Experiencing brain drain in Melbourne

by Anil Netto,

While our public hospitals groan under the weight of so many patients, many Malaysian medical personnel, including specialists, prefer to work in public hospitals abroad.
Blog reader SH files in this report from Down Under:

Hey, 100% true story below. Happened in Melbourne, Australia.
10 Nov 2010
1. Arrived early at hospital, so decided to walk down the street to check out an expensive shop by famous Melbourne-based designer. Was pleasantly (but sadly) surprised to learn the ‘local designer’ was a Malaysian whose entire family migrated from Malaysia!
2. Went back to hospital. Was registered by a loud receptionist who was Malaysian whose family migrated from Malaysia!
3. 20-30 minutes wait later, was seen by a specialist (endocrinologist) who studied at Melbourne Uni and then migrated to Melbourne… from Kuala Lumpur! (Oh btw, since this was public hospital, this Malaysian endocrinologist was also teaching/supervising an Australian medical student while she was consulting me).
4. Referred for thyroid biopsy. They booked me in for Monday (only five days later).
15 Nov 2010
Thyroid biopsy wasn’t nice, but the surgeon was very friendly and made me feel assured. I recognised the accent again, so as I did for others above, I asked… The surgeon was from Johor Bahru!!! From my observation of conversations, this ex-Malaysian was obviously senior and well-respected, and was using my procedure to teach an Aussie medical student!
Public hospitals will never be of 5-star luxury, but my 100%-free-of-charge experience thus far has been more than acceptable. But I am very disturbed (!!!) by the series of expert EX-MALAYSIANS treating me in Melbourne! Receptionist, Doctor Surgeon, all Malaysians! What the…!
I’ve heard and ranted about brain drain, but to experience it so real and personally was disturbing…