Work?

[wallm]

Do the FSU women want to work here in their current field? How are they even able to with limited English skills? I am talking to a bunch who are accountants, lawyers and doctors. With a good mix of Cosmetologists thrown in. I suppose the lawyers and doctors have no real shot here considering they can't practice their profession without starting over essentially. My concern is how unhappy they might feel at not being able to work in their profession when they come here. I think it is virtually useless for a doctor over there to come here, go through med school, residency, etc. if she is on her 40s. Last thing I need is to bring one here and she is sad. What have your experiences been?

[tfcrew]

Just go into a hospital anywhere [practically] and there will be medical workers from all over the world. Foreign attorneys usually practice immigration law.

http://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140903234021-7668018-5-tips-for-helping-u-s-firms-sponsor-a-work-visa

[alex330]

Most will not work in their profession at least in the beginning. Many RW have useless degrees that cannot be transferred, or will need to redo schooling and accreditation like you mention. Basically start from scratch. It is a tough pill to swallow for many.

My wife took it very hard initially. Her first job was as a hostess at a restaurant. She took it hard since she has her "specialists" degree from a business college in Ukraine.

My good friends mother was an optometrist in Kiev and was able to work here after some classes and tests as I recall.

I believe Muzh's wife is a doctor and he has answered this same question on the forum many times if you search.

Many FSUW will do what it takes to succeed once they arrive. A few years of struggles and they usually end up doing very well. Smart, hard workers, and drive seem common among many. Quite a few I know end up making more than their husbands.

[2tallbill]

Do the FSU women want to work here in their current field? How are they even able to with limited English skills?

No, for the most part they can't work in their current fields.

What have your experiences been?

Here is a thread started about a year ago with some good information on it.
http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=19318.0

[BillyB]

Do the FSU women want to work here in their current field?

That's a question for each individual FSU woman to answer. Answers will vary. Some ladies will not want to work. Many FSU women come to America and become maids cleaning houses, cleaning hotels, or office buildings instead of doing college over. If you find a lady that wants a higher degree, she will probably have to start over. Expect to finance her education for a few years. If she's smart and determined, the investment will pay off.

[msmobyone]

This topic cannot be repeated enough..

I know SO many FSU women with good 'diplom' who's qualies are not recognised to the standard they are work, back home

In the UK we have NARIC

www.naric.org.uk

who will 'translate' FSU qualifications to UK equivs..

Lots of smart ladies find it HARD to adjust to their 'value' in the careers market being less. Something they need to understand - as they will REALLY be relying on their husbands - if their aim is to work at / near a similar level.

[ML]

My now spouse came and paid her own tuition for one year of ESL classes.

Then she got full tuition scholarship plus GTA stipend for completing a masters degree.

Now employed as Instructor of Math at major state university.

She wants to work . . . but I don't necessarily want her to.

Best high level skills to transfer are accounting and nursing.
In both cases, there are lower level positions to get started in while doing whatever necessary to get needed accreditation.
e.g. for accountants, they can work as book keepers, nurses can work as nurses aides, etc.

Even quicker are lower level skills like nails, house cleaning, etc.

[Faux Pas]

No, for the most part they can't work in their current fields.


Here is a thread started about a year ago with some good information on it.
http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=19318.0

The CPA and chemical/environmental scientist of varying degrees seem to make a more seamless transition than anything else but even those can struggle initially. I know some who "barely" missed a beat after relocating. My wife has a specialty degree. So much a speciality it's in demand but extremely rare except in select areas

[Sailor291]

I worked as a physician recruiter for a little over a year and can tell you that there are many and I mean many doctors from the former Soviet Union, mostly Ukraine and Russia.  From what I saw, they did not have to go to med school again, they just had to complete a residency in the U.S. in order to practice here.  Saw many doctors that did medical school in India, Romania, Mexico, China, Indonesia, Thailand, etc, etc.  All any of them did was a residency and they were good to go. 

[ML]

Yes, it is true that not all foreign trained doctors have to do a complete 4 year MD program again in USA.

However, there are still many hoops they must jump through.
Could be:
1) specific required courses missing.
2) English proficiency attainment.
3) more courses in their specialty.
4) and perhaps the biggest of all . . . being accepted into the residency.

Even students completing MD in USA often times have problems getting accepted into a residency program.

Muzh can tell more . . . but I think his wife may have given up on trying to get into residency and went some other route.

[Hammer2722]

Yes, it is true that not all foreign trained doctors have to do a complete 4 year MD program again in USA.

However, there are still many hoops they must jump through.
Could be:
1) specific required courses missing.
2) English proficiency attainment.
3) more courses in their specialty.
4) and perhaps the biggest of all . . . being accepted into the residency.

Even students completing MD in USA often times have problems getting accepted into a residency program.

Muzh can tell more . . . but I think his wife may have given up on trying to get into residency and went some other route.

I believe I remember him saying his wife became a Physician's Assistant.

[wallm]

I worked as a physician recruiter for a little over a year and can tell you that there are many and I mean many doctors from the former Soviet Union, mostly Ukraine and Russia.  From what I saw, they did not have to go to med school again, they just had to complete a residency in the U.S. in order to practice here.  Saw many doctors that did medical school in India, Romania, Mexico, China, Indonesia, Thailand, etc, etc.  All any of them did was a residency and they were good to go.

I think at least from India, those folks speak fluent English and they do their education in English. Hence no worries with language. It must be very tough on FSU women who are physicians to come here after many years as a physician over there and then have to settle for something less. Emotionally it probably is hard on them.

[Faux Pas]

I worked as a physician recruiter for a little over a year and can tell you that there are many and I mean many doctors from the former Soviet Union, mostly Ukraine and Russia.  From what I saw, they did not have to go to med school again, they just had to complete a residency in the U.S. in order to practice here.  Saw many doctors that did medical school in India, Romania, Mexico, China, Indonesia, Thailand, etc, etc.  All any of them did was a residency and they were good to go.

Doesn't most of that rely on how their educations and more specifically degrees translate from an approved translation service?

[msmobyone]

I think at least from India, those folks speak fluent English and they do their education in English. Hence no worries with language.

Would were that true...

Plenty of UK cos. pulling their call centres back home - as the Indians so often simply miss nuances / expressions.

[wallm]

Would were that true...

Plenty of UK cos. pulling their call centres back home - as the Indians so often simply miss nuances / expressions.

Call center folks are different from physicians. I knew a few of them from India as neighbors. They are very smart and empathetic people.

[msmobyone]

Call center folks are different from physicians. I knew a few of them from India as neighbors. They are very smart and empathetic people.

Face to face ....A different matter, for sure.

My bad for not making this clear ... I was suggesting that FSU  folk can and do have problems on the phone dealing with native speakers.

[Jumper]

The CPA and chemical/environmental scientist of varying degrees seem to make a more seamless transition than anything else but even those can struggle initially. I know some who "barely" missed a beat after relocating. My wife has a specialty degree. So much a speciality it's in demand but extremely rare except in select areas

My wife was an accountant there, and fairly easy to transition here,
so agree that it depends on the type of work or specialty, the person, and the level of English they started with.
It can all be overcome, some will have  a harder time with it, some will hardly miss a beat.

[alex330]

Yes, it is true that not all foreign trained doctors have to do a complete 4 year MD program again in USA.

However, there are still many hoops they must jump through.
Could be:
1) specific required courses missing.
2) English proficiency attainment.
3) more courses in their specialty.
4) and perhaps the biggest of all . . . being accepted into the residency.

Looks like they also need to pass three stages of the USMLE and as you mention the biggest hurdle is residency. Only 188 out of 4600 foreign doctors were accepted for residency according to this article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/12/business/economy/long-slog-for-foreign-doctors-to-practice-in-us.html

The HIV doctor from Colombia waited 8 years to practice...

A quick 2 year nursing program may be an easier route and the pay is decent. Many foreigners go through these quickly here.

My friends Brazilian wife cleaned homes when she arrived. 30 bucks an hour or so. She now runs several crews of Brazilian girls and easily breaks six figures a year.

[Hammer2722]

My girlfriend is from Belarus. She has a masters degree in child psychology from Minsk but now owns her own house cleaning company. She too earns almost six figures.

[BillyB]

When a woman makes near six figures, she gets the "marriage material" label.

[ML]

Looks like they also need to pass three stages of the USMLE and as you mention the biggest hurdle is residency. Only 188 out of 4600 foreign doctors were accepted for residency according to this article.

Yes, I was out and about today and remembered that I forgot to note that a big stumbling block is to pass the USMLE.  That is where the extra coursework etc., comes from that I mentioned.

And sometimes this extra coursework can almost take as long as just repeating  a MD program.

[Jumper]

I think at least from India, those folks speak fluent English and they do their education in English. Hence no worries with language.

It must be very tough on FSU women who are physicians to come here after many years as a physician over there and then have to settle for something less. Emotionally it probably is hard on them.

Sure any large change is difficult,
but it depends completely on the person and their goals.

I certainly wouldn't look away from an educated  professional woman ,
from some theory that she may be *sad* here.
She may be looking for a strong family ,not career, it's individual.

Culture shock will effect anyone from any status of society,
 so that fear , while a possibility and in fact likely at least initially,
 to me seems far more  effected  by the individuals personality/character and open mindedness, than their profession and its ability to directly transfer.
 
If a man doesn't watch , he could easily over think this ,
and  talk himself into  passing up a great physician with an open mind,
 that would love the west,
for a hairdresser that while her job transferred easily,
hates everything in the west and nothing is as good
as *home* and doesn't even try to assimilate
 (it's a quite common stereotype in the large FSU community here)
enough that my wife and her group of friends joke about it.

and sorry , but the culture seems years behind there in regards to women
 and the general mentality towards them in the workplace, and often at home.
(sure that depends on what status you are looking at as well, but
looking at the average )
The soviet system certainly stressed equality, but that doesn't seem to be how things really came out. Some women actually considering relocation, that's a factor.
 
Don't get the cart in front of the horse, concentrate on meeting someone you click with, not her nationality, what her profession is,  or all the what if's when she relocates
in some possible future.

There's plenty to dwell on, but I'd keep my priorities to sticking to making sure you connect with a person of easy temperament , open minded ,(so probably not FSU lol) and who you truly love spending time with.

They also know the stereotypes well, So I'd find someone that can laugh about them with you, and the silly stereotypes of the westerner as well.

Good Luck.

[papakota]

Do the FSU women want to work here in their current field? How are they even able to with limited English skills? I am talking to a bunch who are accountants, lawyers and doctors. With a good mix of Cosmetologists thrown in. I suppose the lawyers and doctors have no real shot here considering they can't practice their profession without starting over essentially. My concern is how unhappy they might feel at not being able to work in their profession when they come here. I think it is virtually useless for a doctor over there to come here, go through med school, residency, etc. if she is on her 40s. Last thing I need is to bring one here and she is sad. What have your experiences been?

Who said that if someone can't work in their field, then it's the end of the world for them? 40's it's nothing. My mom done it in her 50's after she left former USSR for good.

As per not being able to work in the US, I think you're wrong in your assumptions again. My ex-roomate who lives now in NYC, about 3 years ago came to Ukraine where he got his degree in nursing. Now he works as a Nurse in NYC. So if he as US citizen came to Ukraine to get a medical degree, then why a Russian female doctor can't do the same after she immigrates to the US, meaning to work with Russian degree in the US? Though she might need to pass some testing etc. and to speak a decent English.
You assume too much (like most guys here). Facts of life are somewhat different.

[msmobyone]

Who said that if someone can't work in their field, then it's the end of the world for them? 40's it's nothing. My mom done it in her 50's after she left former USSR for good.

As per not being able to work in the US, I think you're wrong in your assumptions again. My ex-roomate who lives now in NYC, about 3 years ago came to Ukraine where he got his degree in nursing. Now he works as a Nurse in NYC. So if he as US citizen came to Ukraine to get a medical degree, then why a Russian female doctor can't do the same after she immigrates to the US, meaning to work with Russian degree in the US? Though she might need to pass some testing etc. and to speak a decent English.
You assume too much (like most guys here). Facts of life are somewhat different.

Dear Papokota

I speak with 'some authority' re the UK [ still in Europe and adhering to the EU rules re employment]

I have helped my step-son and former wife 'fight' the system re non observance of FSU nation qualifications here..

1/ Step-son... held back a year - had to take a 2 year course he thought was EASY to get to an  Oxford Uni - got a good degree

2/ Ex-wife ..has a Music degree.... would have had to 5 years teaching courses to be able to teach ....essentially unrecognised   She studied hard and got a degree in Business along with - eventually - advanced  computing skills diplomas

If one is prepared for the shock - of having to - nearly - start over .... smart FSU folk can sail through ..

I can assure you that it did feel like the end of the world for them - many times - and I had to cajole / offer encouragement - depending on the circumstances.

I reckon it is the no.1 stress test for families settling in a new western nation and the issues involved should not be overlooked