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T&T Hundreds of graduating doctors can’t find work
sgtdjones
2018-07-22 09:50:48
Hundreds of graduating doctors can’t find work
Shattered dreams
Attaining a medical degree after five years of hard work was supposed to bring financial rewards.
However, this is not the case for hundreds of newly-qualified doctors in T&T who are now battling unemployment, exploitation and hopelessness.
A three-week investigation by the T&T Guardian revealed that an estimated 680 qualified young doctors have been facing unemployment and underemployment since 2014 after graduating from the University of the West Indies.
Many of the unemployed doctors, having acquired registration from the Medical Board of T&T, are now seeking employment abroad in countries like Canada, United Kingdom, United States and Australia, although an estimated $150 million of taxpayers’ funds were spent on tuition fees over a five-year period for the recent batch of 2017 graduates.
With no work available, some of the qualified doctors are even working for free at private hospitals in the hope of acquiring medical experience.
Link Text
Opportunities available overseas folks.
BeatDball
2018-07-22 14:51:52
In reply to sgtdjones Wtf? Hmmm...it's sad & bad, but couldnt they go to the other territories & find wuk. I think they would gladly employ them.
Drapsey
2018-07-22 15:01:36
In reply to BeatDball
Wtf? Hmmm...it's sad & bad, but couldnt they go to the other territories & find wuk. I think they would gladly employ them.
Wouldn't the other territories be experiencing similar problems?
Or maybe you think other territories don't have the resources/ability to graduate doctors.
granite
2018-07-22 15:06:22
Come to the UK we need you,so ah keep reading.
BeatDball
2018-07-22 15:13:58
In reply to granite
Halliwell
2018-07-22 15:23:26
Well let the mamma and pappa that insist they chile become ah doctah now support them!
FuzzyWuzzy
2018-07-22 15:32:41
In reply to Drapsey
Exactly. Barbados has the same problem with too many doctors...and lawyers as well
granite
2018-07-22 15:36:45
In reply to Halliwell
Mamma and pappa could inform the chirren that teefing and robbing rich people is a better proposition,police will never ketch dem.
StumpCam
2018-07-22 15:40:22
In reply to Halliwell
Exactly! Why didnt they opt for a career in technology or engineering instead? Or they don’t survey the landscape before choosing a career!
methodic
2018-07-22 16:00:14
In reply to Halliwell
they too one tracked
Dan_De_Lyan
2018-07-22 16:21:40
They can move to America and be a nurse's assistant
BeatDball
2018-07-22 16:37:13
In reply to Dan_De_Lyan Well...they will start out like that to make a living...but, will study & sit the exam, ent?
bravos
2018-07-22 17:03:36
So what,they didn't study the stats ?
Shoulda buy a sheet of 1/2 " ply, 2 length of 1 x 3 dressed pitch pine, half pound of 1" headless nail,a pair of 2" butt hinges and make a doubles box and buy two cast iron ring stove 2 big pot and a 25lb gas tank and fry aloo pie and pholourie too an sell.
With a lil hard work and a good recipe they could be millionaires in a few short years if so long,seeing that the whole exercise was about financial rewards and fortunes in the first place,as stated in article.
In fact it's not too late.
Pleh..
Halliwell
2018-07-22 17:19:49
In reply to bravos
You raise a very VERY good point
So it's NOT about only money
It's social mobility... How many doubles vendors rub shoulders with the rich, famous and political?
You can do 1000 PhDs on Trini sociology
sgtdjones
2018-07-22 17:19:55
In reply to granite
Most of these kids follow in their parents footsteps ie
some are physicians.
I have a cousin who married an ortho surgeon in T&T, he is at the San Fernando Hospital, two of the kids will be physicians. They will not practice in T&T.
They did not accept any T&T government help.
One was accepted at the Heart Institute in Houston , the other in Research at University of Miami.
These Trini doctors to be accepted overseas must complete 4 years of study, before they are certified.
I was in similar situation, upon graduating I tried to help T&T in the Energy sector but to much Political interference.
Going abroad and working for 8 months, the best decision I ever made.I can retire at 40 years old.
sgtdjones
2018-07-22 17:22:01
goofballs
2018-07-22 17:46:38
In reply to sgtdjones
America is in dire need of doctors. Will give visa leasing to resident status.
Just pass the exams, then do their residency.
I even know of one who just retired. 
Runs
2018-07-22 19:45:48
Guyana has same problem, yet medical schools spring up a dime a dozen.
Before you decide on a career look at the employment potential, here in the US with the advent of Artificial Intelligence one needs to be really careful. Have a cousin who studied Veterinary medicine in Cuba, returned to Guyana where he was paid little and flown to remote jungle villages to work. He eventually migrated to the US and went into a different field, government, did not want to write over exams etc.
granite
2018-07-22 19:46:15
In reply to bravos
When they start doing well some gunmen come rob them and even kill them,ah hear all the Beetham scumbags heading to central Trinidad,daiz de hotspot now,others soon follow from Diego,Malick and Laventille,they gotta live haven't they.I seriously think those people who have qualified as doctors should leave Trinidad,why stay when you are very likely to be robbed or killed,I would rather be a Nurse's Assistant.I don't think making fun of our doctors is very nice,TT apart from Cuba can boast some of the best medical people in the Caribbean.
I read of a story about Nari Contractor,if it wasn't for a Trini doctor he would have been dead,there wasn't one doctor in the Caribbean who was capable of doing that job,a Trini doctor to the rescue.Maybe those doctors don't fit in the PNMs plan,or maybe they are seen as UNC supporters.That's how tings run in TT.
granite
2018-07-22 19:52:59
In reply to sgtdjones
I believe the same here in England,on the road I live there is a retired doctor and both sons have recently qualified as doctors,I also know one from TT who will not go to TT to work although he qualified in TT,his dad was also a doctor.Those who thinks it's funny,and wants to have a laugh at others discomfort are total skunts.
sgtdjones
2018-07-22 21:20:01
In reply to granite
“Some of my friends say I should be doing better for myself after six years of study. There is always the option of taking up a post abroad but I have my mother to care for and I cannot leave her.”
He explained that as a child he noticed how their village doctor always commanded respect and admiration and this was what led him to pursue medical studies.
“I wanted to be in a position to help others but after working so hard, there is no job for me at the hospital.”
See what one noted above. how can anyone make comments about such. Just ignore them.
pelon
2018-07-23 09:18:15
Gentlemen all.
This is not the problem of doctors alone. Our region has limited JOBS period.
It is not a 'fault' that we have 'too many doctors', it is a credit to our region. A credit of very high standard education system and also a credit of our family and social structure. Do you know how hard it is in 2018 for a black family to mobilize their children into academia.
They are so few professional jobs PERIOD, that as our societies in the Caribbean emerge and evolve, one of our exports becomes "highly skilled labor". This has been the case since the 60s
What we must focus on is getting said exported individuals to repatriate their skills, experience and knowledge BACK simultaneous to working abroad.
I am very proud of the high academic standards of our region that churns out professionals dime ah dozen.
Runs
2018-07-23 09:58:49
In reply to pelon
Well said
CITYBOY
2018-07-23 10:16:56
Hola...this is a big problem...but with a little bit of govt intervention within the caricom there could be some easing of this crunch...Caricom needs to establish a medical body that insists that doctors pass their medical exam before certifiaction to practice...a certification process must exist.
This would eliminate a great majority of Indian doctors..I do not know about the other caricom countries but in Guyana you have a slew of Indian doctors whom will never pass a test for certification.
Standards must be set..perhaps the good Dr Dukes can shed some light.
Adios
CB
sgtdjones
2018-07-23 10:21:12
In reply to pelon
Do you know how hard it is in 2018 for a black family to mobilize their children into academia.
You should note that for any family to mobilize children
to attain degrees its a difficult financial hardship.
pelon
2018-07-23 10:30:58
In reply to sgtdjones
You should note that for any family to mobilize children to attain degrees its a difficult financial hardship.
I left off this:
Do you know how hard it is in 2018 for a (black) family IN USA to mobilize their children into academia.
We in the Caribbean can get an MD Degree OF QUALITY at a fraction the cost/hardship as a student in USA. I know this personally.
goofballs
2018-07-23 15:15:29
In reply to pelon
Sad!
Here I was thinking of going to do some volunteer work there.
methodic
2018-07-23 22:56:22
In reply to pelon
it is a fact that we need more diversification in our education
pelon
2018-07-23 23:09:09
In reply to methodic
especially in emerging tech.
methodic
2018-07-23 23:15:01
In reply to pelon
exactly
