Doctors – the brain drain continues

When will the penny drop?

Sir, – Our daughter, a doctor, left Ireland and travelled to Australia in pursuit of achieving a qualification in emergency medicine that is not currently available here in Ireland.

Thankfully she was successful, which has now opened up an amazing range of options for her career.

The British Medical Journal (February 13th) has recently noted: “A measure of the extent of emigration of young Irish doctors is that 62 of 77 medical students from University College Cork who graduated in 2021 are currently practising in Australia.”

When will the penny drop here in Ireland that we are losing our highly qualified doctors to foreign countries who treat them better and provide greater career options?

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What is the attraction to these doctors in coming home to an under-resourced health service with poorer work conditions! – Yours, etc,

BRENDAN O’CARROLL,

Tralee,

Co Kerry.