Is the grass greener on the other side (America)??

because they see the green card lottery as giving a chance for people from less developed nations to live the american dream.

We're developed enough already so not needing of the "american dream" apparently.

Nope - it's more simple than that. It's only open to countries where immigration from that country in the past year is less than a preset amount.

That means we are never eligiable as we have quite a few people going over on spouse/work/etc visas. It's nothing to do with how developed the country is, as Australia for example is eligable for the green card lottery.

Quite what they think somebody from Ghana will bring to the country that more people from the UK wont is beyond me but thats the rules I guess.
 
You have GOT to be the most pessimistic dude on these forums. :p
No point in taking a chance is there? Giving it my best shot? Not in hell!

Seriously though... I can try. People have done much more impressive stuff.
If everyday I thought to myself I could get hit by a truck or stabbed by a mugger, I'd never leave the house.

There is a bit of difference between never leaving the house for fear of getting run over and running off to another country with no welfare system at the age of 19 with no real plan beyond hoping you get lucky.

And I live in a part of London that has seen my friends friends, and familys friends murdered.

Errr what?

And hey, I can always come home... if I don't get killed within the first few months.

Provided you don't owe somebody a heck of a lot of money that is.
 
I asked about this while over there

American consumers prefer it because taxes vary from state to state. If they saw the same products being advertised whilst visiting elsewhere they'd have to work back the tax to work out if it was any cheaper or not.

If the price is without tax, it makes for a very easy comparison to the price back home

Thats the most ridiculous reason I've ever heard, were they a bit dim?

Surely the only price valid for comparison is the after tax price. It doesnt matter how much stuff costs before tax, as you've gotta pay the tax!
 
Have you really looked into it? It's bloody hard to get in even if you are well qualified.
No not really, its juts an early idea.

It depends entirely on the individual.

If you have a good income and can accept the lack of social care in their society then it's fine.

I prefer the UK tbh, but I have friends who say the opposite.

You'll find it extremely difficult to get work visas however even with medical qualifications.

May I suggest Canada, Toronto is a fantastic city and has the US feel without the violence or homelessness endemic in the US at the moment.

By the way $35k is not a great deal of money, remember everything may be cheaper, but you have to pay for everything also, no social or municipal provision without a fee.

Consider that the US average is around $45k then you see that your living standards may be somewhat lower than you are used to.
Canada would be my choice also however they are not welcoming international doctors at all.

35k isnt much at all really, medical insurance will take care of 5k of that each straight away, you both will be running cars but then if you can afford to buy a house outright then money probably isn't too much of an issue regardless for you.
I think 35k is a low estimate and only the starting salary, we would probably make more with time. After we are qualified it should go up to around 150k plus so even if we manage to eat through my savings in the first few years we should be able to make up for it later.

I would have thought that you would earn way more than $35k :confused:
What with the sueing culture being far worse in the US. Also, you said you're just finishing F1. But what are you going to do in the 10months until the start of your F2?
And would you be able to take up your residency post without having done F2?

Also, I'm sure you don't need me to tell you this, but USMLE is very very hard. In fact, no, you definitely don't need me to tell you that, you're much much older than me :p

I'd like to my degree and F1 and F2 here, but I'm considering moving to the USA after this. That's if I get into Uni in the first place!
To be honest I did not plan to get an F2 job until August anyway as I have lots of loose ends to tie up with the businesses I was running before. This would give me time to study for the USMLEs, I know they are not easy but they are not as bad as many people think. My wife is a smart women and it will be no problem for her. It will be a little harder for me as I don’t have the self discipline that she has.

Oh yeah, before I forget: if you did move to the USA, where would you be working? I've heard that the conditions in a county hospital are not that great.
No idea yet.

Do you mean you're going to finish F1 at the beginning of August 2011?
No I am done with my F1 now but I am not working at the moment.


[TW]Fox;17547197 said:
Are you sure you can even move? There isnt a skills visa for the USA as you'll find for say Canada.
That I don’t know but I have some family out there and I did have a green card in the past so that may help. It’s really just something that has crossed my mind so I have not done much research yet.
We were only going to stay in the uk because we were going to take over a GP practice but that recently changed and we will not be able to do that anymore so there is nothing holding me to the uk anymore.
35K wont get you anywhere.

I earned way more than that on an exchange year as a student and barely came back with a penny (although I had the time of my life every weekend).

I wouldn't want to be in the US with less than 100K between the couple, if you want to live well in a nice neighborhood. The thing is, the US is only a great place to live if you have a reliable predictable and reasonable income. For the poor the UK is much better. You also have much less support if you mess things up so you need to look after yourself with savings accounts etc.Don't live day in day out on the money you make otherwise if you were to loose your job or have unexpected health problems you may be in trouble.

Prices vary a lot.
35k would be each and only for the first couple of years, we have saving we can eat into especially if we decide to buy a cheaper house, but yes even 70k is not a lot of money to live on however I think the pay after a few years more than makes up for it.

I'm going to move to the US hopefully within the month.
I'll be going with virtually nothing but my dual nationality and about 1000GBP.
Staying at a commune for free for the first 3 months or so, then hopefully moving to Arizona after saving some cash to attend a well regarded luthiery school and getting work in Fender/Gibson/Warmoth/Alembic, or any of the other US guitar manufacturers.

And I'm only 19.
Wow good luck, let us know how you get on!!
Do NOT forget to get travel insurance that will cover you for long trips, its a little more expensive but worth it.

Also, keep in mind that if things don't work out well for you in the U.S, you will find it hard to get employment back here in the UK. The British medical fraternity doesn't look favourably on its own graduates jumping ship ....

As others have said, it may not be as easy as you think getting in to the U.S to begin with visa wise. For the first few years it will definitely be hard, as you work long hours for poor pay. But, after that ( if you've made it ) then you will start earning very handsomely. Personally, I prefer Canada ...and think you would have more chance of succeeding there.
Personally I would love Canada but there are so many stories of foreign doctors driving taxies I just don’t want to take the risk.
 
The only issue with your plan is the USMLE part in my mind. They are tough exams and passing means nothing to getting a job. If you don't score highly, then you will struggle to get a job as US applicants with lower scores will get positions over foreign graduates with higher USMLE scores. I only know one guy thats trained here and went to the US and he got the highest centile in both written papers (he was stupidly smart). I`m not saying that you shouldn't sit the exams, but getting marks that will land a job will be very tough.

Are you F1 at the moment then, or starting F2? How are you finding it so far? What's your rotation?
 
I have dual nationality and have spent about a third of my life in the US, going to the US with a little over $1000 and not much else means you're going to be in a pretty desperate place quite quickly.

Do you have a job lined up or just wishing to work for a guitar manufacturer?

Commune?, sound like you are either trolling or making a huge miscalculation on exactly what the US means when you have no means of supporting yourself.

Btw, No insurance?, join the queue at the community med centre then. Don't pay the bill? Say hello to Fed Pen. That'll be fun for a 19 year old.

The worst they can do is ruin his credit score, which he doesn't even have. And even then it only lasts 7 years. There are millions upon millions of unpaid medical bills.
 
The only issue with your plan is the USMLE part in my mind. They are tough exams and passing means nothing to getting a job. If you don't score highly, then you will struggle to get a job as US applicants with lower scores will get positions over foreign graduates with higher USMLE scores. I only know one guy thats trained here and went to the US and he got the highest centile in both written papers (he was stupidly smart). I`m not saying that you shouldn't sit the exams, but getting marks that will land a job will be very tough.

Are you F1 at the moment then, or starting F2? How are you finding it so far? What's your rotation?

Yah the exams are a pain, my wife is smart enough to do very well and she wants to go into GP which does not really need that high marks.

She did her F1 year in Prague, her F2 in the uk and has started her ST training.

I have finished my F1 year in Prague and was planning to start F2 in august (UK)

How have we found it? well my wife is working stupidly long hours, only makes 45k per year and is treated like crap by the hospital and gets abused by the patients.
 
The worst they can do is ruin his credit score, which he doesn't even have. And even then it only lasts 7 years. There are millions upon millions of unpaid medical bills.

That's not entirely true. If you are taken to court and fail to pay a order from the court or fail to show then you can be arrested and sentenced.

While you would not be liable to federal prison, you can be sent to jail for 30 days or more.

They can also seek and gain attachment to earnings, possession of your home or possessions, and the seizing by CO of your bank accounts and assets.
 
i've never understood why this is?

It's because of the large number of people moving from the UK to the USA, Mexico is also exempt from the scheme.

I think 35k is a low estimate and only the starting salary, we would probably make more with time.

I would hope so, my mum makes that much working part time as a nurse. No way would I do a job that stressful for a measly $35k!
 
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Everything is generally cheaper, well it was when i was there.

Uncle moved to New York about 10 years ago. Best decision hes ever made he says :)

I'd disagree with that. Yes houses and fuel are but general day to day things are pretty much exacty the same (at the current exchange rate). It's generally considered that $20k in the US will be equivilent of around £20k in the UK spending power wise, but I'm not to sure really.
 
I dont know who quoted you $35 k for a doctor ? LNA's start at about $35-40k the mother in law is an RN and she earns about $70-75k a year.

Move to New Hampshire we dont have sales tax here, what you see is what you pay :)

Like many have said the only bad thing about living here is the Medical insurance, the companies will drop you for the slightest thing then refuse to pay for something that you got 3 months prior. But you only really have this problem if you dont get health benefits from your job. If you work for a hospital you'll get good insurance.

My quality of life has improved since i moved here almost 3 months ago. I dont regret moving here from the UK.
 
the $1 stores make me laugh, surely it's false advertising?

I got caught with that. :o

You get the money out ready and then the bill comes up on the till and for a couple of seconds you think "WTF!?".:p

As for the guy with no medical insurance. If you really think you will get a job in 3 months time why not get travel insurance before you go, much cheaper than the US health insurance and if you get a long stay style one it should cover you for emergency needs until you get a job out there... (good luck with that!)
 
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