Medical Residency in Russia

Foreign nationals who graduated from medical universities in Russia or elsewhere can apply for Russian medical residency. This post-graduate education is essential in earning the specialist degree and beginning full-fledged practice. Except for general practitioners, medical residency is a must for future surgeons, neurologists, dermatovenerologists and other specialty physicians.

During the training, future doctors take field-specific courses at the university, take tests and examinations and have practice at the hospitals to which they have been assigned.

A majority of residency programmes are taught in Russian; English medium programmes are available, too. As a rule, senior students take courses and practice in Russian. You have to learn Russian in order to get into a Russian university and do well. Russian language courses are offered by Preparatory Departments for international students. The PD biomedical module enables a student to study Russian in the field-specific area as well as biology, chemistry and other subjects.

Russian universities offer two-year medical residency. At the end of the studies, doctors have to pass the examination to get a certificate and begin full-fledged practice in their field. To be admitted to residency at a medical university or school, both foreign and Russian nationals have to pass competitive selection.

Applying for Residency as International Student

According to Russian Healthcare Ministry instruction No 212, prospective residency students need to:

• have previous higher medical or pharmaceutical education.

• score at least 70 points in initial Russian Healthcare Ministry test.

• apply to the chosen university within a year after passing the test.

Residency students are trained for standard specialties on university-designed programmes.

To be admitted to residency programme, you have to legalise your degree certificate issued abroad:

• affix official seal to the document at the Russian consulate in your country to make legalisation valid in Russia.

• apostille it for the Hague Convention signatory countries (they number over 100).

• the apostille service is provided at authorised universities or specialised national centres.

Legalisation is not required of citizens of the countries which have academic degree recognition agreements with Russia (the list of countries is available on the website of the above national centre). Recognition is not required of the students who hail from one of such countries or graduates of the universities whose degrees are recognised in Russia.

To apply for residency, you have to submit initial medical residency application in addition to your degree certificate. Required documents:

• application for medical residency and specialty, notarised translation of original passport.

• negative HIV test certificate and.

• photos (if requested by university).

Ask the International Office of the university you have chosen to send you the application documents checklist. If you plan to take part in a scholarship contest, you can get the information at the Rossotrudnichestvo  (Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation) office or Russian Embassy in your country.

Which Russian Universities Offer Residency to Foreigners?

The Russian Federation has more than 70 education institutions that provide training to future doctors. The most popular of them are:

I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (MSMU) awards qualifications in Clinical Medicine, Health Sciences and Preventive Medicine (nearly all specialties).

People’s Friendship University of Russia (RUDN) is well known to foreigners. Programmes: Clinical Medicine, Pharmacy.

Novosibirsk State University (NSU) offers various programmes in the field of Clinical Medicine (including surgery, cardiology and oncology).

Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University (IKBFU) offers Clinical Medicine as the field of study to residency students. It trains obstetrician-gynaecologists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, paediatricians etc.

Residency Tuition Fees

Russian universities offer residency as full-time programmes. International students can enrol as:

• self-funded students.

• sponsored students.

• scholarship/government quota students.

• upwards of 190,000 rubles: Russian-taught programmes at IKBFU.

• upwards of 360,000 rubles MSMU core residency tracks.

• upwards of 250,000 rubles: specialised residency MSMU programmes (pediatric surgery, diving medicine, aviation and space medicine).

• upwards of 260,000 rubles: English medium course for cardiologists at RUDN (qualifications are awarded after four years).

• upwards of 550,000 rubles: English medium course in Dermatovenerology at NSU.

*Reference tuition fees 2018.

Meeting selection requirements and admission to residency open the doors to the top class, advanced and tradition-rich Russian education. After completing your studies you obtain a profession and internationally recognised certificate.

See the complete list of residency programmes on studyinrussia.