Anyone here?

[Ms.Diagnosed]

Anyone here experience having to deal with a language barrier? I keep getting pdoc's with really thick accents, and because I'm bad with accents, I don't understand what they're saying to me half the time. Gets me frustrated because that can and does lead to being misdiagnosed, which I already have been.

And that all boils down to politics. Doctor shortage in Canada then leads to Canadian government yanking docs from different countries which leads to being misdiagnosed. If I'm not battling my depression, I'm battling the politics of it all.

[Woody]

Problems started back in the 70's when politicians decided that we had to many doctors and too much money was going to doctors. That is when doctors started migrating in droves to the states and they started cutting back on training new doctors. I do not know for other provinces but this is what created todays crisis that we are in now in Ontario.

I am bilingual so maybe I have an advantage over some when it come down to understanding them. My biggest beef with Pdoc is the amount of time they spend with me and trying to understand me and my problems.

I think it was last summer, I think it was W5 that had a feature on the doctor shortage. One of the reason they gave for not having enough doctors is that the immigrant doctors have to redo the final years of training over again in our hospitals in order to be able to practice again. I believe its the residency they have to redo over again.

So, respectfully, I would disagree with you and say that we have so many mis-diagnosed people because they do not spend enough time with there patients.

[paul m]

Hello Woody, I agree with you about the reasons for the shortages.

In regards to skill level. I was misdiagnosed by a series of Canadian born and trained doctors. However there is no doubt in my mind that when an area is as desperate for Docs as Ontario is that a few more bad ones than usual may sneak past the boards.( Cdn born and otherwise)

Due to shortages, pdocs, just do not have the time required for every patient. Thats unfair, but until the gov't does something thats the way it will be.Take Care. paul m

[Toranto123]

You are very right about it. Now a days Canada looking like a collection of different nations and thanks to the politics most of us go through the same depression one way or other.

[Guest]

I won't even deal with a pharmacist that I can't understand! I work in a grocery store and get a 10% discount, but the pharmacist has a heavy accent, so I go to a place that has a higher dispensing fee, but for the purpose of having my prescription explained to me for the short time it takes, it's well worth being able to fully understand what's being said to me. And so far I've been lucky enough to understand all the medical professionals I been to see. Hang in there by asking one of the other people behind the counter to translate. Don't go it alone. I do not have an "image" to keep up so if I need help, I WILL stand there and ask for it and not leave until I get it - please don't let your self-consciousness get the better of you. Or bring a friend or family member with you and maybe between the two of you, you can get the details straight. Don't go it alone if you can possibly help it.