Pakistani Lifestyle vs Western Lifestyle

Enigmatic · August 15, 2011, 5:36pm

Re: Pakistani Lifestyle vs Western Lifestyle

When I talked about education opportunities I meant at a school level like up to GCSE and A Levels. Even our bachelors offered by the universities like LUMS, IBA, NUST , UET and alot of medical schools is extremely good MashAallah. You must have heard of hundreds of kids scoring such good grades in A Levels too! Even the doctors who come from India and Pakistan after MBBS are quite competent.

However post graduation in medicine is still backward. Pakistan isn't to blame. our CPSP (College of physicians and surgeons of Pakistan) is an infant organisation as compared to the Royal Colleges of Edinburgh, Ireland etc. It has just been established about half a century ago. Thus the reason for coming here for post graduation.

I know a majority never goes back..i completely agree. We however want to go back because our families are all in Pakistan, my husband's parents are alone and old too. I have no brother to look after my parents. I think they need us more.

Secondly the Govt spends about 15 lac rupees to provide medical education to an MBBS student while the fee we pay is only 10, 000 rs per year. So it's fair that we gain the best education and then head back to see how could we serve there in a better way.

We might fail. We might need to struggle alot ...and we don't know what the future holds for us ...but at least the intention is to return InshaAllah.

Pakistan has a lot of drawbacks, a mountain of problems but if the educated professionals all get settled abroad then who would be back there to improve things and to clear all the mess we created. It's a big compromise .. but that is all that I could hope for IA and intend to do.

am not against any expat or brit/US born at all nor am I against the lifestyle here or the people here. I really like it here. I really admire alot of things like law abiding people, religious tolerance and a number of things Pakistan might not see in decades.

ehl-e-chamman · August 15, 2011, 6:19pm

Re: Pakistani Lifestyle vs Western Lifestyle

Enigmatic:

When I talked about education opportunities I meant at a school level like up to GCSE and A Levels. Even our bachelors offered by the universities like LUMS, IBA, NUST , UET and alot of medical schools is extremely good MashAallah. You must have heard of hundreds of kids scoring such good grades in A Levels too! Even the doctors who come from India and Pakistan after MBBS are quite competent.

However post graduation in medicine is still backward. Pakistan isn't to blame. our CPSP (College of physicians and surgeons of Pakistan) is an infant organisation as compared to the Royal Colleges of Edinburgh, Ireland etc. It has just been established about half a century ago. Thus the reason for coming here for post graduation.

I know a majority never goes back..i completely agree. We however want to go back because our families are all in Pakistan, my husband's parents are alone and old too. I have no brother to look after my parents. I think they need us more.

Secondly the Govt spends about 15 lac rupees to provide medical education to an MBBS student while the fee we pay is only 10, 000 rs per year. So it's fair that we gain the best education and then head back to see how could we serve there in a better way.

We might fail. We might need to struggle alot ...and we don't know what the future holds for us ...but at least the intention is to return InshaAllah.

Pakistan has a lot of drawbacks, a mountain of problems but if the educated professionals all get settled abroad then who would be back there to improve things and to clear all the mess we created. It's a big compromise .. but that is all that I could hope for IA and intend to do.

am not against any expat or brit/US born at all nor am I against the lifestyle here or the people here. I really like it here. I really admire alot of things like law abiding people, religious tolerance and a number of things Pakistan might not see in decades.

your intentions really are admirable :) and I do hope you can pull it off.
Unfortunately, my experience is similar to stopits (except in USA) in that most docs dont go back ... for numerous reasons. The foremost of those reasons is that they are not able to practice medicine the way they wish to .... its a daily struggle and the setup in pk is so very different. Several family members of mine tried for 2-5 years to do exactly what you intend to do and for similar reasons but ultimately returned to UK.
Nevertheless, I wish you loads of luck.

My only point of disagreement is re competence of india/pk trained docs. It may just be my experience but unfortunately most of my india/pk trained colleagues seriously lack bedside manner and their medicals know-how is often questionable ... for which reason many of them end up in fields/sub-specializations that are easier to get into and very different from their original training in pk (cardiologist to pediatrics, or family practice) ... at less then desirable locations.
So these folks have the appearance of having done well abroad but they do so at the cost of major career compromises ... Yet they do it all because they don't want to go back to their countries.

Enigmatic · August 15, 2011, 6:45pm

Re: Pakistani Lifestyle vs Western Lifestyle

ehl-e-chamman:

your intentions really are admirable :) and I do hope you can pull it off. Unfortunately, my experience is similar to stopits (except in USA) in that most docs dont go back ... for numerous reasons. The foremost of those reasons is that they are not able to practice medicine the way they wish to .... its a daily struggle and the setup in pk is so very different. Several family members of mine tried for 2-5 years to do exactly what you intend to do and for similar reasons but ultimately returned to UK. Nevertheless, I wish you loads of luck.

My only point of disagreement is re competence of india/pk trained docs. It may just be my experience but unfortunately most of my india/pk trained colleagues seriously lack bedside manner and their medicals know-how is often questionable ... for which reason many of them end up in fields/sub-specializations that are easier to get into and very different from their original training in pk (cardiologist to pediatrics, or family practice) ... at less then desirable locations. So these folks have the appearance of having done well abroad but they do so at the cost of major career compromises ... Yet they do it all because they don't want to go back to their countries.

Thanks for the wishes. :)

I know what you are talking about. The initial adjustment phase wouldnt be less than a huge struggle. But since we have a lot of doctors in our families including parents uncles aunts etc that am sure some sort of a foundation would be there InshaAllah.

I have heard of horrendous tales of leg pulling ,sifarish and professional jealousy there. But lately with the opening of new medical schools and hospitals being converted to teaching ones .. opportunity is there. You are right the training in Pakistan is still weak. Their methodology is primitive but it's improving. The reason: most doctors are the FCPS ones and none of the doctors who train abroad come back to settle here and do something about restructuring the training programme. BUt this is changing.

When I graduated at least the professors we had were either MDs or had done their MRCs, FRCS, FRCP etc from either the UK or US and it was encouraging to see young people around 35-40 years who were foreign qualified being appointed as our Asssitant and Associate professors in Medicine and Surgery.

In the end we can hope and pray for the best ... :)

Enigmatic · August 16, 2011, 8:49pm

Re: Pakistani Lifestyle vs Western Lifestyle

now i think half the posts from nomi's thread should have been moved here too :p

Theorist · August 16, 2011, 9:21pm

Re: Pakistani Lifestyle vs Western Lifestyle

I could not live in Pakistan or any place remotely like it. A place where I am considered a 2nd class citizen? um, i don't think so. I find so many things wrong with its people and culture already. I'd probably end up killing myself but I would take a few down before I do..

I am not allowed to go there anyway.. :D

Enigmatic · August 16, 2011, 9:48pm

Re: Pakistani Lifestyle vs Western Lifestyle

your post got me curious ..are you a criminal on the run or on the list :p

Theorist · August 16, 2011, 10:14pm

Re: Pakistani Lifestyle vs Western Lifestyle

^ Maybe

zainykhan · August 16, 2011, 10:33pm

Re: Pakistani Lifestyle vs Western Lifestyle

Relax people !

It's all destiny - just try and stay happy wherever you are . Be it Pakistan, be it UK, US, Canada or Australia :)!

Btw, I would be interested to find out about Pakistani communities within all these 4 countries..

hareem01 · August 16, 2011, 11:31pm

Re: Pakistani Lifestyle vs Western Lifestyle

Thanks for the nice analysis Enigmatic.

Enigmatic · August 17, 2011, 11:37am

Re: Pakistani Lifestyle vs Western Lifestyle

True :) But we are very relaxed don't worry :p

STONECOLD · August 17, 2011, 1:47pm

Re: Pakistani Lifestyle vs Western Lifestyle

Leave me in a village.....with an internet connection...some smokes....easy supply of Ribena...and i'm happy! :)