10 doctors quit local health system

WHAT’S UP DOC?

Over the last two months 10 doctors have left the local health care system but Chief Medical Officer, Dr St Clair Thomas says that there is no reason for concern.

“It doesn’t dent our system at all,” Dr Thomas told SEARCHLIGHT.

Included in the list of physicians who have resigned from the system are two pediatricians, one internal medicine specialist, an anesthesiologist, and four general practitioners. Two interns also resigned.{{more}}

Dr Thomas said that the doctors left for varying reasons including one who was given a post at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and another a job at the Kingstown Medical College.

“A few of them have gone to further their studies, they all left in good standing,” Dr Thomas said.

He said that he couldn’t fault doctors who are lured away by better opportunities, greater financial reward or to further their studies, because it is the nature of things.

He further stressed that the system had the specialists in place to handle the work load that it faces.

“No surgeries have been put off, persons are not left without the necessary care, there is no crisis,” he said.

Responding to questions about doctors’ concerns about the lack of upward mobility in the system, Dr. Thomas said that it has always been a concern, but that there are only “so many positions to be filled.”

He also noted that one of the problems St Vincent and the Grenadines faces is that it is blessed with very good doctors who are experienced in their various fields but lack the formal post graduate program to certify academically their experiential knowledge.

As for the interns, Dr Thomas said that those that left turned out to be a blessing in disguise because the system had too many.

“Three interns were working for free so that they could start their two year internship programme, but now that the others have left they can be put on staff,” he said.