Dr. Richard Saint Cyr of the My Health Beijing blog has a helpful post – “Hey Docs, Want To Work in China? Here’s How.” - for expat physician’s hoping for a way to move to China without giving up their careers at home.
The good news is two fold: you can work in China without having to go through residency again, and you do NOT have to speak Chinese because you won’t be allowed to work in a Chinese hospital anyway.
The bad news is there are still hoops you’ll have to jump through. Dr. Cyr describes his experience:
I cold-called and emailed all of the expat clinics in Beijing; I eventually interviewed and got hired to work in the clinic and continue what I always do — family medicine. I started immediately and soon took Beijing’s twice-a-year medical exam for foreign doctors. This exam was in English and consisted of a two hour written exam of 100 general medicine questions very similar to Step 3 of the USMLE boards; the second part was a 20 minute oral presentation — in English — of a sample patient. You read the case for 5 minutes and then nervously discuss your assessment and treatment plans in front of an intimidating (but nice) panel of three local superstar doctors. Then you nervously wait a few weeks to find out; even if you do not pass, which isn’t rare, it’s not a disaster. Similar to your boards exams in America and elsewhere, you usually can continue to work and take the test again in a year. Once you pass, you do not need to retake the test.
The other piece of advice is that general practitioners will generally have an easier time finding work than specialists (hows that for flipping things around!) because there are few specialist positions available in non-Chinese clinics. Expat clinics cater to everyday ailments, while only the few expat hospitals in the country, like those that are part of the Parkway Health hospital system in Shanghai, have spots available for foreign specialists.
I would only add that American physicians are especially prized by Chinese patients because of the perception, correct or not, that they are more skilled than their NHS system counterparts in Britain and Australia.
For more information do check out Dr. Cyr’s post where he provides links to websites where you can look for China health clinic job postings.
Want even more info? Our Expat jobs in China guidebook will be out soon. Sign up with your email to find as soon as it comes out!
About the Author
Thanks for posting my link! I love working here in Beijing; my family medicine practice is the same as I would have at home, so the cultural shocks are smaller than you may expect. It’s a lot of fun to meet so many cultures and hear expat’s stories of China.
As for Chinese preferring American docs, I think that’s true to a small extent — but in general, a “foreign doctor” of any Western country does have a certain cachet in China.
Hello Dr Saint
I am general surgeon, working in South America. My parents are chinese as I do, and I just came back from Taiwan where I´ve been for over 2 years because of my sub-speciality in Minimally Invasive Surgery – Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery.
As you said, you are working in Beijing, China. I was wondering, how did you get the medical license for them to allow you to practice medicine in China? Do you speak mandarin or you have the written skill?
I have been in China for several times and I didn´t have the chance to know hospital peoples to tell me about this issue.
I speak well mandarin, taiwanese, english, spanish and portugues, so I think that my language skill would benefit a lot of communities in Beijing or Shaghai – two of the most international and biggest cities of China.
If you have some pathway for it, additional information or contact, I will appreciate it from you…
Thank you for your attention.
Regards.
Dear Dr.Lo:
I would like to ask if you would be interested in working Vancouver or Toronto, Ontario, Canada as there seems to be a demand for persons like you in this area.
http://www.bcmj.org/article/general-surgeons-more-are-needed
[...] few weeks ago Dr. Richard Saint Cyr of the My Health Beijing blog wrote a quick how-to guide for expat medical doctors who wanted to work in China where he explained that while the process itself is long, its not complicated and that the biggest [...]
Hi how are you. this is dr.samiullah (male) nationality pakistan ,sir i got my MBBS degree in ZHENGZHOU UNIVERSITY HENAN PROVINENCE CHINA in the year 2010 july.. and i have one year experience in my own country ,currently i am in tianjin china .i am finding job as a doctor in hospital or as assistant of doctor in hospital ,if there any vacancy in beijing or other city then contact me ASAP
Hi Dr. Samiullah. Please use the contact us form and we can get back to you much faster.
Thank you for reaching out!
Hi sir, how are you? this is Dr. Samiullah ,sir i dont know how to contact you bcuz i dont have your cell phone number and your email address ,and sir i tried alot to search for “contact us form “but i cant find it to send you my documents and so on etc…
thnkxx
Our hospital chain, United Family Hospital, has a list of open positions here http://www.candidatemanager.net/CM/micro/joblist.aspx?mid=YFWD&sid=BYAZD&a=ZL2F%2bNOa6C0%3d.
Hi Dr.richard saint cyr….how r u ? sir i looking for doctor job in beijing hospitals or foreign clinics…can you help me out and give me a clue of finding doctor job in beijing.thnxx
BROTHER U CAN COME TO MY UNIVERSTY BECOZ WE NEED ANATOMY PROFESSOR WHO CAN TEACH IN ENGLISH WITH ATLEAST ONE YEAR EXPERIENCE MY PHONE NO..
Hello Mr.Shahajmal,I am interested in teaching medicine and allied subjects to undergraduate foreign students taking the course in China.As I know the problems faced by the students there, I volunteer myself to such postings.
Hi Dr.damjan denoble.. sir how are you? this is Dr. Samiullah ,sir i dont know how to contact you bcuz i dont have your cell phone number and your email address ,and sir i tried alot to search for “contact us form “but i cant find it to send you my documents and so on etc…
thnkxx
hello sir,this is satya,i have done my mbbs from nantong medical college,passed out in 2011 bath,completed 1 year of internship from the affiliated hospital of nantong college,jaingsu province.presently working as a medical officer,at a local hospital in my city,in india.looking forward to work in china …will be very happy to hear from you …
Hello Sir,
I have done my M.B.B.S from xinxiang medical college ,Henan province china.And completed my one year rotatory internship form center hospital ,xinxiang city in march 2010.at present i am working in my own contry Delhi,India for last 14 months as a post of resident medical doctor.Now i am looking job in china for the same .So please give me the way to move forward for the above same .Thank you.
I was suggested this blog by way of my cousin. I’m no longer certain whether or not this put up is written by him as nobody else realize such exact about my trouble. You are wonderful! Thanks!
Is bangladeshi docotr are eligible to apply such job.If yes Please let me know.
for posting such article
looking for job in china.
hello
Request theme by women member of unity about crops.
she is a woman familiar tongue Persian.
tank you
Do you take south African trained doctors?
For those Chinese doctors (non-expats) who pass the exam, is there a requirement to retest after a certain period? Is there an any ongoing CME requirement?
Hello Sir,
I have done my M.B.B.S from weifang medical university,shandong province china.And completed my one year rotatory internship in pakistan,Now i am looking job in china .,if there any vacancy in beijing or other city then contact me ,thanks
Hello,I am happy to find your web site and can ask some questions.Actually I Planning to retire and go China and stay.Actually I am from Korea and became an American citizen and I have been practicing in Pediatrics past 27 years.I want to work as physician in inland needed medical help(Gansu, sichuan,Xian area etc).and My wife is licensed acupuncturist in America.At least we need security(place like public clinic, medical assisting persons for registration and nursing, VISA staying longer period etc) If they hire us with minimum salary in small clinic, still we are O.K. we tried to learn Chinese Mandarin,but not speaking well. we have been visiting China once a year for past 13 years and staying 1 week in each visit. We have been exposed to Chinese cultures. I would like have your advise and guide. Sincerely,
Ihn S.Lar,M.D.
I am a malaysian going to study medicine in China and looking to work there as a foreginer. What is the minimum pay of doctor’s in china.
hello sir,
i have finished my medicine from jiangsu university…and im doing my post graduation in orthopedics …i want to apply for the exam and want to know the requirements and form and so on
please kindly help me with the information sir
thank you
I have been to china three times giving lectures for Plastic Surgery and I am interested in a position there. Any list of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Clinics I can find to write to?
Thank you
i have finished my mbbs from from yichun university
i looking for teaching job in medical feild
Hi. I’m a general surgeon in algiers, algeria with 12 years of experience in laparoscopic surgery and other classic surgery, 3 languages spoken, english, french and arabic, i want to know if there is any possibility to find a work in any city in china as general surgeon or general practitioner.
Thanks
Hi, I am a french biologist physician, with 13 years of experience, working actually as insurance doctor. I speak french, a fluent english and spanish.i’d like to know if i can find a work in any city of China as biologist doctor or general practionner.
Thanks and best regards
I am an Orthopaedic Surgeon, did my MBBS and MS from a prestigious university of Shanghai and had also done further training fellowships from prestigious institutes of Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, India and short tern training from USA. I am looking for a suitable job in China. I am fluent in Chinese(Mandarin), English, Nepali, Hindi/Urdu languages also.
I am a young MD from germany and was wondering if it is only possible for physicians on the level of a consultant to enter the Chinese market?
I, myself have a total of one year of work experience in Germany in anaesthetics and internal medicine. Another interesting question is ongoing education and supervision by experienced doctors…Is there any and are those following northern American or European standards?
Cheers!