I feel and identify with your frustrations. I went to med school "virtually for free" in UCH (compared to the cost here). I went to med school just to be a doc, not thinking about prestige or money at that time, just what I wanted to do.
Reality started to set in however after NYSC. You start to think, what's gonig on? I remember one friend who left and joined a leasing co, with car and the rest,
God so good, I left for the UK, did the training starting as SHO but was focused so much on coming to the states so I put my heart, soul and money (Kaplan in London) in USMLE and eventually came here to the States. I have done residency and fellowship in my speciality and now work in the state of Tx. There is no better place in the world to be a physician than here, just my opinion.
I have shared my personal story to encourage those of you who may be discouraged to not give up if this is what you want to do. Making a move to leave or stay in Naija/UK remains a very difficult personal decision. The challenges and sacrifices can be and are usually enormous but if many of us have done it, I don't see why you can't if you want to.
What I would say is the rewards of hard work -not just monetary-in ANY speciality of medicine will for the most part lead to job satisfaction.
I will be glad to answer questions that will help, I however can't promise quick replies but I will try my best.
I really do feel for my fellow physicians but ONLY YOU can do something about your situation of course relying on God's help and favor.
The Naija Fed govt or state govts have not yet got to the point of realizing the importance of delivering healthcare to it's citizens. They are not about to start worrying about the renumeration of the physicians moreso, at least not now, and I don't know when.
Just my two cents.

@dale, Thanks my bro.Seriously thinkin of the usmle.But not gettin a visa to go write step2cs or eventually to relocate, assuming i match is wat i am afraid of.And of course studyin for it without the best resources here is another aspect.U went from the uk,so u had access to tutorials,books,videos etc.I can get all that through torrent downloads but doin this whole thing from naija or near naija freaks me out.Dont want to waste my time.

quack doctors where u at? this one for u too baby?

Makavelis:

quack doctors where u at? this one for u too baby?

We are here and we are watching.Dont forget we are in the majority.

Epiphany, well said.

It's great to see doctors getting together like this. Sorry to say, well-paying job opportunities in this country are few unless you get into a leading NGO or you help them dip into ministry funds. I still blame the generation of doctors before us who have done a lot to suppress the increases in doctors salary scale so they won't have to pay much in their private hospitals. At present, the very best thing is still to travel out. Unfortunately for our country, the brain drain is grossly affecting our economy and the development of the health sector in general. Each man for himself though, if you get the opportunity, don't hesitate, take it and gooooooooooooo!

For the fellow who wants USMLE materials, go to stepprep.com.

@emary, Thanks dude

Hello doctors how 're ur patients,if they 're getting better then you should be fine.Cos dat's d only thing best rewarded 4 one to have passion and care like doctors.Dont compare ur luxuries with politicians cos they rig to be rich.God bles US.

@dale
is it true that they pay very well in trinidad and tobago and secondanly,what do you think of australia and newzealand.

@ficoram,, TT is okay.I have a friend who went in nov,got a job last month and is on $2500(TT$18000)probation salary.After a few months,it ups to $3000.Some get up to $3500.At your most extravagant,see yourself spending about $1000 a month.Luckily,nigerian med. graduates of UI,UNN,LAG, and benin,need not write their board exams.Just look for$3000 bond money,a friend to invite u,and u are there.

@Poster

I dont know what this post is for, but you come out to me to think that it is a big deal being a medical doctor and you should be paid differently and made more comfortable than members of the other professions - i dis agree with you, if you think properly, you will come out with a conclusion that it is no big deal being a medical doctor after all, even if you spend fourty years in medical school, it doesnt mean you will come out earning the best pay packet amongst your pears who probbaly didnt spend that long years in university- therefore, if a banker is making it so much, an IT guy is making it comfortably, a Petroleum Engineering guy is making it so well in the same country where you feel you are not being paid enough, it simply then menas, it is worthwhile to know that it could have been better for you if you had chosen a different profession.

@i_laugh, lol did you fail out of med school or wat?I sense beef.Trust me,u have no idea what u are talking about and as such will forgive ur ignorance.Btw,u are in the wrong thread,

@i_laugh, One more thing before you go, Just so u know, We have a lot of respect for other professionals,even more than they have for themselves but they are not at par wit us(no arrogance intended).Fact!Now u might ask yourself if we are so important why are we poorly paid abi?The answer is simple,the same reason ur govt. cant give u steady power,clean water or cant provide basic housing.

i_laugh:

@Poster

I dont know what this post is for, but you come out to me to think that it is a big deal being a medical doctor and you should be paid differently and made more comfortable than members of the other professions - i dis agree with you, if you think properly, you will come out with a conclusion that it is no big deal being a medical doctor after all, even if you spend fourty years in medical school, it doesnt mean you will come out earning the best pay packet amongst your pears who probbaly didnt spend that long years in university- therefore, if a banker is making it so much, an IT guy is making it comfortably, a Petroleum Engineering guy is making it so well in the same country where you feel you are not being paid enough, it simply then menas, it is worthwhile to know that it could have been better for you if you had chosen a different profession.

Now which kain nonsense post be this abeg?
Next thing now you'll post a link to a get-rich-quick network marketing scheme that's so much better than being a doctor or anything else.

ajanlekoko what type of doc. medical, general ,gynocologist e.t.c.

2 Angels:

ajanlekoko what type of doc. medical, general ,gynocologist e.t.c.

I'm not any kind of doctor, not even a quack one. Just a friendly observer.

@phantom thanks for the info.

@ FSB, why are you comparing, UCH to etisalat, glo and co, dats a big misrepresentation, comparing a government agency to private telecomms companies, how much is nitel paying, go and find out how much St. Nicholas and Lagoon hospital are paying thier doctors if u want to establish a more credible upper limit , my cousin works at lagoon, specialises in oby and gyn and has 3 cars parked in his house.

It's nice to see a thread like this on here. I remember starting medschool with stars in my eyes, thinking of all the glory and comfort awaiting me in 6yrs as a qualified doc. As time dragged by and 6yrs became 7 and then some, and as the reality of healthcare in Naija hit, it was a rude awakening.

The bases of the problem with the medical field in Naija are numerous but one thing we all need to realise is that the people who can change (or at least improve) the system have NO STAKE in it. And by that I mean they do not utilise the so-called public health institutions and therefore, see no need to invest in same. I remember during the campaigns for the last presidential elections in 2007, when Atiku fell and hurt his knee and had to be flown abroad for "treatment". He returned a few days later with crutches (and analgesics, i suppose) after probably having an MRI done. Now I ask if the then-VP of a nation like Nigeria could not 'risk' having his injured knee treated in Naija, what incentive does he or any other leader have to improve the quality of healthcare when they are sure they will probably never need it? SAD.

Uche my bro, I feel u.People outside no go understand.

Medicos,
A non-medico greets you and tells you all is not lost for you guys in naija, as somehow funding is finding its way into healthcare in Nigeria:

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/company-announcement-partnership-with-total-health-trust-accelerates-liberty-healths-west-african-growth-strategy-2009-03-31

THT, a Nigerian HMO sold a piece of itself to a South African Health group, Liberty Health.

i haven't taken the time to go through all of this thread

my dad is a doctor, mum a nurse , my sis is a doctor. i actually wanted to become a doctor, but my dad pushed me to engineering ( he believed my talents were more in that direction, and that i did not have the er . . empathy to be a doctor - he was right on both counts )

anyway, my closest friends are all doctors. i basically found myself in a room with medicos in 100l, and we hung out ever since. alot of people in school mistook me for a medico. as a doctor's pikin, and a bookish fellow, i was even able to spout a lot of the lingo. . .

anyway thats just background. practically all the guys i know that read medicine say they would not do it if they had a second opportunity. you spend close to 10 years in training, and then go on to make . . .peanuts

you're still collecting allowance from mum and dad while those who entered school three years after your have started working. practically everyone of my friends, including my sis, has hightailed it to US or UK, and i most definetely do not blame them. my old man chose to work in the middle east for ten years. i doubt if any of my friends who escaped will meke the mistake so many of our british trained parents did . . .deciding to come home to give back and make a difference .

just my rant on the status of the medical profession in nigeria

hi all please am a medical doctor in nigeria but i want to go to jamaica .Does anyone know how much they pay medical officers there ? does any one have the contact of any nigerian doctor in jamaica.
i will be glad to get a useful reply soon

oyb:

i i doubt if any of my friends who escaped will meke the mistake so many of our british trained parents did . . .deciding to come home to give back and make a difference .

@ bolded

sometimes they didnt have much of a choice. Lawyers, doctors and other professionals back then found life easier in Nigeria than in Britain where they trained. Most times the understanding was they'd return home after their studies, and the host country ensured they did so.

kind of like what south Africa is trying to do now.

Hi,

mc-chibyke:

hi all please am a medical doctor in nigeria but i want to go to jamaica .Does anyone know how much they pay medical officers there ? does any one have the contact of any nigerian doctor in jamaica.
i will be glad to get a useful reply soon

What on earth do you want to go to Jamaica for?  Get shot for the simplest of things?  That country is full of drugs and guns.  Better steer clear unless you want to be wasted.

You've been warned! 



kiwi992.

Guys looks like nma will be goin on strike in 28days counting from 27th april, Lets hope we dont have a bribe taker at the helm this time, I gather they are askin the govt to rescind its decision to abrogate the mss and msss due to the global melt down.What a joke!I hear under the mss an HO should go home wit about 250, Reg, 400 snr reg, 700, Cons, Bout 1mil, Did u guys hear any other thing?Lets hope its beginning to happen, Not one more doc. Will step out.Lets get it right this time,

14 days to go, Siddon-look-laugh na im i dey so!

Hello sweet forum, Sorry if i sound as an intruder but I have read this pahe over and over again only to discover a need in the heart of someone.
I will like to use this forum to ask if there can ever be anyone who will like to give his or her time to share with me with my Foundation.
I am about running a Nursing home here in Nigeria and I need people like you , I am not into money making venture but a service to humanity. I want someone to link me up on waycrosshomes@yahoo.com, I want to talk about a life transforming event which I know you people have an idea of how is works but nothing has been done on it ever since.
Its mind blowing. plz contact me and lets do something together for this great Nation of ours(NIGERIA).

I came across this today and hope that it will be useful to somebody out there. UK recruiting Doctors   http://www.severndeanery.nhs.uk/specialty_recruitment_09/international_recruitment.shtml

Closing Date: 20th May 2009, so hurry!


Here's some other useful links for working in Australia and New Zealand

http://www.imrmedical.com/australiasalaries.htm
http://www.imrmedical.com/NZsalaries.htm

Good luck!

@beneli, Thanks but are these not for consultants?

@Phantom,

To the best of my knowledge the ones in the UK are not for Consultants. I understand why you think it's for Consultants given that they specified the specialties they're recruting into. But i'm sure that they're looking for service-grade junior and middle grade Doctors. There's a shortage at that level here at the moment (the Nigerian equivalent of Medical Officers). The jobs should be open to whoever can tick the boxes in the application forms! I know that it will be difficult for somebody in Naija to meet the deadline for submission and interview, but you never know.

The ones in Australia and New Zealand are open to every level and are ongoing.