ISLAMABAD: Every year, hundreds of doctors leave Pakistan for a greener future in the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), and other Western and Gulf countries due to different factors.
An official of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) told WE News on the condition of anonymity that the PMDC receives numerous applications daily from doctors across Pakistan seeking better job opportunities abroad. The sources said that the process takes more than six months due to a huge number of applicants seeking opportunities abroad. However, he did not provide more details over the matter and declined to comment on the reasons. This trend has also led to growing concerns among recent graduates about their career prospects in the country due to the surplus of doctors relative to available opportunities in Pakistan.
Dr. Hassaan Shah of Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), who qualified PLAB 1 to work abroad, told WE News that he would prefer to stay in Pakistan if the government takes measures to improve working conditions for Pakistani doctors as no one wants to leave their motherland.
What is the PLAB Exam?
Dr. Hassaan Shah explained that PLAB is the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board test that ensures the qualification of doctors who studied abroad have the right knowledge and skills to practice medicine in the United Kingdom (UK). He said that PLAB 1 and 2 are necessary to apply for physician jobs in the UK.
Responding to a question regarding reasons for leaving Pakistan, Dr Hassaan said that the low salary, shortage of the latest medical instruments and working environments forced him to pursue a career abroad. He added that he also wants to learn abroad and then return to Pakistan to serve Pakistanis in a better way.
The Salary of Doctors in Pakistan
The average monthly salary of medical officers in private institutes ranges from PKR 60,000 to PKR 70,000 (215.64$ to $251.58) while in government hospitals it is Rs 100,000 to 120,000 ($359.32 to 431.19$) in Pakistan.
Dr. Arshad Khan from a backward area of Talash, Dir is working in Peshawar said that he did MBBS to serve his villagers. He added that now he decided to pursue a career in the US and recently passed his USMLE test.
What is USMLE?
The USMLE is a highly relevant and reliable three-step examination for medical licensure in the United States (US). It is sponsored by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). The USMLE assesses the ability of the applicants to apply knowledge, and concepts, and to demonstrate fundamental patient-centred skills.
Arshad Khan told WE News that he has decided to pursue his career in the US due to the overflow of doctors and the lack of opportunities for young doctors in the health sector in Pakistan. He hoped that this opportunity will enable him to learn innovative skills in health to serve humanity. He hoped that one day he will come back to fulfill his childhood dream to serve his own people in Dir.
Pakistan continues to see an influx of new medical doctors annually. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of medical doctors graduating every year has increased from 1994 to 2019.
Source: World Health Organization (WHO)
Doctors Vow to Serve Pakistanis despite Challenges
There are many doctors, who want to stay in Pakistan despite their low salaries and challenges because they want to serve their own people and the motherland. Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Alamgir Khan, a graduate of Ayub Medical College, works in a local hospital in Timergara, Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that his top priority is to work in Pakistan and he aims to provide better service to the people rather than earning money.
He said that communication and awareness campaigns should be launched to develop friendly relations between doctors and patients. He added that he had encountered to various incidents like unpleasant talks with patients’ families due to lack of communication but it is a part of life and no one should be discouraged from such things. He asked the doctors to take the patient’s family into confidence while taking any decision to avoid such incidents.
The Ministry of Immigration and PMDC could not provide the precise number of doctors leaving Pakistan annually, but they noted that the average number of doctors leaving the country is increasing day by day.
Pakistan’s Emigration Trends
According to the Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment, the number of people leaving Pakistan has increased significantly from 3,534 in 1971 to 281,367 in 2024. Up to May 2024 alone, 281,367 people departed Pakistan, including 8,092 highly qualified, 17,785 highly skilled, 94,681 skilled, 22,515 semi-skilled, and 138,294 unskilled people from different professions. From 1971 to May 2024, a total of 13,605,345 people have left Pakistan, including doctors among other professionals.
Source: Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment – Government of Pakistan
It is an ongoing phenomenon that Pakistanis seek Jobs and business opportunities abroad, particularly in the Middle East, the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United States of America (USA) and Canada; with an increasing population especially youth. This trend should not be labelled as a brain drain of doctors but rather the export of skilled professionals and Pakistan is always beneficial for sending the youth abroad. However, there is a need that the government should take steps to translate this trend into better opportunities for the progress and development of the country. Similarly, the government should take practical steps to address genuine issues of young doctors in the country to utilize their skills for their own people.
