My dear poster,

Worry not. I will not castigate you for you rather uneducated comments even though God knows you deserve all that is coming your way.
Carrying a baby on your back (aka backing) is not primitive at all. It is a practice adopted by several tribes and civilizations the world over.
It is a practice borne out of expedience, common sense and sometimes necessity.

I am sure you do not know this but "backing" can also be prescribed by your doctor to manage what is called Congenital Dislocation of Hip. It is a condition which affects a fair number of babies particularly boys and there is evidence that "backing" can help in avoiding surgical intervention.

Like I said, I will try not to insult you so I will suggest you keep these in mind;
1. If in doubt, keep quiet
2. Be proud of who you are and where you come from
3. Foreign does not translate to better
4. It is always best to write in a language you are comfortable in.

Do have a nice day

Sorry guys, ben away for a while.
@Bongabiz, there are quite a lot of unfilled posts at the moment. Forget trainign posts as you wont have the required visa status. You will need to do a clinical attachment which you can pay for. I understand people pay up to £500 for 6 weeks attachment, Jobs as locum SHO or F2 abound particularly in A&E, psychiatry, orthopedics. I would advice getting in touch with locum agencies before coming over and finding out what their requirements are.

@Ficoram, tax is 20% for the first like 30k and 40% for the rest per annum. NI is 11% so all in all, factor giving the queen about 40% of your pay.

The UK is opening up but DO NOT COME if you havent yet passed PLAB and have no fall back plan!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cant stress that enough

promise72:

Honda Civic CRX/City. got one. Average 40 miles to 1 gallon (Thats about 16.91km to liter)

Been driving one everyday for about 2yrs now here in California. I drive about 150km daily roundtrip. So may be i know.

The CRX model is called the "HF" model. Very hard to find but worth it

@promise72, I have used a brand new VW golf for about 10 months now and as of today have an average of 49 miles to the gallon

@Frenchman, You may have been talking about me!
i may not have been born with a silver spoon but I was quite comfortable.
I was doing ok in Naija and after a period of introspection, I saw that prospects were not the best in Naija.
I am a medical doctor from a very reputable Naija uni and no difficulty getting a job. Looking at all my classmates, no one was earning more than 100k a month. I earned slightly more than that but could hardly see a future.
After visits to the UK and extensive research, I decided to take the plunge.
I made sure I passed the relevant exams during my previous visits and came in armed with plenty kishi for the struggle.
It took a while to get into the system and yes I did the 'odd jobs'!
I worked 9-5 as a clinical attache for free and worked from 6pm to 10pm at Royal Mail for £6/hr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was hard work but God eventually smiled on me and now I make over £50,000 pa. I was lucky that I had no problems with accommodation and I had the right visa status.
the fact that I came to the UK with a sizeable amount of money didnt deter me from doing the job at Royal mail. I guess I have a better appreciation of what I have achieved with God's help.

My advice is quite simple for anyone considering relocating
1. Do your home work; what are you coming to do and how feasible is it?
2. Ensure you have the right visa status!! (this is actually more important that 1!)
3. You must have a place to stay (family preferably and be prepared to contribute to running the home. It will be appreciated and you might even get your money back but the thought will be appreciated)
4. Carry plenty money (If not, you go suffer o!)
5. Have a plan B. If things dont work out, you can always fall back on plan B. If you are doing a masters, do one that will sell in Naija. Not everyone remains here after school.
6. Pray for God's guidance

In the current economic climate, it may not be wise to come looking for work here but then again, in the midst of credit crunch, some are making a killing.

If anyone asks me do I regret coming to the UK, my answr will have to be NO.
I am getting a postgrad training and being paid while doing this. I am practicsing the profession I spent years training for. I can see a logical career progression. i can provide for my family without needing to steal or do anything contrary to the ethics of my profession.

If you keep your nose clean, plan your moves a few years in advance and ALWAYS ask advice from those who've been there and done what  you want to do, you can hardly go wrong.

If i could get the same opportunity in Naija, I'd be there in a heartbeat. I am no 2nd class citizen contrary to what people may say or do but Naija sweet!

I apologise for rambling. God speed everyone

Fuel consumption of cars is measured in how many miles the car can travel on a gallon of fuel which is about 4 litres.
Fuel efficiency is also a function of the driver.
the advertised mpg does depend on the way the car is driven.
Of course, newer model cars tend to be more efficient than old cars e.g. a 2008 BMW 320d is more fuel efficient than a 2000 Toyota Corolla.
I sometimes do 65mpg in a 2007 Toyota Yaris which has a 1.0L petrol engine. I also have a 2008 VW with a 1.9TDI engine that does about 48mpg regularly.
I know the BMW 320d does about 55mpg and this is a 2.0L turbodiesel with stop-start technology.
I guess if you want to know the fuel efficiency of your car, go to www.whatcar.com
If anyone asks my opinion though, I think 2007+ BMWs are great.
The hybrids are not that much fun to drive so you may get slightly more miles for your fuel but it depends on what you enjoy

There is only one team that can win this.
Take a bow Super Eagles class of 1994.
Very few teams have played with such skill, strength, panache, passion and confidence.
Everybody playing against us FEARED us!
Never have my Eagles filled me with such confidence than in 1994. We went into every match KNOWING that we would win no matter who the opponents were!
Eagles of 2000?
HELL NO!
Maroc 88 Eagles were a joy to watch as well but your heart was always in your mouth.
This would never happen with the 1994 team.

Quote from: zukkymike on Yesterday at 10:55:45 AM
How old are you?

Thank you o zukky!

You took the words right out of my keyboard!

I guess unless you are a phone tester by profession, it will be difficult to be objective. I only recently started using the new Blackberry Storm which is supposed to be the iphone killer.
I must confess that the new touchscreen keypad was iffy to use initially compared to my good old Blackberry Curve but I have gotten so comfortable on it within 2 weeks. It does depend on whether you use a phone day in day out before you can make a definite statement on it.
I have played with the i-phone but cant comment as I wasn't particularly impressed. The N95 left a good impression on me but then again, I was into nokias strictly back then.
I do still think Nokias are the best if you need to transfer files or connect to other phones.
The MMS thing I must confess is a feature I do not use. Emails on a blackberry are unsurpassed!

CGO, where are you now?
On behalf of all Nigerians, I beg you to please come back and entertain us some more!
I can assure you that you bring smiles to most of our faces with your antics.
If you come back, I promise to attend your 10th birthday party and I'll bring some of my Nigerian friends too.
Am I mistaken in assuming you are less than 10 years old?
You sound like a 9 year old so forgive me if I got it wrong.
Cheers mate

Appauling
Apalling
Appaling
Harpolling
Hapoline
Hippoline
Abeg, anyone you wan write, na understooding matter!
Maybe you should stick to pidgin!

@KONGI (or anyone else with relevant info)
Hi,
Please I'D like to ask, as regards locum jobs in the UK, is it possible to find one immediately post-plab2 , without doing the foundation years.
Thanks.
Olumide

Yes Olumide,
It is possible but not exactly wise. You probably need to do an attachment of some sort to get you acquainted with the way things work in the NHS.
I personally would advice doing at least a month's clinical attachment. You should apply for the attachment when you pass PLAB1 so you can plan properly
Locums are still very much available but as you know, luck does play it's part.
If you can do attachments before PLAB 2, you stand a much better chance.
All the best whatever path you choose to follow

@Pennywise.
Not at all o. Supernatural means of identification ke?
What I mean is that the fact that you are doctor doesn't preclude your being a good manager of men and resources.
Some succeed in business without any schooling while some need to be taught either formally or informally.
Richard Branson very easily springs to mind.
Again, I digress and once again, I apologise.

As per NHIS, I had a discussion with a very senior NHIS chap a few years ago and I let my feelings known to him. The way the NHIS was structured in 2005, hospitals were being made to bear the cost of providing healthcare to the populace rather than the government. God knows why we don't pay pur taxes to these hospitals then.
I am not sure if things have changed as I haven't kept up with things in that sector but I keep hoping for the best

@Agaba, thanks for understanding

Agaba my guy, you are indeed right when you say we are saying the same thing.

Medical practice in 9ja is indeed a cult. Thankfully, things are changing. Yes I am a member of the 'cult' by virtue of my training and connexions but one day, the cult will wake up and smell the coffee.

Pennywise, business schools are not for the Adenugas or the Ekene dili Chukwus, they are for the me and yous of this world who need to be schooled in the art of making money.
Adenuga, Aliko and co don't need to go to business school to learn how to make money.

Ziga bros, with the advent of NHIS in 9ja as well as private medical insurance, healthcare is a business! i dont wanna advertise on this site but there are very competitve private health insurance schemes which are run as a business. Things will change in 9ja hopefully very soon. Some people have taken the 1st step. Funnily enough, they are not doctors but have the foresight to see what the country will need from healthcare services in the very near future.

Currently, it is targetted towards the higher end of the market although the prices are reasonable enough to appeal to the middle class. I must confess i was involved in the execution of this dream while still in 9ja and things are moving very well.

Abuja, Lagos and PH naturally are the hub of the business but I hope the intention of a national spread is realised very soon.

They pay their doctors reasonably well. At least, while I was there, the salaries were comparable to federal govt rates. Still not the best but we need to atart somewhere.

God bless 9ja

Agaba, my apologies once again if I have been too forceful or even unpleasant in my arguments

Agaba my guy,
Please don't take this the wrong way but you really sound like someone I would enjoy talking with.
again note my choice of words, talking with, not to.
Pls believe me when I say I am not being sarcastic
My A level scores or Jamb scores are irrelevant but I can assure you that everywhere I have been, I am usually in the top 5%!
I am also a member of MENSA so make we leave that one for one side.
Pre-science? i don't even know what that is.
I have a friend who is in GP training in 9ja and she will probably take offence at your statement that even though not much training is given to the GP in naija. (Again you have a misunderstanding of medicine and medical practice. There is actually a college of GPs with a residency programme in 9ja!)
You don't need a high IQ to study medicine so I agree with you there. I have a friend who left medicine after 2nd MB as well. And yes, he passed the exam!

With regards to litigation in medical practice in 9ja, it is my most ardent prayer that litigation levels rise in our country. This is the only way to rid the profession of quacks. A doctor is not God and should be accountable to his patients. I agree that the level of enlightenment of the general populace should rise but that na matter for another day.

I recall quite clearly that the fight for call duty allowance wasn't just about doctors' allowances. A major issue was funding of the health sector which the media didn't report. I attended a few of those ARD meetings in those days and had a first hand view of the demands of the ARD. You may not believe this but a major problem then was that 'medical elders' had their own agenda. That is why the NMA has not done anything. The CMDs and Health ministers always are out t line their own pockets because of the 9ja expectation that anyone in a position of authority or influence must come out a wealthy man.

A lot of our problems are inter-related and a microcosm of the greater society.

Tafa Balogun said something when people were complaining about the corrupt nature of the police. He said 'you don't find angels in hell'. Again, i am digressing and I apologise profusely.

Your exchanges with karl ken represent what I hope 9ja will turn to. You guys hit the nail on the head and hopefully, this will trickle upwards or downwards as the case may be.

Pennywise, nuff respect. However, who says a doctor can't be a manager? It's all about having the aptitude for it. We have had brilliant CMDs just as we have had awful ones.

I don't expect personally to get rich from my medical practice. However, I expect medicine to afford me the ability to feed, accommodate and transport my family in the way they deserve without any need to resort to underhand practices or combine 2 medical jobs. I invest carefully in the financial markets and THAT is how I fund my excesses.

Nuff said, for now

Agaba, Agaba, Agaba,
People are going into medicine because of the societies perception of the profession. In Eastern Europe, every body is going for Architecture because that is what pays. No body cares about medicine and doctors are not highest paid and they still deliver quality services.

So the aeronautic engineer or the pharmacist etc is not creme de la creme? Please be real. In the UK here, do you know that the GP is paid more than the resident and even some consultants? Why, because pay is based on the amount of work you do not based on the amount of book you have read. Please come down from the high horse if that is why you studied medicine. Those who talk most are those who entered medical school through remedial courses or the famous pre-science. . And the worst are those who spent 2 years extra in school.?
Now who is being unreal?
You talk about 'here in the UK'
Comparing the pay of a GP to that of a resident shows a clear misconception of the structure of medical training and a fundamental misunderstanding of the duties of a GP and a resident. I use the term resident very loosely as i can only assume that by resident, you mean doctors in trainng.
Are you aware that a doctor in training either becomes a GP or a specialist?
I guess not.
The thread is not about doctors being he highest paid but being appropriately paid.
I agree with you about aeronautical engineers, pharmacists and a lot of other professions but you my friend have very little information about very many things related to medicine. You do need to read up quite a lot or at least ask people in the field how things work before making semi-informed statements.

As for medicine going to the highest bidder in Nigeria, again I know very little about that so I cannot comment with any degree of authority. However, if they get into the kind of medical school I went to, they won't last the distance.
Wheat is very soon seperated from chaff.

@ Epiphany
Lol. Hahahaahhaha. Good man, good analogy and the very truth. I have also noticed that over here in the UK, the typical brits do not rush into medicine also. Their medical sector is made up of so many foreigners.?

I work in the Uk my dear brother and can assure you that most new doctors in training are British contrary to what you may hear.
The new immigration rules as well as Foundation training are puting paid to foreign doctors getting into training.
Pls note my choice of words.

I reiterate that my point is not that doctors in 9ja should be the highest paid. What I am saying is that docttors in Nigeria should be renumerated to such an extent that we dont have to have the best medical brains leave the country and leave the health sector in the state it currently is.


An excellent artisan should have no limits to his earnings so a plumber or electrician making more money than a doctor is not an issue. I definitely dont have a problem with that.

@ Aiyetunje
Aiyetunje I hail o. You made a lot of excellent points and have obviously given this a lot of thought. A lot of things left unsaid have been well marshallled by you and I hope to read much more from you on this forum

@Karl Ken
The only reason I post on this forum is to see if we can gradually get non-medics to appreciate issues from our point of view. It is a difficult thankless job but little by little, if we persist, we may make enough of a dent in their thinking.
Don't give up

Can I use a real life example?
I graduated from med school in 2001.
As an HO, I earned 50k monthly after tax.
I went to serve in the north and was paid 28k a month.
The highest paid doctor in my state earned 33k and the lowest we knew about was 11k.
It is common knowledge that doctors take a pay cut during NYSC.
You can indeed earn 200k if you are willing to be unethical but a lot of us swore an oath and this oath is sacrosanct
NYSC doctors today still earn 15k or 18k a month, I kid you not!
Post NYSC doctors take home less than 40k in many private hospitals in Lagos, Kano, Umuahia, Kontagora, Ilorin and especially Abuja!
You may say what gives doctors the right to earn much more than that?
Like it or not, doctors are supposed to be the creme de la creme of our brains and should be rewarded as such.
Remove all prejudices and try to recall the dullest 40% of your classmates in primary or secondary school,
Now picture any of them as the doctor looking after your 3 day old son,
Medicine is a humanitarian field, I hear some dreamers state on this forum,
I have not heard a more dangerous statement!
It is a field for the most professional of professionals who has the highest level of dedication to his duty.
It is not a voluntary service!
We should recompense them as adequaely as possible or the best of the best of the nations intellects will leave for where they will get a salary commisurate with their qualifications.
I recall that on the day I graduated from medical school, there was a merit list of 26. Of the 26, only 1 is left in 9ja!
This is a statistic that should fill our leaders with dread but they feel the same as many on this forum.

Pray that you don't fall ill o! It's a lottery whether you survive it as it is. Soon, nobody will read medicine in Naija.
As a medical doctor myself, I will not advice my kids to study medicine with the aim of practicing in Naija unless they understand the implications:
a life just above the poverty line with no appreciation of the sacrifices you made to get there!

@Epiphany, my most sincere hope is that someone like you never gets into a position of authority or influence. Your myopic views are quite frankly a disgrace and I dont usually respond to such tunnel views but for you Sir, I will make an exception.
Naija o ni baje

Locums are not really easy to get in.
It's kinda catch 22 really. You need UK experience to get a job and you can only get UK experience if you get a job so the road is usually rough. Most people go the clinical attachment route first and then start looking. You usually get a locum at the hospital where you did you attachment and after that register with a locum agency.
After this, things are much more straightforward.

The reason locums pay more?
Of course there is a catch.
You cant lay down root because you dont know where the next job will be.
Notice my choice of words;
You dont know where the next job will be
NOT you dont know when the next job will come[/color][color=#990000]

You can work in Carlisle for 3 weeks then Portsmouth for 5 weeks then Wolverhampton for 10 weeks before going to Carmarthen for 1 week.

There is no continuity and you are not getting training is another disadvantage of locums

There are always jobs though. I got a call on Monday morning offering me a locum 120 miles away for 5 weeks at £45/hr. I refused it and it appears they are desperate for someone to fill the post.
You need to accumulate some experience though before you can be in those shoes but I have a friend who has been in the UK since December and he has been doing steady locums since March. He has quite a few locums to choose from when his current one runs out in 2 weeks

E no easy but it's not impossible if you know what you are getting into and have good support in the UK vis a vis accommodation and feeding.

You need a fair bit of savings too, £4000 will bw about right to tide you till you start work.
You must write PLAB 1 before you arrive and then come to the UK, write PLAB 2, go back to Naija and wait to make sure you pass before the real struggle starts.

You must always have a back-up plan because no be everybody go eventually enter so you need to continue whatever you are doing in Naija while doing all these.

You need to get advice from people in the rest of the world make them tell you how things be for where them dey before you decide on a line of action.

Whatever you decide, ask for His direction and make your move.

Time dey go my brother

All the best

This is the most hilarious thread EVER!
The grammar, spellings and punctuations are incredible!
Wasn't planning to watch the event but if the contestants speak English like you guys write it, Meeeeeeeeen I go watch am o!
ROTFLMAO

It is okay for walk out of an interview in my opinion.
It totally depends on the situation.
The fact that you are attending an interview doesnt mean you dont have a job or you have no self worth.
A lot of poeple have given very valid reasons to walk out of an interview.
I haven't done it but believe me, If an interviewer doesn't respect me as much as I respect myself, I will cut the interview short there and then, inform him/her why I am leaving and request a written apology in the post.
Chikena.

OAU has a reputation for not picking second choice.
I agree with the prev posters, you have a greater chance with Lautech

@kathyekiti
I guess the lady can leave if she so chooses.
In Naija, I doubt if you can hold someone against their will even if she is of unsound mind.
I am guessing they did not refuse treatment.
Or blogger, are we mistaken?

All I can do is paint the facts my brother.
I dont earn £35 an hour but I make enough to feed my wife, kids, pay mortgage, save, invest and send to Naija.
My situation differs from the next man's own.
Funny enough, I was earning well over 120k in Naija a few years ago. I guess I was lucky but on my salary, I couldn't afford to get married, rent a house or do anything tangible!
How many doctors in Naija do you think earn 120k??
Some earn 36k o!
My options were limited in Naija so I explored other avenues.
I was that young doctor in Naija making over 120k and having a lot of my expenses covered by my organisation but my brother, if you peer into the tunnel, LIGHT NO DEY!
I advice my junior colleagues all the time, gander and goose no be the same. Assess your options and any opportunities you may have and then make a carefully calculated move.
My being where I am today is by His Grace and careful planning and consideration for well over 3 years.
Which prospects dey Naija sef?
How many consultant posts are available? That na even if you manage get into residency.
It's now man know man for residency o!

Check amof a successful career and comfortable retirement

I thought I don talk all I go need to talk but gat to answer some posts.

@Lucabrasi
No be title matter.
Do you know how much the average doctor is paid by govt or private hospitals?
Do you know how many doctors apply for each advertised post?
Do you know how many doctors in Naija are unemployed?
Do you know how many medical graduates Naija produces each year?
Do you know the expectations society and family place on doctors financial and otherwise?
Troynow’s post should give you an inkling
Why ARD dey strike every so often?
Why is every doctor you know leaving the country?

No be any title matter my brother, if you aren’t a doctor, abeg how you wan take know the answer to these questions?

I have worked at management level, conducted interviews for and recruited doctors in Naija so believe me when I tell you things are very very sad for Nigerian doctors. E dey always pain me when you see doctors grateful to earn 70k!
That is crap my brother, wetin 70k go do person?
It's not worth the investment into an MBChB or MBBS or MD!
If it costs you 10k to buy a commodity, 12k for all your overheads and you sell it for 21k, then something dey do you!
Many people dont earn 70k a month some people will say but that doesn't mean you should take a loss on your investment.
If leaving Naija is what is needed to recoup your investment, then by Jove, thats what you need to do.


Ask any doctor friend, brother, uncle or neighbour you have how much fun it is being a doctor in Nigeria. But I must warn you, the Lamentation go pass Jeremiah own



@poster,
The people have spoken! Let us know where you are and we can give you targeted advice tailored to your particular needs. This kind question no be one-size-fits-all answer you need!


@Erratic
It is £35 an hour minimum. I can tell you from personal experience. If you need me, you have to pay me enough for me to get outa bed for. They need us, not the other way around.

@Bongabiz
You are welcome my brother/sister


I don cut

Bongabiz
Postgraduate trainign in the UK is not really available if you are a fresh Nigerian graduate unless you happen to have British citizenship.
The new visa rules mean your passport will be stamped 'unable to work as a doctor in training'
The best you can get is locums which pay very well i no go lie but for how long you wan do am?
Scotland does not have more opportunities for training contrary to whatever you may hear. The same immigration restritions apply. You can work but you cant train. The equivalent of working as an M.O. in Naija instead of a Reg.
If you do manage to get into the locums, you will get £35 to £45 per hour, much more than those of us in training.
You do need to plan before you move though.
I cant speak authoritatively on the US, Australia, SA or the Carribean but friends there have their stories to tell, some good and some bad.
All the best as you decide but you need to make up your mind sharp sharp
Nigeria we hail thee

For all non-doctors who are replying to this post,
He who wears the shoe knows whre it pinches, una no fit understand

@Poster
Car financing is not something you should go into lightly, there are many variables you need to take into consideration.
The total ammount repayable regardless of what the interest rate stated is,
Affordability for your particular situation
The costs associated with running a car.
It may actually be cheaper and more cost effective for you to stay without a car.
The car is a depreciating asset so look before you leap
All the best

Manchu my guy, The answer to your question about how to go about practising i n Naija has been answered.
However, make I advice you my brother.
I work in the UK now after working in Naija for a few years after graduation.
You need to ask yourself your reasons for going home.
Residency pays you a wage you can live on but just enough if you have no commitments so can you be happy living just above the poverty line?
Do you have a godfather to help you into residency?
Do you have the requisite mentality to work without any support and depend only on your clinical acumen and no access to basic investigations not to mention CT or MRI?
Its like a tightrope walk without a safety net.
I think you should visit Naija hospitals and see if you can cope.
You make up your own mind after seeing what is on ground
The force be with you
If it's immigration issues, then I guess you have no choice

Hi there all.
As a graduate of one of the big three, I will not state my own preference.
The question is:
If you had to chose btw Ife, UI and Unilag, which will you attend?
Not which is the best or has the best parties or has the best rating!
I have been to all three and will leave those who are either not yet in school, attended or graduated from the other schools not involved in this debate.
My apologies to the ABU, Uniben, OSU, ABIASU, Babcock or whatever SU or cocks of this world, but this forum is aking if you guys had the opportunity to choose again, will you attend Ife, UI or Unilag?
No beef for anyone but I am convinced what the peoples choice will be at the end of the day.
Aluta Continua, Victoria Accerta!
On a final note, to all graduates who have been to NYSC orientation camp, which school did you wish you graduated from on opening ceremony day?
Thats the answer you should give!
The defence rests