Doctors who can't speak proper English should be fired!

[Shaner]

For a reason I won't bother getting into, I had to have a bronchoscopy done today at my local hospital. Nothing overly serious, more precautionary than anything.

For those who don't know what it is, they freeze your nose, throat and mouth, stick a hollow tube with a camera attached down your throat and they take pictures of your lungs, throat and other important things to ensure everything is in working order.

Anyway, when they were giving me the anesthetic, there were two doctors present. One was obviously a rookie and the other was far more experienced. The rookie had very, very limited English skills. I couldn't understand him well and he couldn't understand me or the other doctor well.
While giving me the anesthetic, he misunderstood the other doctor and almost ended up giving me a much stronger anesthetic than I was supposed to receive. She told him numerous times because he couldn't fully understand her, but he still didn't get it right. Luckily she was paying close attention and noticed what he was doing. I don't know what the repercussions would have been if any, but I don't like knowing a doctor almost gave me something I shouldn't have received.

Also, when trying to give me the freezing in my throat, he was telling me to gargle the freezing, but I couldn't understand him to save my life. I asked him what he said numerous times, and he repeated himself, but I still couldn't understand him. I thought he said swallow (which would make sense), but he didn't and apparently the freezing doesn't work well if swallowed and not gargled. Needless to say, the tube hurt like hell while going down my throat that wasn't frozen. No damage done, just a sore throat for a few days (the senior doctor gave him crap and told him to be more careful next time), but still...

Anyway, my point is that doctors (and anyone else who provides a crucial service) should be forced to learn English (and/or French if in Quebec) before being hired. If they can't grasp the language, they should not be hired or they should be fired. This rookie doctor obviously knew what he was doing, but the language barrier was a huge stumbling block. He could end up killing someone one day because of a misunderstanding.

[chickenbones]

Are you sure he's a real doctor not some sort of an assistant or something.

I don't know how he could have passed med school tests w/o knowing English? I'm pretty sure they have high standards to give him / her a license?

[Shaner]

Are you sure he's a real doctor not some sort of an assistant or something.

I don't know how he could have passed med school tests w/o knowing English? I'm pretty sure they have high standards to give him / her a license?

I imagine he can write English quite well. The problem was his very, very heavy accent. I could sometimes make out what he was saying if I paid very close attention, but most of the time I had no clue what he was saying. He also had no clue what I was saying a lot of the time.

Yes, he was a real doctor. He was introduced to me as being a doctor and his name tag identified him as a doctor.

[ab20]

um, maybe the rookie got a translator for the interview to get into med school?:D

[corrupt123]

Agreed 100%

Same goes for driving IMO. How could you be a safe driver if you cant even read road signs? How are you going to exchange insurance info if you get hit/hit someone? Having been in an accident with someone who spoke zero english, I can attest to how absurd it is to license someone to operate something as dangerous as a vehicle without even speaking the local language.

[iris1026]

Not just doctors, any profession if you can't speak English (or French) and you deal with English (or French)-speaking clients, there's a problem. The medical association or med schools ARE supposed to filter out those who cannot communite in English/French, but I guess some get through for some reason. There's always reports in the news about new immigrants complaining about not being able to work in the field they were trained for, but maybe they need to speak better English/French first!

[Impossibles]

1) Sounds like the guy was a resident. He's LEARNING.

2) There's a severe doctor shortage coming up in Canada. Doctors are retiring at a much faster rate than we are graduating new doctors.

[najibs]

Are you sure he's a real doctor not some sort of an assistant or something.

I don't know how he could have passed med school tests w/o knowing English? I'm pretty sure they have high standards to give him / her a license?

I'm surprised he passed medical school on limited english. You'd expect a doctor to have a good grasp on the english language to even b capable of going through something as difficult as medical school

[Shaner]

1) Sounds like the guy was a resident. He's LEARNING.

2) There's a severe doctor shortage coming up in Canada. Doctors are retiring at a much faster rate than we are graduating new doctors.

1. He wasn't a resident. I spend enough time in hospitals (as part of my job) to know who is and isn't a resident. This guy was a full blown doctor, although he was lacking experience.

2. I don't care if there is a doctor shortage or not. I'd rather have too few doctors than to have doctors who kill people because they can't even understand the damn language. I don't know what would have happened to me had he given me an anesthetic that was 5 times as strong as I was supposed to receive. What happens next time if the more experienced doctor isn't paying such close attention?

[JAGpilot]

Agreed 100%

Same goes for driving IMO. How could you be a safe driver if you cant even read road signs? How are you going to exchange insurance info if you get hit/hit someone? Having been in an accident with someone who spoke zero english, I can attest to how absurd it is to license someone to operate something as dangerous as a vehicle without even speaking the local language.

Would you believe the DriveTest centers offer the tests in different languages? I thought "how can you let someone take a test in (insert language)? If they cant understand the English how can the read roadsigns?"

[corrupt123]

Would you believe the DriveTest centers offer the tests in different languages? I thought "how can you let someone take a test in (insert language)? If they cant understand the English how can the read roadsigns?"

I know! That's what really aggravates me. If someone half assed learned english just enough to pass the driving test, at least they'd have a loose grasp, but full blown offering it in other languages? WTF? Talk about zero incentive to integrate into society.

[cwb27]

1) Sounds like the guy was a resident. He's LEARNING.

2) There's a severe doctor shortage coming up in Canada. Doctors are retiring at a much faster rate than we are graduating new doctors.

They learn to be doctors, not learn to speak and interpret the english language.

Reference to Shaner's story, I probably would have lost it.... and I'm a pretty patient guy.

[masterhapposai]

stab him with a few flu shots for that

no harm according to them

[HeldDown]

Agreed 100%. I once had a doctor tell me I was "having a heart attack" and scare me to death, only to have him say (in his heavy accent) "Wait, wait... no, sorry, I meant that you are NOT having a heart attack!"

It was an allergic reaction. What an idiot...

[Steeve Urkel]

1. He wasn't a resident. I spend enough time in hospitals (as part of my job) to know who is and isn't a resident. This guy was a full blown doctor, although he was lacking experience.

2. I don't care if there is a doctor shortage or not. I'd rather have too few doctors than to have doctors who kill people because they can't even understand the damn language. I don't know what would have happened to me had he given me an anesthetic that was 5 times as strong as I was supposed to receive. What happens next time if the more experienced doctor isn't paying such close attention?

I actually had a similar experience at a hospital in Ottawa 2 weeks ago.
I had to go for something kidney related and the regular doctor I was supposed to see was away and this other doctor, not resident or trainee was a man ok well doctor that could not communicate in English.
He was from India and had a very bad Indian accent.
One of my orders was supposed to be changed and he did not know how or what to change it to and just ended up telling me to come back another time to see someone else.

But then the same doctor was trying to talk to the nurse that was there and she could not understand him, so the doctor left to do whatever.

Why do they even bother with people like that, they should be able to speak English or at least French anyways.

My Dentist, she is asian and her English is not that great, she might be Korean...not too sure.
But her French is very good and she has no problems communicating with anyone. She works in Quebec, so she sees more French people anyways..

Also, if u do not like the service at the hospital, you can complain or write to patien services about it and they will follow up with you.
I have done that before for a safety issue I had at the ottawa hospital and they did change their practices at the hospital here.....so they do listen to people.

[Diamondog]

It's only English speaking Canadians that get a hard time about speaking 2nd langages if it isn't up to speed, any other primary language speaking Canadian is congratulated on the effort and given the job.

[mf99]

he's probably a foreign trained physician who passed the licensing exams here in canada

[deep]

...How could you be a safe driver if you cant even read road signs? How are you going to exchange insurance info if you get hit/hit someone? Having been in an accident with someone who spoke zero english, I can attest to how absurd it is to license someone to operate something as dangerous as a vehicle without even speaking the local language.
I've driven safely in plenty of countries where I don't speak the language. I think you are overstating the importance of English for drivers. The whole point of the road sign system is that it is somewhat universal - that any driver should be able to understand them.


1. He wasn't a resident. I spend enough time in hospitals (as part of my job) to know who is and isn't a resident. This guy was a full blown doctor, although he was lacking experience.
Residents ARE doctors, and they will introduce themselves as such. What exactly do you mean "full blown doctor"? Someone who has completed his speicialization? If this guy is still being supervised, then he is clearly not "full blown". He's probably not an intern (maybe that's what you thought the other poster meant) but I'm sure he's still learning.

Sorry about your experience, but everyone's got to learn sometime. We all wish it wouldn't be on us, whether it's a Dr or a mechanic, but that's life.

[Starkicker]

Recently, my wife and I have had to get various blood tests done and we went to 3 different blood labs and every lab seemed to have very agitated east European phlebotomists. Not only was their accent difficult to understand, but *generally* their demeanour was terrible. I mean I hate my job, but I don't have to drive needles into people. I thought in general customer/patient interaction has tanked as of late, but these guys at the blood labs took the cake. I'd never met so many rude people in one profession.

I've had to deal with doctors with thick accents and while it's a pain, it's doable. Whenever someone gets impatient with me, I say: "look, your accent is thick and I'm having a hard time understanding you. Please take your time and explain things properly, as you seem like a nice enough guy and I'd hate to have to sue you if something gets messed up".

I find that usually makes them not rush and try to explain things better.

[yao416]

Doctors who won't sign my passport should be fired!

[seekay]

Doctors who won't sign my passport should be fired!

maybe they dont want you leaving the country ... :D

i dont think i could ever trust a doctor whom i couldnt understand. a huge portion of a doctor's job is to communicate with the patient, and if the patient cant understand what the doctor's saying, then what good is it? unfortunately, it's hard to judge how easy it is for someone to understand somebody else...cant really have a guideline for how to test it.

[perplexed_one]

I know! That's what really aggravates me. If someone half assed learned english just enough to pass the driving test, at least they'd have a loose grasp, but full blown offering it in other languages? WTF? Talk about zero incentive to integrate into society.

um it isn't hard to learn a couple of words like "stop, yield, slow down, no parking/stopping" and street names. it isnt a treasure chest of vocab to memorize like in the medical profession.

however i do agree that the inability to communicate during an accident sux and these ppl should learn the procedures for post-accidents.

[corrupt123]

You're right that the basics of driving arent difficult. Thats why in a lot of countries you can use a drivers license from another country... temporarily!

If you're going to be fully licensed, you should have to know the language! At the very least, be able to communicate in basic english. Yes, they can read a "STOP" sign, but what about a sign that says "Construction workers present, reduce speed" or "Merging lanes ahead"

[deep]

maybe they dont want you leaving the country ... :D

Think about that one for a minute.... ;)