New Zealand junior doctors go on strike

[Guest daryn]

www.radioaustralia.net.au...663780.htm

 

www.abc.net.au/news/newsi...664123.htm

 

Thoughts?

 

I've read elsewhere that they have completely stopped working, emergency or non emergency cases alike, so the government had to hire the more "senior" doctors to help out for the emergency procedures. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Of course, they should already know about the working hours and other cons before applying for medical school etc. etc. But is it truly necessary to have the young doctors with working hours like that? I do agree that it's unsafe for the general public, if not for the doctors themselves.

[Guest Jochi1543]

I find it so bizarre that apparently, this is a problem all over the developed world. Is it really that impossible to solve the problem of doctor shortage and come up with a more efficient system? You'd think somewhere they'd be able to do it.

[Guest marbledust]

Is "junior doctor" the New Zealand equivilant of a resident? Or are they attendings in their first few years of full practice? Anybody know? Neither article is clear on that.

 

I am only asking because when I was in the UK a few years ago, I stayed with a family who kept referring to their nephew as an "overworked junior register"--which caused me some confusion until I was able to figure out he was the equivilant of a PGY-1 in Canada.

 

It doesn't really matter, I am just curious if anybody knows...

[Guest TimmyMax]

Hey,

 

I've spent the last month in New Zealand and talk of this was all over the news there. A "junior doctor" is basically equivalent to a resident there. At most, it refers to docs with only a few years' experience, but the term does include residents as well.

 

Best of luck!

Timmy

[Guest daryn]

but I still don't understand why as residents/junior doctors have to undergo such working conditions. I don't feel it's very fair and safe for the patients.

[Guest ploughboy]

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Hey,

 

On a related note, I was part of history today - the first German doctors' walk-out in over 60 years. I'm not sure how I get myself into these situations...

 

Most of the docs have been out all week, but today was the big rally in the city I'm in (Mannheim). Everybody put on their white coats and marched to the city centre. Including docs bussed in from other centres, there were about 2000 marchers. I tagged along, although since the students in the hospitals arent't allowed to strike I suppose what I did was technically illegal - but it's not like I could do anything useful by staying in the hospital. It was fun - strolling along in the afternoon sunshine, eating a nice soft pretzel and trying to mentally translate all the protestor's signs.

 

The next time you think we have it bad in Canada, think about the situation in Germany. All doctors, regardless of specialty, are on the same salary scale, and most of the radiologists I've been following around gross about 80,000 Euro per year, which is about the same as a worker on the assembly line at VW. According to the latest and greatest Ontario Public Sector Salary Disclosure Thingie, a typical radiologist salary in Ontario is $300k-$400k per year...Germany is loosing doctors like crazy, and many of the docs and students I've met have been asking how hard it is to work in Canada as a foreign-trained doc.

 

Cheers,

 

pb

 

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[Guest TimmyMax]

Hey,

 

That sucks to hear. I heard that residents in Canada make roughly as much as (junior) assembly line workers at Schneider's do. At least the R1s do anyway.

But Canada still rules, eh (not that we ever didn't!)?

 

Best of luck!

Timmy

[Guest marbledust]

On a related note, I was part of history today - the first German doctors' walk-out in over 60 years. I'm not sure how I get myself into these situations...

 

You gotta admit though Ploughboy, that is a pretty impressive feat. What a claim to fame lol

[Guest Jochi1543]

Yeah, in Russia doctors get paid peanuts. However, this does result in only people who REALLY want to be doctors going into medicine, instead of a large portion of people who are in it for the money as in some places that pay more. But then it's customary to give doctors gifts once you finish your treatment, because of their low salary. At private clinics, the salary is about the same, but they just have better equipment. I have no idea how much docs work there....haven't been to a doctor in Russia for like 5 years now.

[Guest cracked30]

daryn

 

I have met some NZ surgeons over here for some North American training. They think Canadian residents (surgical) work WAY harder than they ever did. So If your interested in medicine, get yourself ready.