Strike it rich

One of the main reasons I decided to move to New Zealand for work was that it gave me the opportunity to practice rural medicine. Granted, I could have found such an opportunity in the states, but who wouldn't jump at the chance to live in an exceptionally beautiful country? The medical climate in the states for Family Medicine physicians practically dictates that those who want to practice full spectrum family medicine (ie, including obstetrics) must either work in academics, thus teaching others, or practice in a rural area. I knew that I wanted to have a full spectrum practice, especially after dedicating an extra year of training solely in the area of obstetrics, but I didn't know which route I wanted to take in order to achieve this goal. I was fortunate enough to be given a faculty position in Seattle before I left. Although the time was short, only four months in total, I got a good feel for academia. My time here has been consumed in the rural setting. While the medical climate in New Zealand essentially dictates that GPs don't practice obstetrics, a component I very much miss, I'm still getting a good taste of what it means to be a full spectrum community doctor.

The irony is that as my time here goes by I forget the hardships of academic medicine--watching resident physician working long hours, being underpaid, and thriving for knowledge. That's until this week came along and the media buzz that junior doctors, the equivalent to American resident physicians or doctors in training, plan to go on strike. They're fighting for the same thing we did five years ago: fewer hours, more pay, more appreciation. I hadn't even realized this would be a problem, especially in a country that values closing shops at five on Friday and not reopening until Monday so that everyone can enjoy the weekend. I guess the politics of medicine are the same no matter what country you're in.

What does this ultimately mean for me? It will present a few hiccups as patients won't be able to get their surgeries scheduled or see their specialists. Ultimately they'll be sent back to me, sometimes complaining, but often understanding. Yet for all the temporary difficulties this may present, I really hope the junior doctors get what they deserve: greater appreciation and a better lifestyle. For in the end, we all deserve a little of that.