Let's help doctors work in the third world

doi:10.1136/bmj.39241.432674.3A

BMJ 2007;334:1236 (16 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.39241.432674.3A

Letters

Helping the world's poor

Let's help doctors work in the third world

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Surely it is not beyond the wit of our profession to devisea scheme that will make it easier for UK health professionalsto work overseas either as missionaries, volunteers with non-governmentalorganisations (NGOs), or in other "bona fide" set-ups. Someof the issues Mabey raises also affect UK doctors wanting totake career breaks in the United Kingdom.¹

We need to devise a way that UK doctors working overseas canbe part of some form of revalidation. We have an oversupplyof doctors at the moment trying to get into the ModernisingMedical Careers (MMC) process. Allowing some to opt out to workoverseas should be encouraged by recognising the experiencethey will have gained and facilitating their re-entry into thesystem.

At the moment UK doctors working overseas cost the UK governmentnothing. The government could recognise this by helping to payoff debts from student loans and . . . [Full text of this article]

Andrew L Perkins, former medical missionary

Westoning, Bedfordshire MK45 5JD

alperkins@doctors.org.uk