Scary! Over half of Hungarian medical students would like to live abroad

According to the latest survey of the Hungarian Medical Chamber, 50.5% of Hungarian medical students would want to work abroad due to the uncertainties of livelihood in their fields in Hungary. The Medical Chamber has surveyed over 3,700 medical students from four major universities about how they are planning their future. The survey found, among other things, that although 60% of the students would like to start a family after graduating from their respective universities, the current salary of healthcare workers is considered too low for this in Hungary.

Students who completed the survey also shared their opinions on ‘under-the-table payment’ and issues concerning wages in the medical field. About 75% said that ‘informal payment’ is negatively affecting the doctor-patient relationship. Interestingly, 92.6% of them would stay in Hungary if the government would approve the Medical Chamber’s proposal for medical wages, as 24 wrote.

Overburdened students with negligible experience

The Hungarian Medical Chamber also asked some questions about education at a university level. The respondents said that, although it is useful, theory and theoretical knowledge they learn is disproportionately high compared to the actual practical knowledge and experience they can obtain. 88.55% of respondents feel overburdened and stressed. Two-thirds of students said that because the group size of practical classes is too large, no proper doctor-patient relationship and trust can form. 57% also commented that they think there are not enough practical classes and so students feel unprepared for the world after graduation.

Also, 62.5% of respondents said that the relationships they form with other healthcare workers during their university years combined with their own experience are the factors that make them want to go abroad.

These medical students also shared in which sector they would like to settle after their studies. Only 17.9% would work in exclusively publicly funded healthcare institutions, while 12.2% see their future in the private healthcare sector, and two-thirds would like to have a job in both.

What would they stay in Hungary for?

One in every five medical students is planning on moving and working abroad after graduating from their respective universities, while 29.7% of respondents are contemplating moving abroad for longer-term work. This means that almost every second prospective doctor would leave Hungary. The Medical Chamber also examined the reasons for this mass migration of medical workers. More than half of the students would go abroad in hopes of higher salary and living standards, and 57.9% of them are motivated in their studies because of the working conditions and learning opportunities outside of Hungary.

89.4% of students think they would not be able to make a living from the net starting medical base salary of 187,000 forints (€ 535). 28.9% are willing to take a second or third job to make enough money, but 52.1% would like to make a living with one job.

The majority of respondents think that supplementing salaries with scholarships instead of a fair base salary is a bad idea. The current low salaries also affect the plans of students; 60% would like to start a family one day, but they find it almost impossible to do so with the current wages. However, 92.6% of respondents would be satisfied with the Hungarian Medical Chamber’s proposal for medical wages, and if it would be realised, they would stay in Hungary.

Doctors would rather have free time than stash money

Among the Hungarian medical students participating in the survey, nearly half of them think that ‘under-the-table payment’ is unacceptable, and only 6.2% agree fully while 8.9% agree partially with the statement that such payment is a reliable source of money to supplement their salaries and would, therefore, accept it.

Some of the respondents added that although they think this way of earning money is unethical, the livelihood of their own family is more important to them and thus would take the money if they needed it.

Three-quarters of future doctors think this type of money is infecting the relationship between patients and doctors, and 67.3% view it as a form of corruption. 72.7% pointed out that this so-called ‘under-the-table payment’ negatively impacts residents and specialists.

In addition to questions about salaries, the Hungarian Medical Chamber also asked questions about the needs of the work-life balance of prospective healthcare workers. Almost every respondent (97.5%) said that they would like enough free time to spend with friends and family and to have some leisure time after work.

Source: 24.hu