Cuban surgeon had to return to study medicine in Canada

Cuban maxillofacial surgeon. Raudel Simon He had to restart his medical career when he arrived in Quebec in 2013 and realized that the immigrant’s path to stability and well-being was anything but easy.

In statements for Spanish language magazinewhich examines the lives of Hispanics in Canada, the doctor said he had a job offer in Cuba that would have positioned him as one of the best in his specialty, but the situation on the island and salary restrictions forced him to rethink his professional future. .

He claims that before emigrating, he discussed with his teachers the fact that he would not be able to guarantee the minimum required for his family with the salary offered to him in this position.

After that he decided to start immigration process to Canada, leaving his wife and son on the island.

“I really started my life from scratch. To survive, I had to learn French and work different jobs,” Simon explained.

After almost eight years of living in this country, he decided to enroll in Medical school and resume your career.

In 2021, he was accepted to the University of Sherbrooke, where he is currently studying in the Saguenay medical program.

Although the chances of admission were between 60 and 70%, he says he decided to take a chance and was accepted as a student.

The Havana-born doctor currently lives in Gatineau, a city in southwestern Quebec.

His family had to wait four years to join him in Canada.

A crisis Health care system in Cuba The situation has worsened further since 2013, when Simon left.

Only in 2022 more 12,000 doctors on the island left the public health systemin a context where a widespread and alarming crisis in the healthcare system has forced many doctors to abandon their profession.

Data published by the Office of National Statistics and Information (ONEI) for the public health and social care sectors for the above-mentioned year showed that staff reductions were common across the health sector, with an increase in the number of residents currently compliant. every doctor.

There were 94,066 doctors working on the island at the end of 2022, and 106,131 in 2021, about 12,065 fewer.