In 4 years I will have finished pediatric residency in Greece (reminder: I have also finished med school in Greece) and I want to return and practice in the US - more specific Illinois.
I am trying to figure out how it will be possible to practice pediatrics in the US...
- Do I still have to get ECFMG/USMLE and then a board exam?
To practice medicine in any state in the US, you must be eligible for a medical license.
The requirements for an Illinois medical license are here:
http://www.idfpr.com/dpr/apply/forms/md-ex.pdf
You must pass the USMLE, be ECFMG certified AND have at least 6 years of undergraduate education. It is not clear to me whether or not you attended college before medical school, but note that Illinois requires 2 years undergrad and at least 4 years of medical school.
Board certification is not a requirement, as of yet, to practice medicine at the state level.
To take any Board examination, you have to have a valid, unrestricted medical license.
If you plan to exclusively practice abroad (which it doesn't sound like you do), you must provide documentation of such and a foreign equivalent of a medical license.
To take any Board examination, you have to be Board Eligible.
The American Board of Pediatrics requires the following to take the exam:
https://www.abp.org/abpwebsite/publicat/certboi.pdf
1) ECFMG certification from a WHO listed school
2) 3 years of Pediatric training in an ACGME program in the US or a program approved by the Royal Canadian College of Pediatrics
OR
3) Waiver of Accredited Training
The ABP has established requirements for a physician who has had at least 3 years of general comprehensive pediatric training in programs not accredited by the RRC or RCPSC (ie, international training or training in accredited osteopathic programs in the United States) who wishes to apply for a waiver of training. The interested physician, department chair or program director must write to the ABP before training begins to receive approval for credit for this training.
The individual must provide documentation of the successful
completion of at least 3 years of general pediatric residency
training that includes the actual beginning and ending dates of the
training and that is signed by the residency program director.
The individual must also provide a copy of his or her medical school
diploma and ECFMG certificate. Suggested training for those
who receive a waiver of training under this policy is available on
the ABP Web site,
www.abp.org. Upon review and confirmation
by the ABP of this information,
the individual may have 1 year of
accredited training waived. A full year at the PL-3 level must be
completed and, in addition, a year at the PL-1 or PL-2 level or a
training combination at both of those levels. (The training must be
completed in general pediatrics; subspecialty training may not be
substituted.)
The director of the residency program that the individual enters will
decide at what level the individual may begin residency and whether
the 1 year of waived training will be accepted by the program.
Individuals should investigate the licensure requirements in the
state in which they wish to seek permanent licensure to ensure
they meet the requirements if they choose to shorten pediatric
training completed in the United States.
Thus, to be BC in Pediatrics, you can apply for a waiver to allow ONE year of your Greek residency training to be used, however, you must still train in the US, essentially doing almost two full residencies.
- - Usmle exams is it gonna be 1,2CK,2CS. or will I have to take 3 as well?
Step 3 is required for a full and unrestricted medical license in all US states.
I did not read through all of the requirements for medical licensure in Illinois. You may be able to be licensed, but without repeating at least 2 years of Pediatrics residency, in most cases, you will not be Board Eligible or Board Certified.
Whether you think being BC is an issue is up to you. All of the hospitals I have privileges at are no longer accepting applications from physicians who are not Board Eligible. Some insurance companies are making the same squawks.
So tough decision you have. Please read through the links I provided to see what the best option would be for you. Pediatrics is not a particularly difficult match in the US and if your plan is to work here full time, then you should do your residency here.