Health fair targets experts who can't find work in Canada
Joanne Laucius
The Ottawa Citizen
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
More than 60 doctors and other health care workers, many armed with résumés outlining extensive education and experience, were drawn yesterday to a job fair for foreign-trained doctors.
But the available jobs weren't at clinics, hospitals or practices that are short of family physicians. Instead, the booths set up at the Catholic Immigration Centre were for companies looking to hire personal care attendants and other non-regulated health workers: charities recruiting volunteers and institutions such as Algonquin College, which was promoting training for jobs in health-related fields ranging from dental hygiene to veterinary technology.
International medical graduates have been touted as one of the solutions to Canada's doctor shortage. But the graduates have to meet Canadian standards, which means passing qualifying exams and completing a residency. And they face hurdles ranging from language skills to lack of Canadian experience.
The doctors at the job fair, some lured to Canada with the promise that their skills are in demand, know the jobs on offer are not what they came to Canada to do. And many say the clock is ticking on their dreams of practising medicine in Canada.
Janet Chen has a medical degree from Human Medical University in her native China and an MBA from City University in Washington, D.C. She worked in China as a product manager and a clinical research manager on a cancer-drug portfolio before coming to Canada hoping to work in clinical research.
"I thought I could get set up in the field in less than half a year," she said. "I believed when they asked me to come that I would find a job."
Instead, she works in a call centre and as a volunteer with the Canadian Cancer Society. She has had eight interviews so far and no job offer. Her English-language skills and lack of Canadian experience are the biggest hurdles, according to potential employers.
Psychiatrist Alvaro Garcia and his wife, Maria-Helena Garcia, a psychologist, came to Canada seven months ago from Colombia.
Mr. Alvaro practised psychiatry for 25 years, taught university courses and wrote a text on psychopharmacology.
Maria-Helena has had three job interviews so far, but has had only one job offer in a small town. The couple is thinking of starting their own practice.
"They say, 'Your résumés are very impressive.' But getting ahead is very difficult," Mr. Alvaro said.
Sanjee Rahavan studied medicine in Russia and practised in her native Sri Lanka for five years. She came to Canada with her fiancé, an aeronautical engineer who is now in Australia because he too couldn't find work in Canada. In order to practise as a doctor, she needs to pass more exams, then do a residency, which will take at least four years.
Meanwhile, she is working at home for a U.S. information technology company. According to her calculations, she's not even making minimum wage.
"I'm depressed and disappointed," she said.
Internationally trained doctors often face a catch-22 situation, said Kent McDonnell, an academic referral officer at Algonquin College who was at the job fair yesterday to promote health-related programs at Algonquin.
Some doctors refuse to consider an alternative career in an area like respiratory therapy or practical nursing, he said. Others need to work to support their families and can't take the two or three years it takes to get a diploma.
Some eventually give up on their plans to practise in Canada and train in a related field, said Mr. McDonnell, who has seen a number of international dentistry graduates decide to become dental hygienists or dental assistants.
"Our goal is to keep them in their field," he said. "It's a waste of resources to have a medical doctor working as a cashier."
Ms. Chen knows of some international doctors who have gone five or six years without finding a job. She is contemplating returning to China after her daughter graduates from high school if she can't find a job in clinical research.
"You can't work in a call centre forever," she said.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2008
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