If we were to limit ourselves to the number, thirty doctors and two dentistsOf those who have left hospitals and institutions in our province to work in non-European countries, the phenomenon could be said to be of little importance. They were certainly not present in the register of surgeons compared to the percentage of members of the Order of Surgeons and Dentists of the Province of Brescia, which totals 8,135 (data updated at the last meeting last April), of which 6,851 are registered only in , 779 only in the dentist register and 505 with double entry in both registers.
However, the data is it is very significantespecially considering that the number of requests for relocation abroad submitted to the Brescia Professional Association was ten in 2019, thirteen in 2020, fifteen in 2021 and increased to twenty in 2022 in 2023 it will be almost twice as high (36).. Within four years, applications for “Good Standing”, the certificate required to practice a profession abroad, have more than tripled. A certificate of honor certifying that there are no criminal or professional obstacles to practicing the profession of surgeon or dentist.
To view this article correctly, click here
Where you go
Where you go? Where do the thirty professionals who have decided to change countries work and live? There Swiss With ten resident doctors from Brescia, it is the most popular city. Otherwise there are a few scattered units Greece, Austria, Canada, United States, Germany and Portugal. In the United Arab Emirates Only one doctor has moved in recent years, although others have been there for some time. However, only a few units, which still paved the way to other possible “escape options”.
Health workers on strike – Photo Ansa © www.giornaledibrescia.it
Inquiries are increasing: “If they increased by 40% between May and August, since September the value has risen to +65% and shows no signs of decline.” This was stated by Foad Aodi, President of the Association of Doctors of Foreign Origin in Italy (Amsi) and the Euro-Mediterranean Medical Union (Umem). Reality that addresses many questions and is very different from one another.
Eight out of ten from the public. At national levelIn the last five years, the association has received over ten thousand requests for information from health professionals, not just doctors, about the possibility of working in the Gulf States. An average of two thousand per year. From May to October 2023 80% of requests were submitted by professionals working in public institutions. Of course, the economic aspect weighs heavily on the idea of leaving everything behind and having a new experience. “It's not just that: many are looking for a better quality of life, which certainly brings greater economic opportunities but also time availability,” they explain from AMSI.
wages
“We have been observing this phenomenon for about eight years,” explains Foad Aodi. When they are offered Salaries of over 14,000 euros per month plus many additional benefitsLike the house, the car and the school for the children, this is hard to resist. We receive many requests for doctors with a European passport, especially Italian, French and German colleagues. In these countries, 10% of GDP is invested in healthcare, which means that there are highly specialized structures and therefore there is a need for orthopedists, plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, gynecologists, pediatricians and, after Covid, infectious disease specialists and pulmonologists.”
Saudi Arabia is therefore becoming a mirage: double salaries compared to ours, often minus accommodation costs (for a doctor between twelve and twenty thousand euros depending on specialization and experience), but also the possibility of working in state-of-the-art hospitals in a reality like Arabia, which invests 10% of its GDP , of gross domestic product, in healthcare, compared to 6.8% in Italy and an average of 7.1% in European Union countries.
The “weight” of escape
An “escape” that weighs. It weighs a lot. Firstly, because from us the lack of doctors and the dissatisfaction with some specialties in particular is alarming. Then, and this should not be underestimated Costs of training: The state spends around 125,000 euros for each student for the six years of study. For those in the specialization there is an additional 128 thousand, which also includes many practical hours on the ward. A high-level preparation that comes at a price – for the person, the family and the community – and is one of the most valued even in many Arab countries.
Many “markets” are opening up in this part of the world. Consider that, according to Amsi and Umem sources, by 2030 Saudi Arabia will need 44,000 doctors and 88,000 nurses to accommodate the exodus of 30,000 patients who emigrate from the Gulf States to Europe and the United States each year to be treated, partially contained at high costs of over 20 billion.
To view this article correctly, click here