# Can I have an opinion from a doctor overseas? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 31, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-opinion-from-a-doctor-overseas/659800 "2013-05-31T18:20:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-opinion-from-a-doctor-overseas/659800/1 "2013-05-31T18:20:19Z")
I had an injury in my ankle two years ago. It is better now, but it still occasionally hurts and I can’t exercise, etc. I also have an extreme case of flat feet (overpronation) which makes things worse. I’ve seen several doctors and they basically have said that there’s nothing I can do. However, I don’t trust local doctors much. So I am thinking of contacting a doctor from overseas. I have the MRI scan results in electronic format so I could email them and have them give me an opinion, for a fee of course. Would a foreign (for example US) doctor agree to do this? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-opinion-from-a-doctor-overseas/659800/2 "2013-05-31T18:35:56Z")
There may, or may not be, doctors willing and able to review your case at a distance. That said, are there [orthotic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthotics) practitioners near you? Perhaps something as simple as an [orthotic insert](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_insert) might help. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-opinion-from-a-doctor-overseas/659800/3 "2013-05-31T18:44:06Z")
Since this involves medical advice, let’s move it to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-opinion-from-a-doctor-overseas/659800/4 "2013-05-31T20:35:18Z")
There are plenty of people who travel to get medical procedures done, so I don’t see any reason you couldn’t get a second opinion. However, I’d be surprised if doctors could give you much of an opinion based only on your existing records. Most doctors would want a chance to see you for themselves. ---
**Author:** ![half-elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@half-elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/half-elf)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-opinion-from-a-doctor-overseas/659800/5 "2013-05-31T21:37:16Z")
PM’d you ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-opinion-from-a-doctor-overseas/659800/6 "2013-05-31T21:41:33Z")
We use remote access specialist consult for neuro and radiology in my ER, so it’s not unprecedented. Now, that is a consult with a bedside ERMD, but ‘long distance medical second opinion’ yields plenty of search results, and some of them say upload your records for a 2nd opinion. I have no opinion about the quality of such sites. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-opinion-from-a-doctor-overseas/659800/7 "2013-05-31T22:05:39Z")
I do. We use them in litigation as a last resort. I’ll emphasize the last resort part. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-opinion-from-a-doctor-overseas/659800/8 "2013-06-01T08:23:21Z")
Here is the perfect resource for you: www.2nd.md A number of reputable US medical institutions participate, such as the Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Dana Farber, Harvard, etc. You book a 20-minute video appointment with the physician of your choice from their roster, upload your medical records first, and get a second opinion from them. They are perfectly willing to do consultations with foreign patients. The cost depends on the physician but is usually around $100 to $150 per session.