CNN and Doctor Drain

lenjoy03, RN · Sep 10, 2007

CNN just had a segment in this topic and specifically about physicians leaving the Philippines to work as RNs in the US, and there are now provinces that have no doctors at all.

I haven't seen the segment but I totally agree! But its not just the physician although most of them are MD, some are lawyers, policemen, etc.... I can still remember when we applied for the board exam. There are students ages 30-50 yrs old! When I took the board exam, I've seen lots of doctors ready to take it!

Reason..... Greener pasture!

Several of those interviewed actually came to the US and then returned home after a few months, one was a female anesthesiologist who returned home after five months.
Did not get to see it all, but you may wish to check it out. Looks like some rules may be going into place there about leaving.

Suzanne, can you please tell me the reason for that? Because the only reason I can think of is that MD who became RN still acts like an MD while they're expected to work as RN. Am I right?

crossbow · Sep 10, 2007

suzanne, can you please tell me the reason for that? because the only reason i can think of is that md who became rn still acts like an md while they're expected to work as rn. am i right?

not really lenjoy. you must remember that some mds have taken nursing as their premed course. for these people - its quite easy to shift from role to role.

SF Fog · Sep 11, 2007

Just go to CNN.com then type in Philippine doctors as nurses, or something similar, in their search box.

I know of several Filipino MD's working as RN's in our large hospital here in San Francisco. Most of the younger MD-RN's have adjusted well, but many of the older Filipino MD-RN's have a tougher time adjusting to American-style of nursing.

I'm not surprised at all that the anesthesiologist who was inteviewed in the CNN story went back to the Philippines after only 5 months in the USA. She is used to giving and writing orders instead of 'taking off' and following orders.

The monetary reward is so great that most Filipino MD-RN's stay in the USA permanently. Here in the SF Bay Area nurses are paid over $50/hour in many acute care hospitals, and if you work nights, you'll get up to 20% pay differential.

California law has taken effect that mandates a nurse to patient ratio of 1:5 and that will become 1:4 starting on January 1, 2008.

pinoy_guy · Sep 12, 2007

from doctors to nurses

[color=dimgray]in the philippines, some m.d.'s are turning to nursing instead

july 31, 2007

they showed clips of health centers like where we did our public health nursing practicals.

brings back nice memories of friends/classmates, but sad memories of how bad things are in the philippines.

bottomline is economy.

if you can't support yourself or your family with your salary, people will leave.

whether they are doctors, lawyers, or engineers.

AstonishiaInlimbo · Sep 12, 2007

There's one person I know who won't be leaving...he's a friend of a friend and he's a doctor...

One time, when we were at the ICU, the nurses were talking about 'doctor this and doctor that took up nursing', he was like, "Go ahead, all of you, get out of the country! I'm gonna be alone here by myself, and I will get all the fees from all the patients!"

It really is all about money now, isn't it...

RNHawaii34 · Sep 12, 2007

i do not blame these philippine mds for leaving the philippines to work in the usa as a nurse...if you are not making enough money in pi as an md, sheesh, thats a bad thing..and i am sure most of them just want to get out in the philippines for obvious reason..money, money, money, and a better life for their family. who wouldn't want to have that? most of them actually went to school to get their bsn just like anybody else, i know a few since they were my batchmates...and so now they're leaving the countryside...and who's fault is that? i do not want to point fingers, but i am sure we all knew who's to blame. even good nurses do leave...and so the mds, its not new..yeah, it maybe sad for those who live in the country, but hey, someone in higher position there should wakeup and do something about it. it would it be shockingly interesting if those sick politician goes to us for a heart bypass. or for whatever have you diseases, and checkups and finds out that the nurses who renders care for them were their former mds from the philippines? :uhoh3:

Rep · Sep 12, 2007

Most people who leave think about a good future for their families.

Whether they are nurses or doctors who becomes nurses, the reason behind is that they want their families and children to have a better future.

If money is the only motivating factor then I think they won't survive here. Nurses don't make a lot of money unless they have two jobs at one time or both husband and wife are nurses and working at the same time. It takes DEDICATION TO THE JOB as a nurse to make them successful here and this goes to first time nurses, second coursers and MD turned nurses.

But if a nurse is only working full time only with no extra job then there is not too much money in there. I, Myself, works full time and my wife stays at home because our children are small and one child does not go to school yet. My salary is enough to meet our needs, pays the utilities' bills, rent and car loan and still have some extra for ourselves or to be sent home to relatives BUT not enough to be consider having a lot of money in the bank.

As an ex med rep I know a lot of MDs that I covered who took nursing up and some of them are here already and working while the rest are still there. Most of them have a good life working as doctors whether in government and private practice. Some of them I know went into nursing because of the money and now they are still there because they are making good money back there. Knowing that once they are here and will do everything like groceries, laundry and no maids around to do the housework made them think twice if its worth moving here when they are having a good time there.

This is my opinion.

There's one person I know who won't be leaving...he's a friend of a friend and he's a doctor...
One time, when we were at the ICU, the nurses were talking about 'doctor this and doctor that took up nursing', he was like, "Go ahead, all of you, get out of the country! I'm gonna be alone here by myself, and I will get all the fees from all the patients!"
It really is all about money now, isn't it...

lawrence01 · Sep 13, 2007

Most people who leave think about a good future for their families.
Whether they are nurses or doctors who becomes nurses, the reason behind is that they want their families and children to have a better future.
If money is the only motivating factor then I think they won't survive here. Nurses don't make a lot of money unless they have two jobs at one time or both husband and wife are nurses and working at the same time. It takes DEDICATION TO THE JOB as a nurse to make them successful here and this goes to first time nurses, second coursers and MD turned nurses.
But if a nurse is only working full time only with no extra job then there is not too much money in there. I, Myself, works full time and my wife stays at home because our children are small and one child does not go to school yet. My salary is enough to meet our needs, pays the utilities' bills, rent and car loan and still have some extra for ourselves or to be sent home to relatives BUT not enough to be consider having a lot of money in the bank.
As an ex med rep I know a lot of MDs that I covered who took nursing up and some of them are here already and working while the rest are still there. Most of them have a good life working as doctors whether in government and private practice. Some of them I know went into nursing because of the money and now they are still there because they are making good money back there. Knowing that once they are here and will do everything like groceries, laundry and no maids around to do the housework made them think twice if its worth moving here when they are having a good time there.
This is my opinion.

I agree with you, Rep. I also think there really is no difference between a regular or 1st courser nurse and someone who took it up as a 2nd course or changed careers. If both of them are gonna leave PH and work as nurses in the US then they are practically the same.

Many people have been observing people who have been bashing those who are leaving PH but some of them are already nurses already working and living in the US. We've always wondered why they do so if they are already currently in the US as well. It also does not have to be working as nurses. They could be doing something else. Point is, the fact that they are in the US for whatever reason and not working and living in PH means that they also went to 'greener pasture'. Of all people, I think they are the ones that should understand the situation, otherwise some people might construe them as being hippocrites or not being honest w/ themselves. They are after all are in the US and not in PH and being martyrs and heroes.

Just my humble opinion.