( Al-Rai) newspaper published on June 13th, 2021 a report about the hashtag that spread in the social media in Jordan demanding the rights of the unpaid resident doctors in lots of hospitals in Jordan. The resident doctors and supporters from the medical community and wide sectors of the Jordanian society cliam their right to get paid in exchange of the long work hours, the efforts and the services they provide to patients and the hospitals and the opponents of those demands claim that the resident doctors are training, so they have to be dealt with as students.
Ms. Alaa Turki Almughaid the journalist in Al-Rai newspaper interviewd many figure doctors in Jordan to give their opinion in the report. Prof. Khaldoon Bashaireh, the Dean of Faculty of Medicine gave his opinion in this issue.
Prof. Bashaireh said: There are different opinions about whether resident doctors are trainee or workers. Once the doctor got the full permanent license to practice medicine, then he is officially a doctor. The General Health Act in Jordan defines the medical profession as (the profession that its practitioner holds a permanent license).
Dr. Bashaireh stressed on the services that the resident provide to the public in addition to their training in the residency program till he gets his specialty after passing many exams during these years. He added: " This doctor has responsibilities to perform and he is accountable to the law if he fails to perform his duties, even he was under supervision of a specialist or consultant. The law considers him accountable".
He continued: "Everybody who works, provides a service and takes the responsibility for his work is supposed to get paid. About the training claim, This training has its special style in medical profession. Though training is applicable in many professions, but that doesn't mean in any way especially in residency programs that such unapid training is acceptable"
The Dean emaphasized the long hard journey of medical doctors starting from Bachelor degree till they get the certificate that allows them to practice their specialty.
He said: " This journey could take from 11-13 years without subspecialty. Lots of residents don't get a penny during this hard long period of tim. This is a dangerous indicator that could transform the medical profession as a profession of the wealthy only, or it could halt the academic and specialization march of the financialy incapable young doctors'.
To read this article (in Arabic) in the website of Al Rai newspaper click on the link ===> The link