Why Doctors are leaving the Philippines

The principal reason for the medical exodus is not higher pay. It is to provide for their children a quality education. We have such a poor public school system in the Philippines that in order to produce competitive graduates, we rely on the private-parochial web of schools. My first 12 years were spent at the Ateneo de Manila, a Jesuit school. I was shocked to find out that the annual tuition for Prep (which is before first grade) at the Ateneo was $1600. This amount does not cover books, supplies, transportation, lunch money, uniforms and other sundry expenses.

The average annual income of a physician runs roughly in the range of $10,000. Major expenses include housing and motor vehicles (which cost more than twice their US counterparts). There isn't going to be much left especially if you have more than 2 children.

I have heard it many times that physicians can bear all these hardships and continue to sacrifice personal comfort and security for as long as their children are not hindered from realizing their potential and it is because of this that they are deserting this nation in droves.