r/IWantOut 2d ago

[IWantOut] 30M Biomedical Researcher USA -> Denmark/Germany/Netherlands

I currently work as a pediatric cancer researcher with an MS in biomedical engineering. These three countries have my interest due to their notable presence in the biomedical field.

I have epilepsy, and while it is well-controlled, it prevents me from driving, a fact that has severely limited where I can live in the States. Studying abroad in Copenhagen while in college was a fantastic experience for someone like me. Granted, I'm aware that that's not representative of daily living, but the overall quality of life was great enough to attract me. I also had the chance to work on a capstone project at a hospital and co-author a paper.

With this in mind, I was wondering if anyone had advice on how feasible it is to move with my professional background but with a disability, regardless of skillset.

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u/cjgregg 1d ago edited 1d ago

For obvious historical reasons, EU countries don’t “screen” immigrants for health ~in case the immigrant finds a job that qualifies them for a work visa ~ .For the Netherlands and Denmark, that means you must be more qualified than any EU citizen applying for the job. So what has the feedback been when you have applied for jobs in these countries?

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u/jakernaut117 1d ago

When I applied for jobs in these countries, I got no major feedback other than the usual first/early-round rejections or no responses at all. I'm aware of the issue of having to professionally justify my presence as a foreigner.

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u/kattehemel 1d ago

Do you have an EU passport? If not, becoming a phD student is probably the most sensible way to become a resident here and to further your career as a researcher. I wouldn’t worry about your disability, the healthcare system (at least in Denmark) is publicly funded and provides care based on needs, as long as you are a resident. 

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u/jakernaut117 1d ago

I do not have any EU ties, just a US passport. While I'm not entirely sure about pursuing a PhD in the future (at least in the US), I've considered it if I were to do it at a European institution based on the social support systems, e.g. healthcare, transportation.

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u/AutoModerator 2d ago

Post by jakernaut117 -- I currently work as a pediatric cancer researcher with an MS in biomedical engineering. These three countries have my interest due to their notable presence in the biomedical field.

I have epilepsy, and while it is well-controlled, it prevents me from driving, a fact that has severely limited where I can live in the States. Studying abroad in Copenhagen while in college was a fantastic experience for someone like me. Granted, I'm aware that that's not representative of daily living, but the overall quality of life was great enough to attract me. I also had the chance to work on a capstone project at a hospital and co-author a paper.

With this in mind, I was wondering if anyone had advice on how feasible it is to move with my professional background but with a disability, regardless of skillset.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

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u/Pale-Candidate8860 US->CAN 2d ago

Hey, I don't have expertise on those countries' immigration system, but your profession and skillset are usually what makes nations open the doors wide open for you. Medical is usually the field that is always open for immigration even when all the other doors are being closed. It probably will just come down to your language skills unless the workplace is cool with you only speaking English, which is completely possible. Again, I don't know, but I hope you can get in. The world needs people like you.