Is it possible for me to work in colombia?

tejasmarcos says on Dec 21, 2007, 20:08:

sweden has some of the highest suicide rates in the world due to inclement weather (lack of sunlight), right?

it seems you are a giver by design that has been worn through. appreciate what you have done and all you have served. the decision is made,

live a life that makes you happy(ier).........

if you are qualified (and it sounds as if you are, adequately), you can learn the language - just give yourself some time. how many of you gringos have been served by an india(n) doctor that you did not completely understand, that did a great job removing your appendix, tonsils, etc? same general concept amigo..

you can make it here brother......... venga, venga

drop me an email. glad to help in any way.......

my glass is getting shorter on whiskey, ice and water...

DoctorWho says on Dec 21, 2007, 20:17:

Thanks for the reply. I will email you tejasmacros once I have lunch today. Im going to work in 20 minutes.

Yes its true, highest suicide rates in the world. Well not maybe the highest, but high.
During wintertime, We have about 4 hours of daylight, during that 4 hours, you are most likely working, so when you go to work its dark, when you are going home from work its dark. People get depressed because of it. Depression leads to many other problems amongst the people and spreads a negative energy to others, around you.

Well, I do like my work. But it seems like lately, I get more negative feedback from my patients (even though I do everything for them and all my diagnoses are correct). I pay some visits to older patients (in their homes) and stuff, I dont get a cent for this, I dont ask for something, but for god sake, please say "thank you" or something. But NOTHING.

Now im looking for a bit more relaxed enviroment, you know, maybe hit the beach / pool once a week, maybe go out and have a drink or two, go to resturant and eat some delishes food and stuff. Enjoy the weather! :-)

I am without a doubt qualified, I could work a year or so under some colombian doctor who can certify it, im not into the money really. I could move to colombia and retire if I want, but life gets borring if you dont have anything to do. So I would rather work for 1 dollar a day then just sit home and do nothing!

bartolo_colon says on Dec 21, 2007, 20:31:

I know how you feel brother, 5 hours of daylight here today and -25C temps this week (Alaska). I stayed in a little town in Sweden a few years ago ( Oskarshamn) I found Sweden to be a deluxe version of Alaska, with way more chicks. Try Medecins Sans Frontieres, Swedish NGO's, Cruz Roja (ICRC), or contacting a Colombian Medical School or Hospital directly. You could do a lot of good and help people who will appreciate it, get out of the cold, and maybe, just maybe have a little fun

Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!

bartolo_colon says on Dec 21, 2007, 20:37:

You could also open an STD clinic and make a fortune peddling Cipro and Penicilin to fire pissing gringos.

Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!

DoctorWho says on Dec 21, 2007, 20:43:

How does healthcare work in colombia? Paid by taxes or does everyone have to get themselves insurence for it?

I would personally love to work for a goverment hospital. But opening my own clinic isnt too bad either. I dont want to make money out of the poor people, but rather make sure that the clinic makes a breakeven each month so I dont have to put my own money out each month.

And oskarshamn is a nice place, but the more north you go.... the more... :-)

nine inch nails says on Dec 21, 2007, 20:43:

"patient gets angry"

Bro.,

Don't take it out on yourself and become another Type A like your patient. The reason he is in the hospital with heart ailment and mad at everyone and everything is because he is Type A personality.

I take it you have Swedish medical licenses?? Cannot you work in U.S.? I know this is hard for many countries to reciprocate licenses but I would think Sweden is one country on the approved list. This way you could live and work in sunny south Florida and then be able to travel as frequently as you can to Latin America.

I lived in Iceland for 18 months and hated the winters so understand lack of daylight. I drank too much and now permanent. Want to sue the fucking U.S. Navy and U.S. Govt. for never running lipid panel on me my entire 9 years on active duty.

get down, get down

tejasmarcos says on Dec 21, 2007, 20:46:

DW - SAD is a real and prevalent disorder in the polar regions. You may want to think about something in the line of training as well. I am a layman, so I am guessing here a little, but it seems to me that there are some cutting edge medical procedures and techniques that are coming out of your part of the world that could be passed on to doctors in third world countries. Maybe you could create and occupy that gap? Just a thought.........

Be creative and grow, grow, grow.......

my glass is getting shorter on whiskey, ice and water...

DoctorWho says on Dec 21, 2007, 20:54:

car1, i have quite a lot of years of experience in the healthcare field. Let me tell you something, so you understand.

If I wanted to make a bank from my education, I would have gone to the states. I would own a hospital by now. Not a clinic, a hospital. I passed the USMLE test. But I dont work for money (but sure, its important to be able to live good, have the food you enjoy on the table and have money to do fun stuff). But once you reach a certain amount of money, then you dont need more. For example, what can you do with 100 million dollar, that you cant do with 10 million dollar?

I cant put it into words, but when you help a father or mother or even better a kid, to cure them. Then damn, that really feels good. It gives a little rush, a taste of happiness and success. Thats what im aiming for. If i wanted money, i wouldnt go to colombia, thats for sure.

But all people are different, and thats a good thing :)

DoctorWho says on Dec 21, 2007, 20:57:

nine inch, I can work in the states, but I have no desire to do so. Im not a big US fan because of the past 8 years. You should get checked every 3 months! I hope everything works out for you though.

DoctorWho says on Dec 21, 2007, 21:01:

tejasmarcos, you are right. I am sure I could teach a lot. I would love that, I teach today in university (where I work for my prof. titel in cardiology) and I like it.
Question would more be like, can I teach in english or not? :)

I will email you tejasmarcos!

Im happy with all the responds here. Now I have the ignition back.
Can anyone tell me what a good FLAT in medellin costs? Im talking about a guard-gated community. I dont want a house (to much work in all aspects).

300k dollar? 500k dollar?

Thanks again all, really thanks.
I want to move soon and I want to settle down, its time to start thinking about the future.
Get married, have kids and stuff :-)

DoctorWho says on Dec 21, 2007, 21:09:

car1, do you live in the states or colombia? in your profile it says the US


PS! Today I will go to work 8 oclock (when the other doctors start working) and not 6 oclock, just because of this thread :-)

DoctorWho says on Dec 21, 2007, 21:41:

car1 and tejasmarcos I sent you both a message.... :)

docwilliam says on Dec 21, 2007, 22:17:

car1, please help this guy out. Sounds like he needs First Aid.

"There's no time to panic"

bartolo_colon says on Dec 21, 2007, 22:19:

If you want to be near the beach you may be able to work for the University of Cartagena Division of Health Sciences ( dmedicina at unicartagena.edu.co ) you also mentioned Medellin, consider contacting University of Antioquia Faculty of Medicine, if nothing else they can give you definitive answers to many of your questions. Best of luck....the sun will be up in 4 hours LOL

Hey, careful, man, there's a beverage here!

DoctorWho says on Dec 21, 2007, 22:22:

Bartolo, thanks, very good idea, thanks for the university name, will do that.
Hehe :-)

Docwilliam, i doubt first aid will help me, i need something more effective than that.

CatGirl says on Dec 21, 2007, 23:02:

Wish you the best!

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent

Robert Jorge says on Dec 22, 2007, 01:04:

I have made several drastic and somewhat impulsive decisions in my life. Without exception, I have always improved my life because of them. When I think about it, those "impulsive" decisions actually weren't impulsive, but things that had been in the back of my mind for a considerable amount of time. I guess some people refer to life changing decisions as rash and impulsive ... I prefer to call those decisions calculated risks. For me, I try and ask myself: "What is the worst case scenario that could come of what I might do?" If I can handle that possibility, I usually take the leap. So far I haven't come across much that I wouldn't be able to handle. Here I am talking philosophy with an MD. Sorry, I hope I am not coming across as patronizing or self absorbed. Your post just made me self reflect a little bit. Whatever you do, good luck - glad you posted. With the amount of hours and commitment you put into your art / profession, I wouldn't blame you for wanting to change. If I were in your shoes, I would be out of that prison faster than crap goes through a goose.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

docwilliam says on Dec 22, 2007, 01:14:

Well said RJ,

I have wanted to head south most of my adult life y just took that step forward. (for the first time) Hell, I had not even been on a real vacation since 1992, prior to my trip to Colombia. Of course, for me, I am retired and can make this a good thing. It would not be good for me if I had to work.

"There's no time to panic"

Robert Jorge says on Dec 22, 2007, 01:40:

Thanks Doc.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

miamimike says on Dec 22, 2007, 03:37:

A Firend of Mine who was born and educated in Bogota as a Teacher moved to Miami 20 Years ago. She had a Teaching Degree from a University in Bogota. While in Miami, SHe went returned to the U of Miami and received her BSN IN Nursing. Two Years ago she thought she move back to Bogota to be with her aging Parents and she wanted to Work as a Nurse in Bogota. She has many Years of Experience as a RN, with years in Intensive Care. In Bogota, She ran into a Red tape Bureaucracy and a Paperwork Nightmare attempting to Revalidate her Nursing Degree in Colombia. Very UN Transparent, so in the End, she decided against it and commutes home to Bogota every couple of Months. You would have thought she would have been a Shoe in as she was perfectly Bi Lingual in Eng/Span, her original degree was from a Univ in Colombia and she had many Years of Extremely Valuable Medical Experience to offer any Employer.many of her Original General Ed Credits that she received credit for in Miami(revalidation) were originally earned from a large well known University in Bogota so figure that one out if you can! Maybe you will have better luck! And the Best of Good Luck to you! This was for this Friend of mine to work as a Payed Nurse; not Sure how this changes the Equation if you want to work in some underserved area as a Volunteer, say in a Temporary position as MDs in Doctors without Borders do. That may be an Option if you can swing it Financially.

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? ... That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.,

Rahab says on Dec 22, 2007, 03:56:

Doctor Who, Acerca de su deseo por vivir en Colombia, este puede ser un buen momento para tratar de practicar un poco de Español :) :

Primero quisiera felicitarlo por su desición de atreverse a cambiar y explorar una nueva manera de vivir. No es fácil esto. Se necesita coraje y determinación.

No sé si el lugar escogido por usted para llevar a cabo este sueño de crecer como profesional y como ser humano sea o no el correcto. No puedo saber esto (quién podría?). Pero si sé que sean cuales sean los resultados, usted se sentira satisfecho por haberlo INTENTADO. Le aseguro que dará un paso adelante.

Segundo: No olvide por favor que en este proceso usted se encontrará con aspectos decepcionantes en los que usted dira: "Esto es mucho mejor en mi pais..." "cómo puede ocurrir esto acá..". Pero de eso se trata, del reto de poder contribuir a que esas cosas puedan mejorar, como puedo yo percibir que es su deseo y su propósito.

Un ejemplo de esto sería lo de su deseo de trabajar para el Estado. Muy seguramente acá no encontrará las ventajas, la organización y la eficiencia (sin hablar de la remuneración), que usted encuentra en su pais dentro del sector de la salud. Tal vez podría también tener en cuenta trabajar para el sector privado.

En otras situaciones usted sentirá que la balanza está a su favor, como por ejemplo en el hecho de que usted está interesado en enseñar y pregunta que si podría dictar clases en Inglés:

Yo sé que en las facultades de medicina de mi ciudad, Medellin (reconocidas entre las mejores del pais), muchas materias se ven por completo en Inglés. Así que ahí hay un aspecto muy positivo para usted.

Me siento muy honrada y orgullosa de que personas con su trayectoria profesional puedan ver en Colombia un lugar lleno de potencial para hacer cosas grandes y entregar sus conocimientos. estoy completamente segura que no se decepcionará. Conozco a mi gente y usted se encontrará con un mundo lleno de cosas para aprender y para crecer!!!. Y con toda una variedad de personas bastante especial.

Yo he vivido mi vida en este pais y entre mis amigos hay varios médicos y especialistas. Si usted desea yo puedo contactarlo con algunos de ellos para que usted se informe con mas CERTEZA sobre el paso mas indicado a seguir. Ellos lo orientarán con gusto (y en Inglés!!).

Yo no me desempeño en el área de la medicina, pero con gusto estoy para servirle con alguna información o algo que necesite y espero pueda traducir este texto :) Mucha suerte en su nueva busqueda, en su nueva etapa de crecimiento!! Y bienvenido al delicioso clima cálido!!!

tomtom33 says on Dec 22, 2007, 04:05:

A friend was a radiologist in Germany. He concluded that, while he could get work in Colombia, he couldn't get paid very well for that work. He wound up in Paris.

You might want to ask yourself if such long hours are really necessary. No one expects any doctor to be God even though they might expect or think that of themselves.

pauljuan says on Dec 22, 2007, 05:56:

Hola Dr. Who, I´m glad you are seriouisly considering Colombia as a relocation country, for lots of Sun and hot weather Cartagena is the place. I´m sure you will not get as frequently the grouchy patients here, but the smiles from the curvy women will make up. Visit your nearest Colombian consulate and apply for a work visa. The Spanish NGO Medicos Sin Fronteras http://www.msf.es/index.asp have an office here, you might consider them as an employment source. As many other posters have said, you will encounter here situations that are not to your liking, it is a matter of adjusting. Please visit www.cartagenainfo.net and www.cartagenarealty.com for lots of information about Cartagena. Feliz Navidad

pedro says on Dec 22, 2007, 06:41:

Dr Who, good luck with your project. You will find a lot of folks on this forum who have made the move to Colombia to improve their lifestyle.

Are you completely sure you want to burn all bridges and move permanently? How about a one year sabbatical?

The Medecins Sans Frontieres is an interesting idea. You mention that you enjoy the altruistic part, and you're financially comfortable. This would give you time to have a look around on a low commitment basis, and probably much less visa hassles.

MSF could maybe give you a head start in getting connected. Remember this is Latin America -- personal relationships are key. Your contacts will get you in the door of a job opportunity a lot more effectively than a breathtaking CV will.

Colombia is a great choice. I recommend Medellin for a climate that will put a big silly grin on your face, and great people. In Medellin you'll find the respectfulness / formality that you find in Europe, but behind it there's an actual human warmth that you don't find so easily in Europe.

As well as Colombia, you may want to look at Argentina.

Cartagena has a couple of nice neighbourhoods, but most of it's a dump. This includes the hospital universitario, I would not recommend you apply there.

Remember to keep alert for self-interested advice (like that Cartagena poster above, who wants to broker real estate sales and earn a big fat finder's fee that the buyer pays).

Check out this thread "NZ med student in Cali": http://poorbuthappy.com/colombia/post/nz-med-student-in-cali/

I do not recommend visiting the consulate for a work visa at this stage. Come over as a tourist, have a look around, maybe do the MSF thing. If you want to stay, you can apply for the Colombian work visa in neighbouring Panama, Ecuador or Venezuela.

que nota!

Lowell says on Dec 22, 2007, 07:13:

My papi was a doctor who didn't treat himself. As a result he died at the ripe old age of 42, from a massive coronary. I remember the rule "Doctor heal thyself". I've made it to 55 by remembering what happened to my dad. Most of my years have been kind of like a working vacation. I've always been able to make money through whatever sport or activity I was in.

Enjot life, smell the roses, see the rainbows (saw a double the other day), taste the food,.....

Alfred E. Newman. "What. Me Worry?"

houstongal says on Dec 22, 2007, 08:13:

Doctor Who - I second Pedro's advice. I say give Doctors Without Borders a try and see if practicing medicine altruistically is what makes you happy. I get the impression that you're in a bad situation right now and you believe that moving to a different location is all you need. I'm not convinced that it's so simple, but I could be wrong.

When I see that your hobby is studying and not much else, I question whether you're only treating a symptom and not the root cause of your unhappiness. Maybe moving isn't the answer. Maybe taking up a hobby or finding a job where it's more 9-5 and no weekends and holidays (like teaching at a university) would also bring you joy. Don't let your work rule your life. It's important to have balance in your life.

Best wishes to you. I hope that Man Tequilla will take time out of his Cali vacation to add his 2 cents onto this subject. Now there's a doctor that has a better balance in his life.

Culture is language and language is culture - Dr. Annamaria Napolitano

vicshere says on Dec 22, 2007, 08:46:

doc who if you have the money come to Colombia and open your own clinic you can make a killing.....opps sorry living....but honesty I think you could do very well here running your own private heart clinics....many people have lost faith in the current health system and have opt out to pay for private doctors

listo

droble77 says on Dec 22, 2007, 10:54:

Hi Doc.

What you're feeling is very common this time of year. I've also been feeling some kind of change or reassessment of my life is in order. Plus the dark season up there I'd imagine intensifies that affect.

That explains not only why you're feeling the way you are but also your patients as well. That's why they seem less grateful or "appreciative" to you. They're going through the seasonal blues as well.

Usually, it's not a good idea to make drastic decisions when you're feeling really down. But it looks like it's too late for that, you've already done it! :0))

A few questions:

are you really stuck working 7 days a week in Sweden? Does your employer compel you to? Is there a way you can arrange things to work 4 days a week instead or less days during the winter season? You said the money isn't important to you so maybe you can find a way to make do with less.

Also, you don't need to go that south for a change in your environment. If you worked 4 days a week, every other winter weekend you can fly to the south of Spain (Sevilla, Malaga) or one of the Balearic islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza) and chill out there to some pretty decent weather. I think there's a couple of budget airlines now that can get you there.

But if you're serious about Colombia, why don't you "try it out" first for six months to see if you really like it? If you have enough money saved, you can take six months to maybe even a year or two off, like a sabbatical, you can take Spanish classes, make contacts with locals and other expats, etc. etc. . .

That would be a better way to handle it, than just radically change your life due to a recommendation from an ex-girlfriend, although I do understand how colombianas have a way of leaving an impression on gringos and europeans. . . ;-))

CatGirl says on Dec 22, 2007, 11:00:

I agree Droble77 - you are giving good sound advise. That's what I'm talking about ;)

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent

Colombiche says on Dec 22, 2007, 12:21:

You got a fast car
But is it fast enough so you can fly away
You gotta make a decision
You leave tonight or live and die this way ....

No me den trago extranjero, que es caro y no sabe a bueno.... (Rafael Godoy)

Desideria (Moderator) says on Dec 22, 2007, 12:46:

Doctor Who?
Your profile says Stockholm , Sweden and you're a cardiologist which probably means that you work in one of Stockholms larger hospitals. Just curious, which one? Karolinska, Danderyd, Söder, St. Göran, Astrid Lindgren's... makes you work 7 days a week with no vacation time? My cardiologists at Danderyd have it easier....
Cheers and God Jul,
Desi

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

DoctorWho says on Dec 22, 2007, 14:57:

Ok. This is annoying. I have written 2 different replies but each time i accidently hit the back
button and all text is gone. So ill write in wordpad and copy and paste it.
Let me bring up a couple of issues that seems to come back a lot in the replies.

1. I work a lot, but the normal working hours in sweden for all jobs are 40 hours.
That means 8 hours a day from monday to friday. But I work a lot because I love my work.
Its very simple, imagen the things you enjoy in your life, ofcourse you can spend all your time
doing what you enjoy. Thats what I do.

2. The issue about me moving to another country to work isnt something that i made up last week
or so. Its been in my mind for YEARS. I will tell you all something that ive learned about life.
In my line of work, I sometimes have go give bad news to the patient. Most of them have the
same pattern. Overweight, been smoking since they where a kid and works in a enviroment
where stress is common. This is 3 keypoints in my field that effects the heart. When
I tell the patient that they dont have a long time left because the heart is weak and worn out,
what do you think the patient is thinking? I can tell you right now, the patient thinks
about all the things in life that she or he wanted to do but didnt. Dont regret the things
youve done, just regret the things you didnt do. I dont want to end up like them.
I rather take "chances" in life and try out the things ive always wanted. You should too.

3. I like doing things impusive. I like going on vaccation impulsive (even though i havent done it
for many yers). I went to asia 3 months. I decided one day that I should go and went the
day after. I booked a ticket to malaysia and from there i travelled around. Best
vaccation in my life. Even though i had some problems with my credit card,but thats
another story =)
Thats how I became a cardiologist, I specialized in general medicine but after
some years I wanted to try something new. I took the elevator up a couple of floors
and came to the cardiology department, 1 hour later I had a internship in the department.
It wasnt something that I had spent a lot of time thinking about. Just do it.

4. I have 14 months of paid vaccation to take out. I will go to colombia and probably
work for some volounteer organisation, and take it from there. I will however
sell all my things here. I have a good education and that is my security in life.
I can always move back to scandinavia and get work within the same day. Its not
like im giving up everything. I have a flat, sure, but its easy to get a new one.
My furnitures are all from IKEA. Cheap, no loss in money there. And my car
that i use about 1 time a week. My worst investment in life. I have nothing to lose
in this issue, I can only gain.

Now to the replies;

Catgirl, I love my work. I love my work, thats why I work so much. Im not burned out,
i just need something exciting and new to happend in my life. But I see your point.
And I appriciate your reply.

Car1, i hear you and i agree. About the girls, I dont care about 3000 or 6000, i care.
about finding the one girl in my life :)

Robert, thanks for your reply, very good one. Just because im a M.D. doesnt
mean I know everything about life. But most important thing about life is that we
are all different. And thats a good thing. One thing might work for you but not
for your friend. And im going, dont worry, Its all about timing. Im collecting
letter of recommendations right now and stuff. Once that is done, i will start
the paperwork process.

DocWilliam, nice. However, I could retire as of tomorrow if I wanted.
But what would i do everyday? I would go insane. I will work until the day I die.
Or until I have kids maybe.

Mike, thank you for your reply. I was thinking about that all day today.
I think I will do something like this, do volounteer work as a start.
After that, see if i can get some kind of papers that show that i meet
the requirements of the medicine. field in colombia.

Rahab, I will translate some of the things you just posted and get back to you
tomorrow.

tomtom, you see, we are all different, i would never be able to move to paris.
Been there a couple of times. Its horrible. Really.

Pauljuan, thank you very much. Really. I love the links. I wouldnt
have been able to find them mysellf :)

Pedro, thank you for your post. You bring some important issues up.
Yes, personal relationships is important in most poor countries.
And you are right on the real estate, I already have a email from one...
But dont worry. I never buy something I dont find myself and see for myself.

Lowell, thats why I plan to move to colombia, to heal myself. its quite
hard to enjoy life in Sweden during wintertime. Freezing cold outside,
no roses at all, no rainbows, and the food is .... good but thats just 1 point :)

Houstongal, I will, Let me tell you something, I know exactly what I want
out from life, there is no doubt in my mind what I want and not. =)
Let me tell you something else, never visit a doctor who doesnt study
even though he has a M.D. degree. I will tell you why, every year
new research comes out, new treatments etc etc, and if you dont
study you will not be aware of this.

Vicshere, I didnt become a doctor to make a killing, I know you where
joking. But if I was thinking more about the money then I would
pursue a career in business rather then medicine. Problem is,
opening a private clinic in the field of cardiology is very expensive.
Some equipment cost several million dollars to buy. There is
in my knowledge only 1 field in medicine where you can make a killing
in most countries with private clinic, plastic surgery! I was about
specializing in that, in sweden to become specialized in plastic surgery
it requires 2 years in general surgery and 2 years in plastic surgery.
I have already done my 2 years in general surgery, but after that
I decided that I didnt want to continue. It wasnt for me.

Droble, I work because I love my work, im not forced! I have been
to spain 3 times. I do enjoy it. But to many swedes there for my taste.
Plus, spain has become very expensive the past 10 years.

Desideria, I will tell you in swedish. Jag är uppvuxen i STO
men jag jobbar faktiskt i göteborg. Fast jag brukar säga
till folk online att jag jobbar i stockholm. Eftersom dom vet inte
vart göteborg ligger så jag brukar inte orka förklara för dem.
Jag jobbar mycket för att jag älskar mitt jobb, jäkla skoj faktiskt.
Jag skulle kunna jobba enormt lite, med tanke på hur lite pengar
jag spenderar varje månad. Jag har prövat tidigare men jag blir
så rastlös. God jul och gott nytt år!

kat1 (Moderator) says on Dec 22, 2007, 15:02:

ok desi translate hehehe

engage brain before opening mouth

docwilliam says on Dec 22, 2007, 15:36:

"Most of them have the
same pattern. Overweight, been smoking since they where a kid and works in a enviroment
where stress is common. This is 3 keypoints in my field that effects the heart. When
I tell the patient that they dont have a long time left because the heart is weak and worn out,
what do you think the patient is thinking? I can tell you right now, the patient thinks
about all the things in life that she or he wanted to do but didnt."

Hey Doctorwho, I lost 8 lbs in 8 dias, ate fruit until my xxxx smelled like fruit, enjoyed the heat, sun y people.

I here where you are comming from. Do what you need to do!

"There's no time to panic"

Desideria (Moderator) says on Dec 22, 2007, 15:44:

Ok, jag fattar...det vara bara när du sa något om oskarshamn "som ligger norrut"...som jag började undra...men du, vi har ju haft jättefina dagar här i sverige med sol och blå himmel för flera timmar om dan...
jobba inte ihjäl dej för nu är det jul igen....

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

docwilliam says on Dec 22, 2007, 16:13:

Sorry DocWho, was having internet problems y had to cut it short.

What do you do in Colombia? Please take a month off, leave your phone behind (with an escort) GO SEE COLOMBIA! Visit the different areas and the unique culture. Learn one of the cultural dances or two or three. Study the buildings, the aggriculture, be Indiana Jones. Just dont be a Doctor. After taking a month off, look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself "what do I want to do?' You never know, you may enjoy doing volunteer work. You would not loose your mind do to inactivity and people might be a bit more thankful.

Good Luck!

"There's no time to panic"

DoctorWho says on Dec 22, 2007, 17:04:

Desideria, nejdå, oskarhamn ligger söder i Sverige, i småland tror jag det räknas in i.
Stockholm ligger norr om oskarhamn Livskvaliten i Sverige är rätt låg enligt mig, den sociala biten existerar knappt!

DocWilliam, No problem! I dont own a cellphone, cellphone increases the stress. Which is a bad thing. When I work i must however have a pager. Thank you for the tip, but history related things isnt my kind of interest. Then I just rather lay on the beach, read some, eat some, drink some. Thats life quality too me!

wendell13 says on Dec 22, 2007, 17:47:

The chicas are Colombia's number one tourist attraction and quality of life

docwilliam says on Dec 22, 2007, 18:34:

hi wendell,
I thought that was a given.

"There's no time to panic"

rhydewithdis says on Dec 22, 2007, 19:37:

DoctorWho, I have two good girl friends that are both Medical students in Colombia. One, a beautiful calena, actually lived with me for several months here in NYC while she did surgical rotations. She is back in Cali now preparing for her USMLE's. The other is in Medellin and finishing up her rotations.

If you do not have any contacts as of yet, and would like to reach out to either of them, send me a note and I will put you in touch with them. I'm sure they will both be able to answer most (if not all) of your questions.

They said I couldn't play football I was too small / They say I couldn't play basketball I wasn't tall / They say I couldn't play baseball at all / And now everyday of my life I ball.

DoctorWho says on Dec 22, 2007, 19:47:

Rhydewithdis, please do give me information. I would appriciate it.

Wendell, all "latina" girls are beautiful. But ive read some on colombia, seems to have a big sex industry (prostitution) which is sad.

Robert Jorge says on Dec 22, 2007, 21:16:

Ironic that a Scandanavian comments on another country having a large sex industry. JAJAJAJAJajajajajaja.

Judging from your response above, it looks like we see things from a very similar point of view. Good luck to you with whatever you decide to go after.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

DoctorWho says on Dec 22, 2007, 22:55:

Robert, when I talk about sex industry, im talking about prostitution mainly.
Try to go to sweden and find whores or such. Ofcourse exist, but in a very little scale.
And if the police catch you (we have a special department in the police for this) then you are in jail within seconds.

Porn, sextoys and such is ofcourse legal and there are no problems with that.
But its completly differently.

Robert Jorge says on Dec 22, 2007, 23:45:

Ok, then we are talking semantics. I have been to Colombia several times. I never looked for whores, and thus never saw any. But I know they are out there; and a person - if so inclined - can go to a whiskeria and find a special friend for a night. A person in Sweden can start a business, pay chicks to have sex with dudes (and each other), and it is legit. I do not personally see a difference morally.

Anyway, you have nothing to worry about - as far as the sex for hire thing. (Unless you are looking for it and thus are a patron) There are not girls (generally) working the streets. You aren't going to walk down Bogota centro and see putas leaning against the Tequendama. Yep, Colombia has prepagos and putas - but they are not on the streets. You have to make an effort to make a purchase in an establishment (generally) to receive their services. So, you have nothing to worry about.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

Desideria (Moderator) says on Dec 23, 2007, 00:29:

Robert Jorge, prostitution is not legal in Sweden, that is buying sex services is punishable felony, pimping and brothels are also illegal.

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

tomtom33 says on Dec 23, 2007, 03:07:

It sounds like you have an addictive personality, addicted to work. I have been there. Try balance, it is marvelous.

You ask about what you would do if you didn't work. I asked myself that for years. Then I found out. I haven't worked in 9 years. The first year was difficult. Transitions always are. Now I am too busy with life to even consider working. If you are interested in life, you will find more to do than you could ever imagine. Try it, and give it some time.

RJ, maybe you have Sweden mixed up with the Netherlands.

wendell13 says on Dec 23, 2007, 06:57:

RJ You must have never been to Cali. You have to be blind not to see the ladys of the evening camped out on different parts of Avenida Sexta

Desideria (Moderator) says on Dec 23, 2007, 07:04:

Those are the trannies that chase Campiña up and down the Sixth.

"I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them."-President George W. Bush

wendell13 says on Dec 23, 2007, 07:32:

NO....the trannies are on Avenida Octava for the most part. I lived in Juanambu for two years and had to drive by them all the time on my way home

Chelesupercono says on Dec 23, 2007, 08:18:

Hey Doc...Colombia is for spending money.....earning money.....forget it!! It would take all the fun out of the country....and prostitution in Colombia? Never seen it, and with all of the ugly Colombian women forget it.....you can easily live a monks life here............heheheheehehehehehe

never go to bed with someone crazier then you are, you will do it and you will regret it.......

docwilliam says on Dec 23, 2007, 10:55:

"Now I am too busy with life to even consider working. If you are interested in life, you will find more to do than you could ever imagine."

tomtom, you know it! I am on year 3. same same.

"There's no time to panic"

LilaM says on Dec 23, 2007, 16:42:

Since Ley 100 was settle one 1990 medicine carreer change a lot. Is better from what I see to have a hospital or your own office and work by yourself than trough an EPS or Prepaid Medicine. And yes do some contacts first maybe the embassy of the country where you are from can help you with some information about all the organizations availables for you to work in. Good luck with that search.

"Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer." Ed. Cunningham

encinoman says on Dec 23, 2007, 19:29:

Doctor Who, I was in Medillin awhile back. My then novia thought it would be interesting for me to have facial plastic surgery (NOT!). It was out of the question as far I was concerned but, I did agree to meet with a surgeon. I talked to the surgeon. He seemed like a helpful guy, honest, and spoke fluent english. Send me an email at thizizit at hotmail.com and I will give you the surgeon's contact info. I think he could point you in the right direction if you want to work in Colombia. No, I didn't have the surgery.

Chelesupercono says on Dec 24, 2007, 09:59:

Good advice as Colombia may be the plastic surgery capital of the world.......lots of chicas plasticas....

never go to bed with someone crazier then you are, you will do it and you will regret it.......

CatGirl says on Dec 27, 2007, 20:09:

Wow.. - the topic has taken an interesting yet educational turn. Good reading. Are you still there Dr Type A ? ....I still wish you the best. CG

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent

CatGirl says on Dec 27, 2007, 20:19:

Have always wanted to run a cathouse.

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent