The hospital system reports that since there was a problem with an overseas trained doctor being accused of assisting terrorism the number of applicants for a visa to work in Australia has dropped precipitously - crippling our health system !
This raises an important question. Why are we importing doctors - particularly from emerging economies like India - which badly needs ever doctor it trains to support it's own third world health system ?
Australia is a rich, first world country. Surely we should have sufficient medical training schools to more than satisfy our own needs. Doctors here earn high incomes and there should be no shortage of young people prepared to train as doctors and enjoy that gravy train !
It seems that the problem is a doctor conspiracy. Doctors have political clout - and they use it to make sure that the supply of locally trained doctors does not threaten their income aspirations. Fees are high to deter the sons and daughters of average wage earners from seeking entry and the numbers are tightly controlled to maintain an artificial shortage.
This is particularly prevalent when it comes to specialists. Each category of specialization dictates the numbers it will allow to train annually - and selects the individuals to be certain that they are the types that will conform to the status quo - and will not become mavericks and make waves.
Doctors understand the laws of commerce. If a commodity becomes scarce - the price rises. If a commodity is over supplied the price drops. This principle is rigorously applied to make sure that the medical income levels are maintained.
The loser in this case - is the patient. Long waits to see a doctor. High fees for a short consultation.
It is time the government bit the bullet and increased spending on doctor training and made this country self sufficient for it's medical needs. Not only are we presently robbing third world countries of their valuable assets - we are also short changing our own young people of jobs that are rightfully theirs !
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