After graduating from medical school, you have to make another difficult decision: the choice between practicing in government hospitals and in private hospitals. The choice between the two, of course, is subjective. It all depends on what matters to you most – equipment, facilities, or salary. So, which one is better: a government hospital or a private hospital?
Government vs. private hospitals
Government hospitals or public hospitals are medical institutions that are owned and funded by the government. The money used to pay for the services of medical practitioners, supply of medical equipment, and maintenance of medical facilities all come from the national budget. The types of medical institution that are funded by private owners, medical insurers, and hospital fees are called private hospitals.
Medical facilities and equipment
Because they have very limited funds, government hospitals lag behind private hospitals in terms of medical equipment and facilities. Private hospitals, thanks to the medical service fees paid by the patients, have enough funds to purchase the latest medical equipment. If you’d rather work in hospitals with high-tech facilities, then you should work in private hospitals. You are also assured of the availability of supplies, cleanliness of rooms, and efficiency of facilities.
Salaries and debts
In terms of salary, private hospitals offer higher salaries than government hospitals. Working in government hospitals, aside from not getting paid enough for your efforts, is extra stressful. Because the medical rates are either free or relatively cheap, more patients flock to government hospitals than private hospitals. As a doctor, you have to do your best to attend to all their medical needs – even if it means cutting your vacation short.
If you relied on government scholarships for financial support when you were in medical school, working in government hospitals is an effective way of immediately paying off your debt. Although you will not earn much money, working in government hospitals allows you to pay off your student loan in the form of public service. So, while your former classmates are still trying to figure out how to extend their payment terms, you are actually paying off your debt by simply doing what you love best – saving people’s lives.
Photo Credit : TheeErin
