Why We Need to Listen to Doctors: Part II
October 14, 2015
I have received many responses to my recent blog post, Why We Need to Listen to What Ontario Doctors Are Saying About Fee Cuts. Several of the tweets and emails that have come in from physicians, such as the one below, speaks volumes as to the sense of hopelessness and frustration these professionals are experiencing.
Dear Tracey,
I am a recent medical school graduate of McMaster, current research fellow of The Ottawa Hospital, and will hopefully be a resident in Ophthalmology next year. I've amassed over $140 000 in debts, which continues to accrue interest, and I'm currently earning $25 000 as a researcher.
I read your article on LinkedIn and I just want to say thank you.
The crux of the problems appears to be that physicians are stuck between a rock, a hard place, and their patients. The only chance of resolving the unethical actions imposed by the government without affecting the patient-doctor relationship for years to come, is to have people like you tell our story.
It's never easy to tell, and it's even harder for the public to receive, since they are blinded by relatively large gross incomes. But, we can only hope and pray that more people like you will advocate for us.
I don't know if you'll read this among the hundreds of emails you must receive on a daily basis, but I wanted to let you to know that your words and efforts give us hope. To myself, and other newly graduated physicians alike, who are seriously considering leaving the province that they call home.
A.S.
