Question of settlement for my (would be) wife

[neelakash]

Advice Needed for Settlement and USMLE

Dear Sir,I am a physics masters student in India.I am taking preparation for G.R.E. so that I can catch up Fall 2011 semester.Before I go,I wish to marry my girlfriend who completing her M.B.B.S. (medical bachelors) this year.So,I am asking rather for my family,than for myself.

Surely,taking G.R.E. alone does not mean that I have the ticket of any graduate program for me;however,I am seeking advice regarding how she should start her practice after going there assuming that I will be able to get into a standard graduate program.

She will be starting her medical internship within 2 months or so,may be March,2010.It will continue up to one year (March,2011).Next,if she were in India,she would have gone for medical housestaff-ship and have simultaneously tried for M.D.(masters).Since,we are planning to get married before I go,she thought of taking U.S.M.L.E. exam so that she may start practising in U.S.But the thing is that we are not enough aware about this exam and what to do about it.In her place,internet connection is not readily available.

I thought like this:I will go in August,2011.I am not sure if she should come with me right then or wait and take preparation for a few months.She may also take the 1st part of the examination which she can take from India.But it seems to me,it would be rather difficult for her to take preparation all by herself;because,most of the medical students from our state do not appear for it.Probably except some correspondence course,there is no coaching centre in our city aimed at this exam.Even if it is,most students take coaching for national M.D. or M.S.(masters in surgery) and do not try for it.

In that case,she may come to U.S. as my spouse (this is also one reason I wish to marry her before going---if she takes the 1st part of the exam in India and passes,she will have to come to U.S. anyway;even if she fails,she may come at my place as my spouse) and start to take preparation.
There are some practical issues that I am not aware of.let's say, she is residing there with me as my spouse and is taking the exam...First of all,is it guaranteed that after passing the exams, she will get her placement in the same city where I am?
Again,as far as I know stipend given to a graduate student is OK for the student himself.But is it OK to maintain a family of two?I thought that I should arrive first and get a little settled there;get a place to stay,get some savings.So that when (how long?) she arrives,I may help her (U.S.M.L.E. is itself an expensive exam)...But I do not know how well this plan would really work out.When we first go there,both of us will have just sufficient amount of money to sustain ourselves for the first couple of months.If the stipend is not good enough,my plan may not work at all.Again,at some point of time (not immediately,though) we will have to look after our parents---that is also a concern.

My focus has always been on the first one year or two in the above.Because,I think afterwards,we would not have that much problem.Please give your inputs to let me know if I am going in a totally crazy track...or what should be the best way for me...If you think I need some major modification in my planning,do not hesitate to write.

Thanking you and expecting your co-operation,
Neel

 

[TMFKAN64]

First of all,is it guaranteed that after passing the exams, she will get her placement in the same city where I am?

The short answer is that she isn't guaranteed to get a placement, period. Take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residency_(medicine ) for details... apparently she'll be able to request certain placements and will only be offered a position from her list, but there are no guarantees that *any* offer will be made.

Again,as far as I know stipend given to a graduate student is OK for the student himself.But is it OK to maintain a family of two?

Your quality of living will directly depend on exactly where you are going to school. You won't live like a king anywhere, but some areas of the US are much cheaper to live in than others.

I wouldn't count on helping your parents much though... student stipends are fairly minimal.

 

[neelakash]

Thank you.So can you please tell me which places are relatively cheaper...

 

[TMFKAN64]

Thank you.So can you please tell me which places are relatively cheaper...

In broad generalities, big cities are more expensive than smaller ones, and the coasts are more expensive than the center.

There are too many places in the US to go into any more detail than that!

I should probably add that if your intended *does* get a residency, the two of you should be fine almost anywhere.

 

[neelakash]

intended *does* get a residency

I did not understand...*does* means?

 

[TMFKAN64]

I did not understand...*does* means?

Residencies are very competitive and not guaranteed. Aside from the fact that the USMLE has about a 75% pass rate for foreign medical school graduates. It is by no means certain that your fiancee will pass and will find a position.

I was merely trying to stress the uncertainty here. My point was just that residents are better paid than grad students, and while resident wages are low by medical standards, if she finds a position, the two of you should be able to live fairly comfortably almost anywhere.

 

[neelakash]

I see...thank you very much...

 

[neelakash]

I have another question...can anyone please take the trouble to answer...As TMFKAN64 said, the success rate in U.S.M.L.E. is not guaranteed for a foreigner student.Let's say one could not clear the exam.In that case what she can do?She has a bachelor's degree and one year of internship in experience.