With France. I guess that affair started when I went to medical school in Montreal and learned to speak the quebecois version of the language (which my French-speaking Canuck friends vehemently deny is a "dialect"). Though Montreal is thousands of miles from Paris, it's the closest thing we've got to the "capital de la francophonie" on this side of the Atlantic, and in some ways can pass as a reasonable facsimile. However, this Francophile would love the chance to explore the real deal - half a dozen visits to Paris and France have only left me yearning for more, but here's the catch -how do I, as a physician, find work in France. It's not the kind of job where you can just present yourself, due to all the licensing and regulation issues. Does anyone have a suggestion? I've checked Gouvernement web sites, but without an answer...Thanks!

Unfortunately, France does not recognize any non-EU medical diplomas so you will not be allowed to practice as a doctor in France (unless you redo your schooling here and pass all of the French board certifications). Even the American hospital in Paris has to adhere to this rule.

You also don't say how good your French is - medical French is nothing like holiday French. So even if it were possible, you'd need to ask yourself if you would feel comfortable carrying out your day-to-day hospital activities in French, ie. charting, talking to patients, writing prescriptions, diagnosing illnesses, etc.

It may be romantic to think about practicing medecine in France, but the reality of it is a whole nother matter. Better to save up money now while you can and then just retire here.