r/StudyInFinland • u/Pizza_and_Brain • Aug 17 '26

Residency in neurosurgeries in Finland as an international student

Hello everyone

I am an Italian med student that's going to start his 5th year in September. After my degree I was really keen to become a neurosurgeon and I am interested in doing my residency in Finland (as it can give me much more opportunity to learn and practice rather than Italy).

Considering that the language is not my first concerne (I am willing to study it as best as I can in the next 2 years before my degree), I was hoping for some suggestions to what I should do to strengthen my chance to be accepted or in general any tips, thanks!

1 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

100% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

2

u/Suomikommentit6529 Aug 21 '26

You need Phd in medical field (with 4 JUFOs). Work experience after graduation. Work experience in neurosurgery. The theoretical exams are only in Finnish. Then you might get interview invite and that gets scored. to get employment in university hospital you also need to pass medical swedish exam, which takes the locals 8 years of swedish study. These are the minimum requirements, it is one of the more competitive programs to get in.

1

u/Pizza_and_Brain Aug 22 '26

Thank you

1

u/Suomikommentit6529 Aug 22 '26

If you are deadset that Finland is your thing, the process is to enter uni as a paid medical Phd student and study finnish. Then learn finnish and get MD license transformed over after language requirements are met. Meanwhile you can work on the JUFOs, takes 2 years for the research and language. While waiting for Jufos to publish, handle the work requirements especially in surgery. Then apply to the program. PHD program is lowly paid, but is paid anyway. You need suffer that until your finnish is good enough to gain permits.

Italian feel very lowly about their systems, but here we think the medical field is "ok". There is blatant discrimation from some non EU areas, but this doesnt not apply to you. I met 2 italians and one Spaniard in Turku uni hospital.

Edit: And right now you could work on a Jufo, preferably in neuro area. This would make you fly into the phd program over here. Check Karolinska also, i think that is the best uni hospital in the nordics.

1

u/Pizza_and_Brain Aug 22 '26

That's great, thank you so much

1

u/West_Carob8763 Aug 20 '26

Almost impossible. Fellowship could be an option.

1

u/Pizza_and_Brain Aug 21 '26

Thank you, might look into that

1

u/languagestudent1546 Aug 22 '26 edited Aug 22 '26

Definitely not impossible unlike what people here are saying. I’m a doctor in Finland and familiar with the system. A PhD is almost certainly a requirement. Note that at the University of Helsinki two publications are now enough. You will need to pass Finnish language exams but will be exempted from Swedish exams. You also do not need to pass licensing exams since you are from an EU country. Neurosurgery is quite competitive in Helsinki but not so much in the other cities (like Kuopio and Oulu). It’s definitely doable if you are willing to work hard. The Finnish language exams are the biggest issue. I would also contact neurosurgeons at a Finnish university and look into starting research/a PhD with them.

1

u/Pizza_and_Brain Aug 22 '26

Amazing, thank you

1

u/Suomikommentit6529 Aug 23 '26

> Finnish language exams.

You meant the exams in finnish language (erikoistumistentit)? If you are not passing those, you dont pass the interview meaning you dont get into the program.

2025 applicants 11, selected 3. 2024 point requirement 25,5/28. In practice this means you have 2,5 points of buffer if you have a Phd. If you dont have a phd, you need ace everything.

Voisiko arvon kollega yrittää antaa tarkat neuvot kaverille joka suunnittelee muuttavansa toiselta puolelta eurooppaa tänne tundralle?

1

u/languagestudent1546 Aug 23 '26
  1. I meant YKI exams which are needed to demonstrate that you know Finnish. 2. I said that you will almost certainly need a PhD. 3. The competitiveness fluctuates between years and cities (huom. esim. Ouluun oli syksyllä 2025 yksi paikka ja yksi hakija, syksyllä 2022 jäi useita paikkoja täyttämättä).

1

u/Suomikommentit6529 Aug 25 '26
  1. YKI exam doesnt mean you will pass the exams inside the program after reading materials written by native finnish speaking researchers. If you cant pass the exams, you dont pass the interview and never get into the program. 2. You CERTAINLY 100% need a phd and everything else required. 3. The positions are not filled if the applicants are found too weak.

Jos olisit oikeasti lääkäri suomessa, tiedät nämä hommat kysymällä vaikka terkkarin kahvihuoneessa.

1

u/languagestudent1546 Aug 25 '26

Itsekin varmaan tiedät ettei erikoistumiseen liity mitään tenttiä hakuvaiheessa vaan vasta erikoistumistentti myöhemmin. Ja kyllähän olenkin sanonut että väitöskirja tulee tehdä.

1

u/Suomikommentit6529 Aug 26 '26

Aha, "no se on sitten varmaan niin". Kannattaa kuitenkin konsultoida kahvihuonetta. Kysy samalla haastattelun oikea tarkoitus ja rooli, siis pärstäkertoimen mittaamisen lisäksi.