I am out of clinical practice since 2012, which still makes no sense to me.

At the moment, I wish to leave Canada for understandable reasons. A friend of mine informed me about potential opportunities in Switzerland, where there is need for psychiatrists who speak french. Starting fresh in a french speaking institute where I could finally begin a residency in psychiatry, would mean the world to me.

I understand that this choice may entail never being able to come back to Canada and practice here in the future. Quite frankly at this point, I have done my best and I would genuinely have no regrets.

If anyone out there can provide me some guidance with regards to how I can apply to switzerland, or what are the steps required to embark on this route, please let me know.

Thank you in advance.

Best,

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[shreypete]

May I ask why you haven't considered the UK? There are lot of training positions in psychiatry available at the moment. Also do you speak fluent French? The Swiss are very notorious for their stringent standards even within Europe.

 

[Malthusian99]

Hi everyone,

My situation is a bit odd, so I will try and explain it as brief as possible, perhaps someone can or may be able to help or provide me some insight.

I am a Canadian citizen, who completed his medical degree in Cairo University-Egypt (2004-2012). I completed my medical degree there due to unavoidable family circumstances, so in other words, it wasn't my first choice. Nevertheless, it was an amazing experience, which opened me up both culturally and intellectually.

Following medical school, I completed my internship year in Northern Ontario School of Medicine (OB/GYN), Tufts-brockton hospital (Boston, USA-Psychiatry and Gastro) and in Egypt (ER, Plastic, surgery) given the 2011 revolution (2011-2012).

I returned back to Canada in 2012 and completed the MCCEE, MCCQE1 and NAC-OSCE Canadian Board Exams (2012-2013).

Unfortunately, I was unable to match to residency in Canada (applied first to Psychiatry, then tried family medicine as well), nor was I able to go back to Egypt to pursue or commence a residency during the 2013 revolution given the escalating political situation back then.

Hence, I moved to Montreal and completed a masters degree in clinical psychiatry (McGill University) on resistant depression and the use of mood stabilizers and atypical antipsychotics for augmentation therapy. I ended up writing my thesis on 78 patients, most of which I had been following up during my time there. I also gained much clinical and research experience in bipolar disorders, MDD, substance use disorders, anxiety disorders, the use of rTMS, biomarkers and endocannabinoids/cannabidiol (2013-2016).

I landed a clinical postdoctoral fellowship in University of Montreal (2016-present) in addiction, where I wrote part of the only pan-Canadian research protocol for the opioid crisis and I see patients on a daily basis (60% patients, 40% research) who are started on methadone or suboxone treatments in our clinic. I also train first year residents on using SCID and MINI for psychiatric diagnoses and patient encounters. Since 2016, I also learnt how to speak French (I speak French, English and Arabic fluently), and I published 8 clinical scientific papers in high impact journals since 2015.

I also received multiple awards from both the Canadian and American Psychiatric Association (CPA and APA), and I even received APA resident-fellow membership in 2018 because of my work in Canada. Much of the science/experience I gained till today, is self thought.

I tried to match to residencies in 2018 in Canada, however, I am now being told that I am out of clinical practice since 2012, which still makes no sense to me.

At the moment, I wish to leave Canada for understandable reasons. A friend of mine informed me about potential opportunities in Switzerland, where there is need for psychiatrists who speak french. Starting fresh in a french speaking institute where I could finally begin a residency in psychiatry, would mean the world to me.

I understand that this choice may entail never being able to come back to Canada and practice here in the future. Quite frankly at this point, I have done my best and I would genuinely have no regrets.

If anyone out there can provide me some guidance with regards to how I can apply to switzerland, or what are the steps required to embark on this route, please let me know.

Thank you in advance.

Best,

Hello,

There is definitely a need for good and able doctors in Switzerland. A few things:

- Do you speak fluent French (equivalent to the European C2?)
- Do you have a valid work permit? It's very difficult to get one unless you have a reason to get one (last I checked, being a doctor is not a good enough reason)
- Medical degrees from outside the EU are not eligible for automatic recognition. You'll need to apply to the MEBEKO to have your credits transferred and you'll most likely be required to sit the examen fédérale de médecin (the last step in becoming a doctor in Switzerland)