Only 2% of the ones that work abroad, plan to return to Hungary in the next 2 years.
“Since I started working here, during one year, I managed to get rid of my diabetes medication. I no longer have to hold diets, all the lab works are great, I’m well rested and balancedâ€- wrote a specialist doctor working in Germany in the query realized by the Resident Doctor Society, addressing the topic Hungarian doctors working abroad. Based on the answers given by the 150 questioned medics, the working abroad doctors’ general impression about the current situation in Hungary comes to the surface.
The query was realized online in October-December 2011. 85% of the responding doctors went abroad between 2008-2011. 71% of the participants worked in the Hungarian health care system before leaving abroad. From the answers given, 15% of abroad working Hungarian doctors, were considering even as students the possibility of leaving abroad.
When asked if they would ever plan on moving back to Hungary in the next 2 years, only 2% gave a positive answer. 58% said a definite no, and 25% would come back only if the system would change for the better. 15% were not sure or couldn’t give a precise answer. Even more so, the majority that gave a negative answer (28%) stated that they wouldn’t come back in the next 20 years.
7% of the respondents think about coming back in the next 5 years. 58% are still not sure about staying 5 years abroad. From the query one can draw the conclusion that there are 3 factors that prevent the doctors to come back:
1. The wages back home
2. The workload of over 60 hours/day
3. The impossibility of starting a family
4. Bribes
Based on the answers given, one can conclude that 2 out of 3 medics working abroad would come back if they would receive a decent salary starting from 300 000 Ft and normal amount of working hours.
For now it’s not hard to make a decision regarding staying abroad or coming home, because abroad, the colleagues’ patients and locals are very friendly, according to 90% of query respondents. Even more, residencies abroad are considered more efficient.
“Young doctors are ambitious and are integrated in the teams relatively quickly. Besides being under constant supervision, young doctors also get responsibilities from the start. Quality is assured via feedback. Proposals and ideas are also widely accepted. Most of these are promptly implemented.†–stated a resident doctor from Germany.
Another resident doctor working in Germany stated that despite his young age, he is allowed to perform operations. This is one of the rarest and most important things, besides this all positive and negative things are irrelevant. He also states that besides work, shifts and studying there is time for living.
The survey also addressed the issue of practices from abroad that could be easily implemented back home. The following answers were provided:
“Doctors are not caught up in administrative dutiesâ€.
“Regardless of someone’s profession or work, people respect each otherâ€.
“After passing the specialist exam you actually can work by yourselfâ€.
“Respecting the legislation regarding the work time and attributesâ€.
“What strikes me as an incredible difference is the fact that people listen to me despite being just a resident. Doctors and nurses work together in order to solve cases. On the other side there is a strong bond between doctors.â€
Social studies were interested in learning about how Hungarians from across the border integrated themselves and live the day to day life:
“In order to avoid confusions I would like to add the fact that abroad you have to work a lot! Anyway in this particular field, it’s not about closing the shop door every day at 4 o’clock. But it feels different going to work and earning a decent living. Even abroad, medics don’t have the highest salaries but still they can create decent living conditions for their families†– resident doctor in Germany.
“When I started considering leaving the country, I was influenced by the over solicitation that I was exposed to in the hospital back home. This manifested itself as physical illness (diabetes and lack of sleep). Complaining to my employer brought no results. Considering my own health and the future of my family, I started to apply for positions abroad.â€
“For 6 years I have been working and living abroad. Most of the doctors working abroad would gladly come back home, if they would feel themselves welcomed back.†– Specialist doctor UK.
“If the year of my graduation (2008) had presented a better home situation, I wouldn’t have started applying for jobs abroad. It is sad that I had to leave my home country but here I don’t have to worry about bills, rent costs, my car, cloths, vacations and even saving up some money. “– resident UK
“My worse memory from back home is tightly correlated to the constant bribes. I was allergic to them and was quite terrified when people kept insisting to take the money.†– specialist USA.
“During my years as a student, I was against migration. (My girlfriend is also a doctor and we graduated together). After graduation we worked together in Hungary. We lived together with her mom in order to be able to pay utilities. We had no time and no money for fun. Working overtime didn’t pay off either, and there was no chance to start a family. Once, a patient tried to beat me up. The last drop filled my cup of disappointments. Even though I loved my colleagues I decided to go abroad. Having an independent life, my own car, future perspectives, and a life outside the hospital improved our life.†–resident Germany.
“If we continue to postpone the resolving remuneration issues in Hungary, we will have to lose an entire generation, and then young doctors will not have any other motivation to stay home because they won’t have any mentors back here to teach them the art of medicineâ€- specialist UK.
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