Medical Jobs in China?

[Ayane]

I was curious as to whether a foreigner would be able to do a medical job in China, as opposed to teaching?

Jobs like, being a Optometrist, Pharmacist, Dentist, etc? If so, what would the pay be like; high paying like in the west?

I'm interested in living in China for awhile, sometime in the future; and thought to myself "where would my Biology/Chemistry knowledge (money wise) take me in China?". u.u;

[anonymoose]

There are international hospitals in the large cities which employ foreign doctors. I have no idea what the pay is like, but presumably it's comparable with the west. Needless to say, though, you need to be fully qualified and have relevant experience.

[Meng Lelan]

Look into the Foreign Service of your country. Some countries hire their own medical personnel for their embassies and consulates.

[abcdefg]

Jobs like, being a Optometrist, Pharmacist, Dentist, etc? If so, what would the pay be like; high paying like in the west?

I don't know about the professions you mentioned specifically, but I'm a physician in the US. I never seriously considered practicing in China since the cultural fabric is so different that it would take forever to understand what my patients really meant by this or that complaint and it would be difficult to meet their unspoken expectations and needs. All that is separate and apart from the difficulties of getting legally qualified and licensed.

Plus salaries for "local" physicians are usually lower here, judging from what my Chinese physician friends have said. Many of them are itching to move to the west. So I saw no economic incentive to try and bridge the gap. Guess I could have tried to work out something that catered to the expat population, but I felt little attraction for that route. Alternatively I could probably have been a medical volunteer in some remote area, but I had no desire to do that either.

Instead I've been in the habit of working about half the year back home and coming here to study and travel the other half. Must explain that I'm at the tail end of my career. The last few years I retire every time I leave for China and then when I return to the US, I soon get bored and briefly “un-retire” again. Might have made different choices and decisions had it been earlier in the game. It sounds as though you are at a vastly different stage.

[HedgePig]

My wife is a US-trained physician working in China, so what I'm passing on is second hand knowledge, hopefully not too inaccurate...

Foreign-trained doctors can practice in China. You do need a local license but obtaining this is largely a formality and the exam can taken in English.

Foreign doctors mostly (entirely?) work in clinics catering to the expat population. Pay is comparable to what one would earn in the US. Foreign-trained dentists can also practise in China - I imagine the pay is similar although I don't know.

Foreign-trained nurses may not practise without taking the local exams in Chinese. I don't know about any of the other professions you mentioned.

If you have decent Chinese language skills, this does make you more attractive to the expat clinics as although many of your patients will be foreign, most of the staff will be local. As abcdefg has pointed out, the way medicine is practised in China is rather different from the West. "Local" doctors also earn far less than they would in the US or even Europe. I'm in the life insurance industry and 90% of the life underwriters are in fact medical doctors - largely because it pays much better.

[foreigndoc]

hi hedgepig,

since your wife is US trained and works in china, i need a help from you.

i am also a foreign trained physician and would like to get registered in china. u mentioned about the exam in english.

i have searched the web for information on this but couldn't find any. it would be very nice of you if you can send the web links to the exam and more details about it.

thankyou

FD.

[HedgePig]

Hello FD

As far as I know, the licensing exam is arranged through the employer (hospital/clinic) and is in the form of an interview rather than a written exam.

Regards

HedgePig

[foreigndoc]

Hey HP,

much appreciated.

FD

[WizardofOz95]

Dear HedgePig,

 

I am a Doctor from Europe currently dealing employment issues with an out-patients Clinic in Guangzhou which is run by Hong Kong Doctors. Just wishing to ask your experience with Medical Indemnity Insurance in China. Would Doctors need to subscribe their own insurance in China?

 

Also, I am experiencing difficulties in Superlegalization of my professional documents. The company asks for 2 sets (1 for my temporary medical license and 1 for Visa) but I can only get 1 set from the China Embassy in my country, because I only have 1 original set of qualifications. Can you share your experiences?

 

Thank you so much.