Govt funding sought to train 30,000 doctors

By The Nation

 

File photo

 

The Consortium of Thai Medical Schools (Cotmes) is seeking Bt90 billion in government funding to help train an extra 30,000 doctors around the country over the next decade.

 

“The budget request will go to the Cabinet meeting on July 3,” Deputy Education Minister Dr Udom Kachintorn said yesterday.

 

The goal is to train 3,000 new doctors each year. State-run medical schools need an annual budget of Bt300,000 to train medical students and a further Bt2 million for related equipment and materials. 

 

At present, the ratio of doctors to population in big cities is 1:800 but in rural provinces, the ratio is at 1:2,500. On average, the ratio is at 1:1,200. 

 

Udom said although the country still faced a shortage of doctors, fast-evolving medical technology means it would not be wise to train too many. “Otherwise, we will have an oversupply of doctors,” he said. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30348596

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-26

56 minutes ago, webfact said:

“Otherwise, we will have an oversupply of doctors,” he said. 

foolishness; given the overall inefficiency of the thai govt funding anything, factoring in the generally assumed subtraction for 35% corruption,  an oversupply of competent doctors is Highly Highly unlikely

Edited June 25, 20188 yr by YetAnother
puncuation

You can never have an oversupply of doctors! The key to a successful health service lies in modern, up to date training of doctors and other medical staff! However, the figures in this article don't add up!

Sent from my Lenovo A3000-H using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

Maybe they should also invest in English teachers to teach said doctors how to speak English to me ----> rather than Thai to my wife!   ?

1 minute ago, LazySlipper said:

Maybe they should also invest in English teachers to teach said doctors how to speak English to me ----> rather than Thai to my wife!   ?

It is a requirement that all doctors in Thailand must pass an English proficiency test before being allowed to graduate....I can say no more!

If there is ever an oversupply situation then the newly qualified Doctors can always take high paying jobs abroad with their prestigious new qualifications.

1 minute ago, simoh1490 said:

It is a requirement that all doctors in Thailand must pass an English proficiency test before being allowed to graduate....I can say no more!

 

Enough said, cos every time I go to the doctors' , they ask me if I have someone who can speak Thai with me. And most of the time they end up telling my wife, who really doesn't understand the technicalities of my health issues what is the matter with me. Go figure!

25 minutes ago, LazySlipper said:

 

Enough said, cos every time I go to the doctors' , they ask me if I have someone who can speak Thai with me. And most of the time they end up telling my wife, who really doesn't understand the technicalities of my health issues what is the matter with me. Go figure!

It's not an uncommon problem, I'm aware of one medical teaching hospital where the English proficiency test is, ahem, less robust than it might be!. I'm also aware of one well-known hospital here where doctors actively request not to be sent any non-Thai speaking patients. A big part of the fall out from that is English speaking doctors often get more business from foreigners than might otherwise be warranted by their medical proficiency levels and some medical practices actively market themselves as being foreigner friendly on the basis of English proficiency alone.

 

There are plenty of APS available that can help with translating from English to Thai and vs versa, if you are struggling to speak Thai, then get a smart phone and down load, 

 

Never had a problem at my local (rural) hospital. I attend a clinic there every couple of months. The doctors speak some English. The tall thin pretty nurse speaks good English, the short round pretty nurse speaks enough English, all the other staff seem to speak enough to get by. The pharmacists all speak very  good English. And therere is always Google Translate.

I just am shocked that this topic of need for more verse oversupply of doctors, has turned into a chat about thai doctors not speaking English in Thailand. 

Why don't American doctors speak Mexican? 

And English doctors speak Pakistany? 

In fact, almost all thai doctors can speak English. They just don't want to.  

3 minutes ago, greenchair said:

I just am shocked that this topic of need for more verse oversupply of doctors, has turned into a chat about thai doctors not speaking English in Thailand. 

Why don't American doctors speak Mexican? 

And English doctors speak Pakistany? 

In fact, almost all thai doctors can speak English. They just don't want to.  

I don't know why you're so shocked because it is a requirement of their license in Thailand that they learn English and pass a proficiency test, the fact they are not willing to converse in English is I think another subject. As for why English and not Mexican etc., you may as well ask why airline pilots must speak English and not Mexican etc!

2 hours ago, LazySlipper said:

Maybe they should also invest in English teachers to teach said doctors how to speak English to me ----> rather than Thai to my wife!   ?

Perhaps learning Thai would be a more rational and comprehensive solution--with more certain results.

....nothing about 'educate'....???

 

...'train' implies 'teaching how to go through the motions'....

1 hour ago, AsianAtHeart said:

Perhaps learning Thai would be a more rational and comprehensive solution--with more certain results.

 

Really? 

What about the tourists who need medical attention. Think b4 you type.

They can ask but their chances are zilch. They would have more chance of climbing Mt Everest than getting that money. The gov has bigger priorities eg subs  military equipment  In fact if the gov was asked to fund 30,000 more soldiers they would be no prob 

38 minutes ago, LazySlipper said:

 

Really? 

What about the tourists who need medical attention. Think b4 you type.

Are you a tourist? 

 

I did think before I typed.  I was responding to a resident who was complaining.  Tourists may well be in a different category, considering they likely go to a different hospital than the one you frequent.  The point I was making was simple: if you choose to live here long term, and have frequent need of medical access in a country whose national language is not English, learning the local language should be of great benefit to you.  Not to mention the facility it would give you to simply "live" in the country; e.g. shopping, asking for directions, paperwork, dealing with everyone from the police officers to the housemaid, etc.

 

As for me, I took the Thai driver's license test completely in Thai after having been in the country about nine months.  In those days, I don't think it was yet offered via English translation.  Certainly no English was available in the rural town in which I took it.

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The Consortium of Thai Medical Schools (Cotmes) is seeking Bt90 billion in government funding to help train an extra 30,000 doctors

Just say the doctors are needed for the EEC project and the government will find funding, albeit it might be from foreign sources.

I have a middle aged friend in north east Isaan who was having some worries about her heart. Lethagy, shortness of breath, little chest pain etc. So off she went to see a doctor at the Nong Khai hospital. They checked her over and treated her for flatulence and sent her home. I confirmed that when she sent me details of her medication. 

Now she has to go to the hospital in Udon Thani to get another opinion. Still it's for free so no complaints.

Edited June 26, 20188 yr by Cadbury

8 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

It is a requirement that all doctors in Thailand must pass an English proficiency test before being allowed to graduate....I can say no more!

I have a few surgeons in the family who work at the highest level possible but it's still hard to communicate in english with them.

 

 

I just use Google ..speaks perfect English, always able to get a second opinion...and porn is never more than 2 clicks away ...just in case!!

19 hours ago, AsianAtHeart said:

As for me, I took the Thai driver's license test completely in Thai after having been in the country about nine months.  In those days, I don't think it was yet offered via English translation.  Certainly no English was available in the rural town in which I took it.

 

Back then... you could show the one from your country of origin and they gave you a 1 year temporary licence. That's what I did. And, doctors need to continuously undergo professional development, which is mostly offered in English at international venues. How do I know? My old man was an endocrinologist and his first language was not English. Also, most textbooks are in English and if doctors are the cream of the crop as in most Unis then they MUST speak English.

 

So, even if I been here quite a while, a doctor should know enough English to deal with patients who cannot speak Thai.

31 minutes ago, LazySlipper said:

So, even if I been here quite a while, a doctor should know enough English to deal with patients who cannot speak Thai.

Maybe so.  But you have no ability to direct in what the doctor can or cannot do.  You have an ability to change your own circumstance by learning Thai.  It is futile to lament the lack of English in others, and somewhat hypocritical for the typical monoglot Anglophone.  Do for yourself what others will not do for themselves--learn a language!