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Doctors With No Work
For many medical students, after
six years of hard work, more
than ¢7 million colones (some
us$15.000) invested and many
sleepless nights studying,
doesn't count for much to get a
job.
Many are frustrated as they see
their dream of becoming a doctor
become a nightmare as the
country suffers from an
overpopulation of doctors.
The unemployment in the medical
field is not affecting only
doctors, but also nurses and
dentists.
Federico Rojas Montero,
president of the Colegio de
Médicos y Cirujanos (Medical
Association) confirms the
situation that many recent
medical graduates are facing.
Montero said the problem has
been foreseen for many years as
there is only one option for
doctors in the country and that
is the Caja Costarricense de
Seguro Social. Montero added
that "the situation is
disappointing, worrysome and
very limiting" to the work
options faced by recent
graduates.
The Medical Association is
currently undergoing a study to
determine the exact number of
doctors out of work.
Currently, the Medical
Association has 8.127
professionals on it's roster, of
which between 400 and 500 do not
practice medicine. This past
month (March) alone there were
280 new inscriptions to the
Medical Association, while there
were 468 new doctors in 2002,
545 in 2003 and only 384 in all
of 2004.
Currently there are seven
private medical schools
(Universities) in addition to
the Universidad de Costa Rica
that offer medical degrees and
the reason for the increased
number of doctors, according to
Montero.
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