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Oh, I guess that makes sense. Do doctors work their asses off in the UK like they do in the US? Whenever I talk to my doctor friends, their lives sound miserable, almost like they're being hazed by a fraternity for years on end. I don't personally know anyone who became a doctor who wasn't pushed into it by strong family expectations.
The answer is: It depends.
What kind of doctor? As a psychiatrist, I don't think my work would look very different in either country, but I know which one would pay me double or triple. At the very least, American doctors have the option of cutting back their hours while still making more than we do.
I think in most other specialities, doctors are just about as harried and overworked, but it's hard to say for sure.
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The UK medical system has a lot of weird quirks designed to make sure doctors stay there and stay cheap. It's a natural consequence of the NHS's fully nationalized setup.
They purposely don't enter into some certification equivalence treaties so British doctors don't get the qualifications to go abroad easily for instance.
And Europe in general has low salaries compared to similarly developed countries because taxes make supergross salaries quite expensive.
If you're a successful upper middle class professional, Europe (bar few exceptions) offers a shit deal versus any other developed country. You are essentially paying for everything and getting subpart services in return. Hence the massive brain drain.
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