Editor’s note: Singaporean
doctor Ong Kian Soon has talked with Tuoi Tre News about his thoughts on
Vietnamese people working and studying overseas returning to work in their
homeland.
His opinion was shared following the story of
29-year-old Vietnamese-born American doctor Tran Hoang Minh, who has opted to
return to Vietnam and work in a low-paid public hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.
Minh began his job in the emergency ward of Go
Vap District Hospital last July.
Good time to return
To work
overseas after studying or to come back to Vietnam to work is largely a
personal decision. A lot depends on the opportunities that are available to the
student at the time of graduation so it is different for everyone.
Nevertheless,
I think now is a good time for Vietnamese working or studying overseas to come
back to work because Vietnam seems to be at the early stage of exponential
growth in the economy and industry.
In the
long run, how one's career develops depends a lot on how the country and the
economy progress and it helps to be in a country that is growing rapidly.
Unlike
Vietnam, many places in the developed world have much worse growth prospects.
Hence, I suspect that young people who are starting their careers today will
find much more opportunity for a satisfying career in Vietnam versus other
developed countries.
Patriotism
and compassion are all valid factors but opportunity seems to me the most
important of all for people to return to work here. Remuneration, while
important, should never be the only consideration. Job satisfaction and
opportunities for career advancement are also important considerations.
From the
people I know who have come back to Vietnam to work, the opportunities
available to them here far exceed the difficulties that they have faced while
transitioning.
My
Vietnamese wife has a Master’s in Healthcare Management and had worked in
Singapore until recently when we moved to Ho Chi Minh City. Both of us were
keen in the beginning to be in Vietnam. I am a Family Physician and my goal in
coming to Vietnam was to develop the field of Family Medicine in Ho Chi Minh
City. In fact, I may have been more eager than my wife to be here.
I am sure
difficulties will be faced by anyone when they move from one place to another
to live or work. Most people will recognize that and I am sure most will take
these difficulties in their stride.
There is
also the issue of the cost of living. I think Vietnam's cost of living is very
favorable compared with many other countries!
Most of
my Singaporean friends who have studied overseas are required to return back to
Singapore to serve national service or have contractual obligations to return
by the companies or the government who provided the money for them to study.
Hence, they have no choice but to return to serve their country. In a sense,
Vietnamese students who study overseas are much luckier as they have a choice
to return or not.
Improving education, healthcare to support
people who are back
Among the
most important concerns of people who live and work in Vietnam, education and
healthcare remain near the top of the list. I am sure the people who previously
lived and studied overseas and are used to levels of education and healthcare
in developed countries will share these concerns.
Improving
access to education and healthcare will go a long way to support people to
return and contribute to the country.
Salary is
another major incentive but at the moment the difference in salary between
Vietnam and developed countries is too big. People who are attracted to a
higher salary will never be interested in coming back to Vietnam. Those that do
come back in spite of a far lower salary are a unique group of people and I
feel that these are not the types that are primarily motivated by money alone.
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