http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.a...E14787,00.html
Operational support for OS docs
By VIKKI CAMPION
30apr05

PATIENTS would rather consult the Internet than be diagnosed by Townsville's overseas-trained doctors, a medical panel said yesterday.

A prejudicial backlash has erupted in North Queensland after an unqualified doctor operating in Bundaberg Hospital was discovered.

In the past week, international medical graduates in the North have faced "slighted" comments and been quizzed over their qualifications.

One patient even preferred to jeopardise his health, saying he would rather check his condition on the Internet than see a doctor with an ethnic background.

Residents have been slammed for the prejudicial attitude, with national peak medical organisations saying overseas trained doctors (OTDs) have been trying their hardest in difficult circumstances.

The Australian Medical Association said overseas-trained doctors were as good, if not better, than home-grown professionals.

Townsville Hospital executive director of medical services Dr Andrew Johnson said international medical graduates were a strength.

"Many are extremely distressed by what they see and hear," he said.

Rural Doctors Association of Queensland president Ross Maxwell said recent prejudices would not benefit the North.

"It is a big issue, they feel very victimised." he said.

"People are tarring them all with the same brush.

"We depend on them."

Dr Maxwell said up to 40 per cent of North Queensland's doctors were trained overseas.

"And half of those come from non-English speaking backgrounds," he said.

"They are already doing the hard yards. They need to be appreciated and supported.

"Often they are looking after posts that would not be filled otherwise."

He said criticisms were completely undeserved.

AMA northern spokesman and an overseas-trained doctor William Frischman said he had confidence in every foreign-trained medic working in the North.

"In Townsville they are good whether they are white, black or yellow," he said.

Townsville Division of General Practice chairman Dr Kevin Arlett yesterday said all the overseas-trained doctors in Townsville were well-trained professionals.

"If patients are worried, there are organisations they can go to such as the medical board," he said.

"I have an overseas trained doctor in my practice, he is also an academic doctor at James Cook University.

"This is just a knee-jerk reaction to a news story, people tend to generalise way too easily."

Dr Arlett said only a small percentage of the public had been distrustful - which was "based on misconceptions".

Also trained overseas, Townsville general practitioner Dr Deep Joseph said OTDs were not leaving their posts.

"It's still well under control," Dr Joseph said.

Townsville Hospital neonatal specialist, and OTD, Dr Guan Koh compared his ward with the United Nations.

"We have doctors from Malaysia, Sri Lanka and India," Dr Koh said.

"There are very good nursing staff and we work beautifully together," he said.

He said when he was quizzed on where he was from, the experience had made him feel "sad".

Dr Koh said many overseas doctors had to tear themselves away from their families and make sacrifices to work in North Queensland.

For Townsville JCU Student Medical Association representative Yohan Chacko, overseas-trained doctors are his tutors and mentors.

"Australian-trained doctors look up to them and ask them for their advice," Mr Chacko said.

"They have been to medical school and are competent and have often practised for a long time in their own countries."

Mr Chacko said in Winton there was a South African-trained doctor of Oriental origin.

"He was the only doctor in the town, he was excellent - on call 24/7.

"Just watching him work we learnt so much.

"Overseas-trained doctors take the burden."

Queensland Health Minister Gordon Nuttall said as a society the community needed to be careful where it went with this debate.

"At the moment we are maligning all overseas-trained doctors," he said.

"The Medical Board is there and the Health Rights Commission is there to assist people who believe that they have been mistreated by doctors."

Queensland Medical Board executive officer Jim O'Dempsey did not return Bulletin phone calls.

In the past week, international medical graduates in the North have faced "slighted" comments and been quizzed over their qualifications.

One patient even preferred to jeopardise his health, saying he would rather check his condition on the Internet than see a doctor with an ethnic background.

Residents have been slammed for the prejudicial attitude, with national peak medical organisations saying overseas trained doctors (OTDs) have been trying their hardest in difficult circumstances.

The Australian Medical Association said overseas-trained doctors were as good, if not better, than home-grown professionals.

Townsville Hospital executive director of medical services Dr Andrew Johnson said international medical graduates were a strength.

"Many are extremely distressed by what they see and hear," he said.

Rural Doctors Association of Queensland president Ross Maxwell said recent prejudices would not benefit the North.

"It is a big issue, they feel very victimised." he said.

"People are tarring them all with the same brush.

"We depend on them."

Dr Maxwell said up to 40 per cent of North Queensland's doctors were trained overseas.

"And half of those come from non-English speaking backgrounds," he said.

"They are already doing the hard yards. They need to be appreciated and supported.

"Often they are looking after posts that would not be filled otherwise."

He said criticisms were completely undeserved.

AMA northern spokesman and an overseas-trained doctor William Frischman said he had confidence in every foreign-trained medic working in the North.

"In Townsville they are good whether they are white, black or yellow," he said.

Townsville Division of General Practice chairman Dr Kevin Arlett yesterday said all the overseas-trained doctors in Townsville were well-trained professionals.

"If patients are worried, there are organisations they can go to such as the medical board," he said.

"I have an overseas trained doctor in my practice, he is also an academic doctor at James Cook University.

"This is just a knee-jerk reaction to a news story, people tend to generalise way too easily."

Dr Arlett said only a small percentage of the public had been distrustful - which was "based on misconceptions".

Also trained overseas, Townsville general practitioner Dr Deep Joseph said OTDs were not leaving their posts.

"It's still well under control," Dr Joseph said.

Townsville Hospital neonatal specialist, and OTD, Dr Guan Koh compared his ward with the United Nations.

"We have doctors from Malaysia, Sri Lanka and India," Dr Koh said.

"There are very good nursing staff and we work beautifully together," he said.

He said when he was quizzed on where he was from, the experience had made him feel "sad".

Dr Koh said many overseas doctors had to tear themselves away from their families and make sacrifices to work in North Queensland.

For Townsville JCU Student Medical Association representative Yohan Chacko, overseas-trained doctors are his tutors and mentors.

"Australian-trained doctors look up to them and ask them for their advice," Mr Chacko said.

"They have been to medical school and are competent and have often practised for a long time in their own countries."

Mr Chacko said in Winton there was a South African-trained doctor of Oriental origin.

"He was the only doctor in the town, he was excellent - on call 24/7.

"Just watching him work we learnt so much.

"Overseas-trained doctors take the burden."

Queensland Health Minister Gordon Nuttall said as a society the community needed to be careful where it went with this debate.

"At the moment we are maligning all overseas-trained doctors," he said.

"The Medical Board is there and the Health Rights Commission is there to assist people who believe that they have been mistreated by doctors."

Queensland Medical Board executive officer Jim O'Dempsey did not return Bulletin phone calls.

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Moderator - State Licensing Forum

Still skeptical after all these years.
This is it. There are no hidden meanings.WYSIWYG

http://www.internetmedicalschool.homestead.com

http://www.chiropractormds.homestead.com/index.html

Human nature I guess to be distrustful and prejudiced against those not homegrown. Best won over by a flight of F-16s or a big smile and hard work.

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