ANAESTHESIA CAREER  OUTSIDE INDIA

In late 90s and during first decade of 2000, anesthetists showed strong inclination towards migration to western countries and Australian continent. Better working conditions, satisfactory economy and high professional status were some of the most logical reasons that can be speculated. However in second decade of 2000, flow and inclination towards migration has sharply declined. Improved economical conditions in India, and increasingly difficult job situation in the most attractive countries can be named as some of the logical reasons.

Career, by definition, can be stated as, natural course in the professional journey usually aimed at achieving traditionally set goals i.e.  higher education, exposure to other working environment, higher economy etc. Goals achieved by the earlier generations become a standard of achievement for the next generation.

Working outside India, specially in developed countries, still is an attraction. Newly graduated and postgraduated doctors find it tempting to pursue this option. In some of the clinical branches, it has become mandatory to get few years of clinical experience in developed countries before starting professional career in India. The experience in anesthesiology in foreign country has certainly given advantage in getting an honorable position in India in last decade.

In anesthesiology, career outside India has been roughly seen as just working in the anesthesia department of any developed country. Lately the trend is changing. There has been strong inclination towards achieving accreditations, certifications, fellowships over and above the foreign experience.

Every country has central control body for health care services, typically named as National Board of Health (NBH). The NBH has responsibility to provide safe health care to the citizens of that country by creating infrastructure, providing equipments and health care personnel. Some times due to change in generation or change in labor laws, a vacuum gets created in the health care personnel. This is to be filled up eithe locally or from other countries. European countries have suffered such shortage of doctors in the last decade of 1900 and first decade of 2000. During that time, they had shown strong willingness to accept Indian doctors.

The regulating body of the NHB has strict laws regarding the educational and training standard of the health care provider. Any health care provider from other country has to fit in to those requirements before getting permission to work in that particular country. This leads to achievement of the registration of the NHB / educational body of that country. In most of these countries, the NHB registration is linked with the language proficiency. So practically one has to be proficient in both local language as well as the subject at par with the local health care provider. This might need to proved by certain exams/interviews or courses.

To work in any country, the migration department must provide the work permit. This is dependent on individual rules and requirements of the particular country.

So in summery, if one wish to work in any other country, he or she has to go through three hurdles  

1. Language  2.NHB registration/licensing  3. Visa/work permit.

Once these three hurdles are crossed, then one can search the job.  During the period of need, these hurdles are either made very small or removed. Some times the hospital itself takes care of these hurdles.  One has to be lucky to be present at right place at right moment.

In the following section, we have gathered information regarding the recruitment process of some most sought countries. Along with that we have provided links and information regarding various fellowships, accreditations etc .

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