Becoming a refugee is not easy - in any country. When I was a child, my family fled the war in their home country of Iraq and settled in Syria. Despite my many disabilities, I went to school and studied medicine at the University of Aleppo. I did a residency and became a dermatologist. In 2012, the escalation of the civil war in Syria forced the family to return to Iraq. I was working in dangerous conditions when the Baghdad and Homs medical centers where I lived were bombed. Doctors were threatened. A person has been kidnapped. Looking back, I can't believe I was working in such an environment. In 2014, my family received her five-year-awaited call. We were approved for resettlement as refugees. Despite the dangers of Iraq, leaving everything we knew was a difficult decision. But the possibility of living in peace outweighed the hardships we faced as newcomers. It took him two weeks to pack up, say goodbye, board a plane and start a new life in Chicago. I was hopeful but realistic about the challenges ahead. Eight years later, I am a US citizen. However, the obstacles faced in practicing medicine here seem insurmountable. This is devastating. I completed rigorous studies in Syria and have since practiced dermatology in two different countries. But if I want to be a doctor again here in America, I have to revisit all the years of my life.I spent thousands of dollars to complete four mandatory medical exams. I passed with flying colors. But the exam was only the beginning. I had to repeat my stay too. But you can't even apply for a residency without completing a series of internships totaling about $6,000. A temporary policy being tested in Illinois shows the regulatory change is in effect. Our Rep. Teresa Marr (D-Chicago) and her Healthcare Working Group created a task force to break down the barriers facing doctors like me. But we don't just need a task force. we must act. Why not make emergency orders permanent? I want health care for the underserved people of Illinois. Work international doctors. Sura Alsaffar is a dermatologist from Iraq. In 2014, she moved to Chicago with her family.
#practice #education #improvement
0 Comments