Global Physician Employment

http://www.physician-job-opportunities.net/ — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 10:35:56 -0700

AMAVoice: A down-under sabbatical
The Fall 2005 Newsletter of the AMA Senior Physician Group

Retired psychiatrist enjoys experience in New Zealand, Australia

When Sherman Franz, MD, a psychiatrist from Columbus, Ind., retired as a chief medical officer at Columbus Regional Hospital in 2002, he and his wife, Jacqueline, committed to living their next great adventure while continuing to actively contribute to the field of medicine.

That new enterprise would come halfway around the world in New Zealand and Australia, where Dr. Franz worked closely with the Maori people during a pair of six-month stints in the Gold Coast - located along the eastern coast of Queensland - and Wellington. International locum tenens group Global Medical Staffing, Ltd., helped set up Dr. Franz with his temporary practices.

"The opportunity to work with indigenous people and to gain a deeper understanding of their culture was a highlight of my time in New Zealand and Australia," Dr. Franz said. "I deeply appreciated their inclusiveness in inviting me into their culture."

Retired physicians have much to contribute to medicine both in experience and energy, and Dr. Franz's experience overseas proves that staying active in retirement has never been easier.

"We made many friends with whom we kept in contact and who visit us in the United States," Dr Franz said. "The incredible opportunity to see the extraordinary landscapes of New Zealand and Australia was a gift. Living and working in another country for an extended period of time gave us a richer understanding of and appreciation for the culture."

The opportunity to be immersed in another health care system was an attractive component of a locum tenens for him.

"The Maori and Kiwis I worked with seemed to possess a greater sense of personal ownership and responsibility for their health care," he said. "They approached their interaction with physicians as a partnership. They own their health. The Maori have a strong sense of community, and you feel that part of their health is in looking out for one another."

Providing health care as a locum tenens offers other advantages as well. While practicing in New Zealand and Queensland, Dr. Franz was not on call or required to practice after hours. "My wife and I had all of our evenings and weekends together," said Dr. Franz, who noted that visitors to Queensland must see Brisbane, Lamington National Park and Currumbin Wildlife Preserve. "Wellington is a vibrant city with rich cultural activities and a lively caf society. Trips to the South Island are a must."

Utah-based Global Medical Staffing is a pioneer in international medical staffing, having placed thousands of medical doctors into sabbaticals and permanent posts throughout New Zealand, Australia, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom during the past decade. "Our positions in Australia and New Zealand are a breath of fresh air for U.S. physicians," said Alan Lakomski, Global Medical Staffing's chief operating officer. "The system is less bureaucratic and patients are more compliant, less litigious and genuinely grateful to have medical care."

That - along with the chance to travel and learn about other cultures - made this an ideal opportunity for Dr. Franz, who has a simple message to other physicians contemplating a locum tenens. "Do it!" he exclaimed.