Physician Jobs in Middle East?

[LADoc00]

I want to start an info thread for MD jobs in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, UAE etc.

So far I know that: Saudi Arabia is tax free, not sure about Dubai and others. Housing, travel and food are usually taken care of. Vacation is not extensive, usually like 1-2 months/year. Most of these jobs provide some type of end term pay bonus.

Now, the stuff I cant eaily find out:
Pay ranges for these? Especially now since it is so insanely dangerous, are they jobs paying huge bucks?
Actual experience itself, are these jobs cush?
If anyone has experience either personally or through a friend I would like to hear as I havent been able to find anyone at my hospital who has considered this.

Thanks

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[USAF MD '05]

I want to start an info thread for MD jobs in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, UAE etc.

So far I know that: Saudi Arabia is tax free, not sure about Dubai and others. Housing, travel and food are usually taken care of. Vacation is not extensive, usually like 1-2 months/year. Most of these jobs provide some type of end term pay bonus.

Now, the stuff I cant eaily find out:
Pay ranges for these? Especially now since it is so insanely dangerous, are they jobs paying huge bucks?
Actual experience itself, are these jobs cush?
If anyone has experience either personally or through a friend I would like to hear as I havent been able to find anyone at my hospital who has considered this.

Thanks

I can't really answer many (or any) of your questions, but I do know that one of my ICU attendings, who is a pulmonologist, got so sick and tired of being abused by the American medical system that he went back to Saudi. He landed a VERY cush job there. He, however, was originally from there, and I don't see myself going there for any amount of money or lifestyle unless I am there taking care of US troops. His wife, who had become enamored of the American culture, especially our reality TV (go figure) can't be having much fun back there. I hear it's not a great place to be a woman...

 

[DR]

I can't really answer many (or any) of your questions, but I do know that one of my ICU attendings, who is a pulmonologist, got so sick and tired of being abused by the American medical system that he went back to Saudi. He landed a VERY cush job there. He, however, was originally from there, and I don't see myself going there for any amount of money or lifestyle unless I am there taking care of US troops. His wife, who had become enamored of the American culture, especially our reality TV (go figure) can't be having much fun back there. I hear it's not a great place to be a woman...

Uh, yeah, right...go to the middle east now to live. R-i-g-h-t.

 

[Rony]

I can't really answer many (or any) of your questions, but I do know that one of my ICU attendings, who is a pulmonologist, got so sick and tired of being abused by the American medical system that he went back to Saudi. He landed a VERY cush job there. He, however, was originally from there, and I don't see myself going there for any amount of money or lifestyle unless I am there taking care of US troops. His wife, who had become enamored of the American culture, especially our reality TV (go figure) can't be having much fun back there. I hear it's not a great place to be a woman...

Unless you're taking care of US troops...what oath did you take after graduation...so you wouldn't treat a Muslim/Iraqi/Jewish/Israeli or anything else based on their status as non-American or non-military...
you're probably the reason military recruiters have trouble getting the best students/residents to join the service..

Please don't generalize about the "Middle East" like it's a few blocks of a uniformly similar environment...some parts are as vibrant and modernized as southern california-and yet some conservative and backward as rural Alabama...unless you go there and see for yourself don't rely on fox for your news or steven spielberg to learn history....think about it: no taxes, no malpractice, better benefits...

 

[EPA7X1]

Unless you're taking care of US troops...what oath did you take after graduation...so you wouldn't treat a Muslim/Iraqi/Jewish/Israeli or anything else based on their status as non-American or non-military...
you're probably the reason military recruiters have trouble getting the best students/residents to join the service..

I am quite sure that Steve wasn't discriminating against any ethnic group. It sounds like he would only want to go to the Middle Mast as part of military service and not to live la vida desert.

Please don't generalize about the "Middle East" like it's a few blocks of a uniformly similar environment...some parts are as vibrant and modernized as southern california-and yet some conservative and backward as rural Alabama...unless you go there and see for yourself don't rely on fox for your news or steven spielberg to learn history....think about it: no taxes, no malpractice, better benefits...

Please don't generalize about "rural Alabama" like it's a few blocks of a uniformly similar environment...some parts are as vibrant and modernized as southern california.

 

[doc05]

think about it: no taxes, no malpractice, better benefits...

No taxes? Not true. If you're a US citizen, you have to pay taxes on overseas earnings. Exclusions to this requirement are complex and generally require you to establish permanent residence overseas.

 

[dry dre]

For Americans working abroad, the first ~$80,000 per year are ~tax free. The spirit of this legislation is to encourage US business interests abroad. After 80k, you're on your own.

I once spoke with a nurse that worked in Saudi for a year (mid 1990s). The lifestyle then was somewhat based around the hospital's compound for foreign employees. Not a particularly "international" experience. I don't know what the money was, but it was worth it (for a year) for her over there.

I'd stick to the Emirates if I was going to work in the region, at least at this time in history.

 

[Rony]

No taxes? Not true. If you're a US citizen, you have to pay taxes on overseas earnings. Exclusions to this requirement are complex and generally require you to establish permanent residence overseas.

Taxes encompass more than just income tax...there is no sales tax in the Persian/Arabian gulf states whatsoever...in addition, permanent residence is easy to establish after you land a position...very similar to a hospital sponsoring an IMG in the US for a visa.

 

[USAF MD '05]

Unless you're taking care of US troops...what oath did you take after graduation...so you wouldn't treat a Muslim/Iraqi/Jewish/Israeli or anything else based on their status as non-American or non-military...
you're probably the reason military recruiters have trouble getting the best students/residents to join the service..

Please don't generalize about the "Middle East" like it's a few blocks of a uniformly similar environment...some parts are as vibrant and modernized as southern california-and yet some conservative and backward as rural Alabama...unless you go there and see for yourself don't rely on fox for your news or steven spielberg to learn history....think about it: no taxes, no malpractice, better benefits...

Woah!! Somebody has a big chip on their shoulder! What I meant is this...I don't want to live in the desert. Period. Especially in a desert where a significant number in the population may like to cut my head off for being devil-dog. Maybe not most, but definitely moreso than home. Yes, there are places like those you described, but not so many I would feel comfortable moving my blonde wife and 2 blonde daughters over to test the waters. Besides, my buddy just got back from Iraq, and he took a pic of a thermometer when he was gettin on the plane...128 degrees F!! (i know, I know, it's a DRY heat, right?!)

As to the oath I took...It meant nothing to me. That's why I went into EM, so that I could only take care of the wealthy, white portion of society. I just wanna be rich. Please.
Thanks for the explanation on my behalf, EPA7X1!!!

 

[2sweet4this]

Just thought I would throw my two cents into this fun debate...my husband and I just returned from a vacation in Dubai, considered a part of the UAE. It is one of the most liberal parts of the UAE and most of their population comprises of foreigners...lots of blonde hair, blue eyes, and accents galore because of the huge influx of large MNC's. Also, plenty of women in bikinis, tank tops, shorts, etc. who drive and do all those things women across the globe do. My husband and I were actually talking about how Dubai would be somewhat of a paradise to work in...liberal yet safe (they still maintain the strict laws against crime), great dining and living, and best of all...cheap shopping and living because NO TAXES...none! No sales tax, real estate tax. And gas is cheaper than water over there! The point of my whole rambling is sure, there are ultra conservative areas in the Middle East like Saudi where I would think twice about working. But there are also amazing places like Dubai where if offered a decent job, I wouldn't think twice. So as someone mentioned before, take all the pictures and stories you hear on the news with a grain of salt. And working out there might not be such a bad thing (especially if you have a wife that loves to shop!).

 

[doc05]

Taxes encompass more than just income tax...there is no sales tax in the Persian/Arabian gulf states whatsoever...in addition, permanent residence is easy to establish after you land a position...very similar to a hospital sponsoring an IMG in the US for a visa.

wow! no sales tax.

also questionable human rights. no respect for women. and constant danger of being killed.

 

[USAF MD '05]

And working out there might not be such a bad thing (especially if you have a wife that loves to shop!).

Well- that definitely seals the deal- can't go to the conservative parts, and REALLY can't afford the liberal ones!

 

[Rony]

wow! no sales tax.

also questionable human rights. no respect for women. and constant danger of being killed.

These statements reflect your utter ignorance...no wonder people over there think Americans are so self-absorbed and protected from any complexities beyond their continent and always see the world as black and white...my friend, global affairs that you talk about above are more abstract than you think....is there respect and equality for women in Saudi-absolutely not and I agree with you..are human rights the same as they are in our 230 year old democracy-no. However, you ought to look at places like the UAE, Bahrain, Lebanon and even parts of Jordan and Egypt where liberalism exceeds that seen here and offer what you are looking for, which till now I'm not sure what you're looking for in a place to live..educate yourself by turning off the TV and getting information from the objective sources that look into these issues...I lived there for 10 years before coming back to go to college here and I can tell you it is safe. Foreigners like us are a subtantial part of the population-more than 60%...they dominate the work force..and are treated fairly.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I can offer a couple of anecdotes...

An attending of mine (general surgeon) went to Saudi after he finished residency and was paid $500,000 USD (by his report) for a year's work in a relatively non-volatile area. This would have been about 15+ years ago.

More recently, one of the fellows in my BF's program (Trauma/Critical Care) got offered $300,000 for 3 months...but this was in war zone Iraq. A little too dangerous for him, even given the fantastic $$.

 

[dry dre]

Uh-hem...

To the stone-throwers in the glass house, feel free to read up on the statistics of violence against women in the US.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/ipvfacts.htm
http://www.silentwitness.net/states/us_map.htm
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo/statistics.htm