Preparing for medical school can be fun and at the same time, quite tasking. However, there is really nothing like finally seeing your dreams come true; your dreams of becoming a doctor who will save not just save lives but give people a second chance to live healthier, stronger and better. Moving on, how much do you know though, about being a doctor in Italy? Read on to find out more.

The article below brings you the latest information on being a doctor in Italy, foreign doctors in italy, jobs for foreign doctors in italy, doctor salary in italy, medical residency in italy for img & seeing a doctor in italy. You will also find related posts on being a doctor in Italy, medical residency in italy for international students and can a us doctor practice in italy on collegelearners.

medical residency in italy for international students

How to Become a Medical Doctor in Italy (7 Steps)

Being a doctor in Italy is incredibly challenging and competitive because of the country’s high regard and importance for the medical profession. Early on, students concentrate on the disciplines needed to enter medical school, which enables them to get ready for the entrance tests. A strong background in the sciences is also necessary to succeed in medical school once you’ve been accepted.

Once you do get the right to practice as a doctor, you’ll have a very diverse pool of workplaces to choose from, assuming you have done well in your testing. Whether you choose to practice in big urban hospitals or move to a more rural area, Italy has a wonderful atmosphere and great communities that welcome their doctors with open arms. You’ll be living in great settings and taking advantage of the best the Mediterranean has to offer. But first, let’s see what the requirements are to make it as a doctor in Italy.

1. Italian proficiency requirements for doctors in Italy

There is no doubt that you will need to speak fluent Italian in order to work as a doctor in Italy, especially in rural areas. However, this can be developed in parallel to your medical studies, as long as you have acquired a good level of language knowledge before you enroll in medical school.

Speaking Italian isn’t a prerequisite for all medical schools, however. For example, the University of Milan has an International Medical School where you can study in English. This doesn’t mean you’ll be able to work full-time as a doctor in Italy afterwards though.

2. Study medicine in Italy if possible

Going to medical school in Italy is the easiest way to qualify for work as a doctor in the country. The medical program is six years long and you can apply right after high school, even after studying away from Italy. You’ll need to be able to prove your level of Italian language (except if applying to an international program) and pass the admissions test. If studying in English, there is a test called the International Medical Admissions Test, IMAT.

If you apply to study medicine in Italian, then you will need to pass a national admissions test valid for all medical schools in the country, as well as demonstrate a good knowledge of the English language.

Italy offers the option of studying in the better ranked state universities as well as in private universities.

3. Pass the required tests and complete residency

Once you have completed six years of medical school successfully, you will need to complete a six-month clinical placement and pass a national exam to become a registered generalist. You can then start practicing right away, after registering with the medical professional association.

However, for specialists, you will need to do a three- to six-year residency program following on from the national medical exam. Admission to the residency program of your choice is contingent on your test results and overall academic scores. There is a capped annual number of residency positions, determined by the Ministry of Education, which makes getting into residency even more competitive.

4. Getting a medical license

As a generalist, you will have a medical license at the end of your studies, after registering with the Ordine dei Medici upon successful completion of your clinical placement and passing the national state exam for doctor certification.https://f315890f4dbe15588c9f2356118b402a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

For specialists, you will also need to do 3-6 years of residency before you can work as a specialist. However, your registration as a doctor is successful once you’ve passed the state exam at the end of medical school, so you can begin to work as a generalist. Because the number of specialist residencies is capped annually, some graduates choose to work and then apply a year or two later to join a residency placement.

If you are looking to get a medical license with a degree from outside Italy, European or Swiss medical universities have a reciprocal agreement whereby this degree should be recognized easily and you will simply be able to register for the medical association and be allowed to practice. The specific medical association you register with is entitled to test your level of Italian and your knowledge of regulations covering the medical practice in Italy.

However, if your degree is from a different country, you will need to first prove that you are licensed in that country to become a doctor in Italy. Additionally, you need to provide a professional good standing certification and a check on your criminal record. Your degree will be assessed by the Ministry of Health and they may either accept it outright or accept it on the condition of carrying out an aptitude test or taking certain exams in an Italian university.https://f315890f4dbe15588c9f2356118b402a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

5. Work Authorization for Doctors

If you are a EU/EEA/Swiss citizen, you will not need a work visa to practice as a doctor in Italy and your medical degree, even if from a different country (as long as it is part of the EU/EEA/Switzerland), will be recognized in order to obtain a medical license. In this scenario, you’ll just need to register with the Ordine dei Medici.

If you are from outside the EU/EEA space, then you will need to apply for a highly skilled visa to work as a doctor. Usually, a work visa is contingent upon having a contract/offer of employment already from a hospital. You also need to obtain a residency permit which is given for a limited time and can be justified by work, family or study reasons as outlined here.

6. Finding Work

It is much easier to work as a doctor in Italy if you are a citizen of the EU/EEA/Switzerland having obtained a medical degree either in Italy or in one of the countries from the European economic area or Switzerland. Your degree and right to stay in Italy will be recognized more easily and you can then set up as a sole trader, registering with the relevant tax office of the area you will be working in, and with the national insurance body.

As a non-EU doctor, you won’t be able to practice in your own business unless you follow all the rules above under “Getting a work visa”, but you will have a more difficult time obtaining a resident permit given that it will be more complicated to prove what income you are expecting to make.https://f315890f4dbe15588c9f2356118b402a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

If you are looking for a job in a hospital, this can be done via the Italian job search websites. As a resident in Italy, you will most likely be able to see the vacancies in the hospital you are currently working in and apply for some of those, or remain in your position once you have finished your residency. If you are applying from abroad, however, you will need to rely on the job boards online.

7. Procedure for foreign-trained doctors to become a doctor in Italy

Foreign trade doctors who have a medical degree and are licensed to practice in the EU/EEA or Switzerland can have their degrees validated by the Ministry of Health quite easily and then they will just need to register with the medical association in order to work as a doctor in If your degree has been granted outside the EU, it will need to go through a rigorous validation process as described above, and you will furthermore need to apply for a resident permit and a work visa for highly skilled migrants before you can work as a doctor in Italy. If you already have a job offer from a hospital or clinic, this will help with your visa application and obtaining a resident permit.

About Foreign Doctors in Italy

How to Become a Medical Doctor in Italy (7 Steps)
Posted on November 18, 2020by admin

The medical profession in Italy is highly respected and valued, which is why becoming a doctor in Italy is very difficult and competitive. Students focus on the required subjects to get into medical school at an early age, which allows them to prepare for the admissions exams. Moreover, a high level of knowledge of sciences is a pre-requisite to be able to do well in medical school once you’ve been admitted.

Once you do get the right to practice as a doctor, you’ll have a very diverse pool of workplaces to choose from, assuming you have done well in your testing. Whether you choose to practice in big urban hospitals or move to a more rural area, Italy has a wonderful atmosphere and great communities who welcome their doctors with open arms. You’ll be living in great settings and taking advantage of the best the Mediterranean has to offer. But first, let’s see what the requirements are to make it as a doctor in Italy.

1. Italian proficiency requirements for doctors in Italy
   There is no doubt that you will need to speak fluent Italian in order to work as a doctor in Italy, especially in rural areas. However, this can be developed in parallel to your medical studies, as long as you have acquired a good level of language knowledge before you enroll in medical school.

Speaking Italian isn’t a prerequisite for all medical schools, however. For example, the University of Milan has an International Medical School where you can study in English. This doesn’t mean you’ll be able to work full-time as a doctor in Italy afterwards though.

2. Study medicine in Italy if possible
   Going to medical school in Italy is the easiest way to qualify for work as a doctor in the country. The medical program is six years long and you can apply right after high school, even after studying away from Italy. You’ll need to be able to prove your level of Italian language (except if applying to an international program) and pass the admissions test. If studying in English, there is a test called the International Medical Admissions Test, IMAT.

If you apply to study medicine in Italian, then you will need to pass a national admissions test valid for all medical schools in the country, as well as demonstrate a good knowledge of the English language.

Italy offers the option of studying in the better ranked state universities as well as in private universities.

3. Pass the required tests and complete residency
   Once you have completed six years of medical school successfully, you will need to complete a six-month clinical placement and pass a national exam to become a registered generalist. You can then start practicing right away, after registering with the medical professional association.

However, for specialists, you will need to do a three- to six-year residency program following on from the national medical exam. Admission to the residency program of your choice is contingent on your test results and overall academic scores. There is a capped annual number of residency positions, determined by the Ministry of Education, which makes getting into residency even more competitive.

4. Getting a medical license
   As a generalist, you will have a medical license at the end of your studies, after registering with the Ordine dei Medici upon successful completion of your clinical placement and passing the national state exam for doctor certification.

For specialists, you will also need to do 3-6 years of residency before you can work as a specialist. However, your registration as a doctor is successful once you’ve passed the state exam at the end of medical school, so you can begin to work as a generalist. Because the number of specialist residencies is capped annually, some graduates choose to work and then apply a year or two later to join a residency placement.

If you are looking to get a medical license with a degree from outside Italy, European or Swiss medical universities have a reciprocal agreement whereby this degree should be recognized easily and you will simply be able to register for the medical association and be allowed to practice. The specific medical association you register with is entitled to test your level of Italian and your knowledge of regulations covering the medical practice in Italy.

However, if your degree is from a different country, you will need to first prove that you are licensed in that country to become a doctor in Italy. Additionally, you need to provide a professional good standing certification and a check on your criminal record. Your degree will be assessed by the Ministry of Health and they may either accept it outright or accept it on the condition of carrying out an aptitude test or taking certain exams in an Italian university.

5. Work Authorization for Doctors
   If you are a EU/EEA/Swiss citizen, you will not need a work visa to practice as a doctor in Italy and your medical degree, even if from a different country (as long as it is part of the EU/EEA/Switzerland), will be recognized in order to obtain a medical license. In this scenario, you’ll just need to register with the Ordine dei Medici.

If you are from outside the EU/EEA space, then you will need to apply for a highly skilled visa to work as a doctor. Usually, a work visa is contingent upon having a contract/offer of employment already from a hospital. You also need to obtain a residency permit which is given for a limited time and can be justified by work, family or study reasons as outlined here.

6. Finding Work
   It is much easier to work as a doctor in Italy if you are a citizen of the EU/EEA/Switzerland having obtained a medical degree either in Italy or in one of the countries from the European economic area or Switzerland. Your degree and right to stay in Italy will be recognized more easily and you can then set up as a sole trader, registering with the relevant tax office of the area you will be working in, and with the national insurance body.

As a non-EU doctor, you won’t be able to practice in your own business unless you follow all the rules above under “Getting a work visa”, but you will have a more difficult time obtaining a resident permit given that it will be more complicated to prove what income you are expecting to make.

If you are looking for a job in a hospital, this can be done via the Italian job search websites. As a resident in Italy, you will most likely be able to see the vacancies in the hospital you are currently working in and apply for some of those, or remain in your position once you have finished your residency. If you are applying from abroad, however, you will need to rely on the job boards online.

7. Procedure for foreign-trained doctors to become a doctor in Italy
   Foreign trade doctors who have a medical degree and are licensed to practice in the EU/EEA or Switzerland can have their degrees validated by the Ministry of Health quite easily and then they will just need to register with the medical association in order to work as a doctor in Italy.

If your degree has been granted outside the EU, it will need to go through a rigorous validation process as described above, and you will furthermore need to apply for a resident permit and a work visa for highly skilled migrants before you can work as a doctor in Italy. If you already have a job offer from a hospital or clinic, this will help with your visa application and obtaining a resident permit.

I hope that this article on how to become a medical doctor in Italy was helpful. If you are interested, visit the Medical School Category!

requirements to study medicine in usa for international students

Admission requirements for medical school studies in the U.S.

In the US, Medical degrees are considered second entry degrees, meaning you cannot enrol directly in a Medicine Bachelor’s. You first need to do a Bachelor’s (undergraduate) degree in a related Science subject (popular choices are Biology and Chemistry) before you apply to a medical school. Then, you can enrol in a Medicine degree that usually lasts 4 years.

Here are the general med school requirements for the US:

• High school diploma
• Undergraduate degree in the field of Sciences (3-4 years)
• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0
• Good TOEFL language scores
• Letters of recommendation
• Extracurricular activities
• Minimum MCAT exam result (set by each university individually)

Some American med schools have additional requirements, like completing premedical courses, such as:

• College Biology with laboratory, one year
• General college Chemistry with laboratory, one year
• Biology, Chemistry – minimum of 24 semester hours in areas of Humanities
• Mathematics (Calculus and/or Statistics, one year (6-8 semester hours)
• General college Physics with laboratory, one year (8 semester hours)

Here are a few medical schools we recommend in the US:

• University of South Dakota
• Liberty University
• School for International Training

Becoming a doctor in the US

Throughout the Medical degree, students develop their soft skills (communication, empathy, cooperation, etc.) and advance their medical knowledge.

During the last year, students choose a specialisation based on their interests and other factors and apply to residency programmes. The vast majority are matched through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

During residency, medical graduates train in hospitals with other healthcare practitioners. The residency can take between 3-7 years to complete depending on their specialisation. After completing this stage, residents can undertake a fellowship, which lasts 1-2 years and focuses on a sub-specialisation.

To practise Medicine, physicians or doctors have to be licensed by the state in which they want to work. The criteria for certification are established by 24 Specialty Boards. These boards require regular recertification due to the fast changes that occur in Medicine and Healthcare.

About jobs for Foreign Doctors in Italy

Three associations in Italy have called on authorities to hire foreign doctors and nurses with regular Italian work permits. The associations argued it’s illegitimate to exclude foreign doctors from civil service exams during the coronavirus pandemic.

Three Italian associations — the Association for Juridical Studies on Immigration (ASGI), Lunaria and Italians Without Citizenship — launched an appeal for applying the regulation that allows for the hiring of foreign doctors and nurses in Italy who have a regular Italian work permit.

The associations said it is illegitimate to exclude these doctors and nurses from civil service exams during the COVID-19 pandemic. “For weeks, health authorities have denounced the lack of doctors and nurses needed for responding to the COVID-19 emergency,” the associations said in a statement.

‘Cure Italy Decree’
In March 2020, article 13 of the ‘Cure Italy Decree,’ which has since been converted to a law, stipulates that the hiring of “all citizens from countries not belonging to the European Union, who hold work permits” is permitted in the civil service “for the exercise of health professions and for the qualification as a social-health worker,” namely “without prejudice to any other legal limitation.”

However, hospital and health department administrations are ignoring this measure and continue to offer civil service exams that, for doctors, require “Italian or EU citizenship.”

For other health personnel, i.e. nurses and assistants, the administrations call for the requirements under Article 38 of the unified text for civil service employment, therefore excluding non-EU citizens who aren’t on long-term stays.

All of this is happening in the northern Italian city of Bergamo, in Civitavecchia near Rome and in the southern city of Matera. In the northern Piedmont region, all non-EU citizens were excluded from these jobs in full violation of the law currently in effect.

Some 80,000 foreigners with healthcare qualifications
According to the Foreign Doctors in Italy Association (AMSI), there are currently about 77,500 foreign citizens in Italy with healthcare qualifications. This number includes 22,000 doctors and 38,000 nurses as well as physiotherapists, pharmacists, dentists and other healthcare professionals.

However, only 10% of them reportedly manage to obtain jobs in the public health sector.

Regarding doctors, the three associations said the situation was already illogical because of two reasons. On the one hand, jobs that require a director’s qualification (therefore also all doctor positions) are supposed to be reserved — according to the DPCM Decree 174/94 — for Italian citizens only.

On the other hand, the Consiglio di Stato (“Council of State”) already established on more than one occasion that the above-mentioned DPCM is illegitimate due to its conflict with European treaties and must therefore be revised.

Requests to government and parliament
The associations also said that “the issue must be looked at quickly and given a new alignment, which takes into account the contribution that foreign healthcare workers can make in the emergency.”

They further called for the “duty of the civil service to guarantee — in the interest of the collective — job access to the most capable and deserving, without distinctions of citizenship.”

Another demand made by the associations is for the Italian health ministry and the civil service ministry to immediately intervene with the health system entities so that, during the emergency phase, they allow all foreigners holding a work permit to have access to health professions.

In addition, the associations want to make sure that these new rights, if conferred remain even after the emergency period is over. They plan to ask the Italian Parliament to make sure that foreign workers who qualify for these jobs can continue in them once the pandemic is under control. It is, they said, “completely illogical that the possibility for a foreign worker to have a job is limited only to the emergency period,” they argue.

About Doctor Salary in Italy

In the section of the post, you will find the salary of doctor in italy.

Doctor / Physician Average Salaries in Italy 2021
How much money does a person working in Doctor / Physician make in Italy?

Average Monthly Salary
8,580 EUR
( 103,000 EUR yearly)

LOW
3,150
EUR AVERAGE
8,580
EUR HIGH
14,500
EUR
A person working in Doctor / Physician in Italy typically earns around 8,580 EUR per month. Salaries range from 3,150 EUR (lowest average) to 14,500 EUR (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).

This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different Doctor / Physician careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.

Salaries for specific jobs
Job Title Average Salary
Advanced Nutrition Aide 5,270 EUR
Advanced Practice Provider 5,010 EUR
Allergist 7,180 EUR
Behavioral Health Specialist 4,160 EUR
Chiropractor 4,340 EUR

Clinical Psychologist 11,700 EUR
Correctional Treatment Specialist 6,860 EUR
Counseling Psychologist 8,820 EUR
Dermatologist 11,800 EUR
Dietitian 7,690 EUR
Doctor 9,290 EUR
Emergency Department Physician 8,740 EUR
Exercise Physiologist 9,270 EUR
Forensic Pathologist 9,550 EUR
General Medical Practitioner 7,720 EUR
Genetic Counselor 5,880 EUR
Internist 12,400 EUR
Interventionist 10,800 EUR
Invasive Cardiologist 14,500 EUR
Mental Health Therapst 6,330 EUR
Naturopathic Physician 11,700 EUR
Neurologist 11,000 EUR
Neurophysiology Technologist 3,410 EUR
Nuclear Medicine Physician 9,560 EUR
Obstetrician / Gynecologist 10,600 EUR
Occupational Health Safety Specialist 5,450 EUR
Ophthalmologist 7,690 EUR
Optometrist 7,810 EUR
Pediatrician 9,320 EUR
Physical Therapist 6,370 EUR
Physical Therapy Director 7,390 EUR
Physician – Anesthesiology 13,900 EUR
Physician – Cardiology 13,500 EUR
Physician – CCU 7,690 EUR
Physician – Dermatology 10,900 EUR
Physician – Emergency Room 8,230 EUR
Physician – Endocrinology 10,600 EUR
Physician – Family Practice 7,390 EUR
Physician – Gastroenterology 10,100 EUR
Physician – Generalist 8,120 EUR
Physician – Geriatrics 7,030 EUR
Physician – Hematology / Oncology 9,900 EUR
Physician – Immunology / Allergy 11,400 EUR
Physician – Infectious Disease 9,810 EUR
Physician – Internal Medicine 12,000 EUR
Physician – Maternal / Fetal Medicine 9,660 EUR
Physician – Nephrology 11,900 EUR
Physician – Neurology 12,000 EUR
Physician – Nuclear Medicine 10,200 EUR
Physician – Obstetrics / Gynecology 10,800 EUR
Physician – Occupational Medicine 8,420 EUR
Physician – Ophthalmology 7,200 EUR
Physician – Otolaryngology 6,790 EUR
Physician – Pain Medicine 6,370 EUR
Physician – Pathology 8,140 EUR
Physician – Pediatric Cardiology 10,100 EUR
Physician – Pediatric Neonatology 9,700 EUR
Physician – Pediatrics 8,820 EUR
Physician – Physiatry 9,660 EUR
Physician – Podiatry 8,910 EUR
Physician – Pulmonary Medicine 7,070 EUR
Physician – Radiation Therapy 11,700 EUR
Physician – Radiology 11,700 EUR
Physician – Rheumatology 10,400 EUR
Physician – Sports Medicine 10,300 EUR
Physician – Urology 13,500 EUR
Physician Assistant 6,310 EUR
Physiotherapist 7,070 EUR
Podiatrist 7,180 EUR
Preventive Medicine Physician 8,730 EUR
Psychiatrist 9,450 EUR
Psychololgist 9,650 EUR
Psychometrician 8,310 EUR
Radiologist 9,950 EUR
Registered Respiratory Therapist 6,220 EUR
Skin Care Specialist 5,680 EUR
Urologist 12,900 EUR
Vision Rehabilitation Therapist 6,370 EUR