It was like a painful shot in the arm that you never thought you will ever have, not at least when you are still at the prime of life and healthy.
It takes you to realities that are difficult to accept.
It is harder when the person involved is someone you admire for her competence, astuteness and resourcefulness.
Two weeks ago one of our own decided to leave for the Middle East to practice medicine after 6 years of private practice in one of the provinces. It came as a shock since her practice is well established and her family has taken root into the community's environment.
Suddenly this decision. I am still unaware of the real reasons. It maybe political. It does not exist only in government but in the medical profession as well where career growth is stunted by those who favor one for the other. It maybe lack of career growth. A feeling I have when I realize that this is all there is to it and nothing good follows after you have done everything you could because of financial and logistic limitations. It maybe financial. Let's face it half of our private patients cannot pay our professional fees and for those who can, only a handful can pay the full amount.
Buti pa nga ang barbero hindi tinatawaran ang pf.
It is sad because it makes me realize that no matter how ideal you are. No matter how strong your conviction is to remain in this country in the end its still survival that takes priority. And the government is not doing anything to make the situation better. With all the bills congress wants to pass that impinged on the practice of medicine with no bill in sight for the improvement of health care services and availability.
After this, I realize that it will be soon when I will be on the same crossroads and I have to prepare myself to decide to leave this country and never regret it.
