Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Foreign doctors, our values

This article is primarily about physicians, but the same can be applied to foreign pharmacists in Canada. In fact, there is mention of pharmacists further into the article.

From the Globe and Mail:
When Andrea and Ginette Markowski, a same-sex couple, went doctor shopping last month, they got a rude surprise. The doctor they approached confessed she was uncomfortable with lesbians- - so uncomfortable she advised them to look elsewhere.

The doctor, Kamelia Elias, who works in a Winnipeg clinic, has practised in Canada for five years. She received her medical training in Egypt, and her religion condemns homosexuality. Lesbians "get a lot of diseases and infections," she told the local paper, incorrectly. "I said it's better to find someone who will take this type of patient." But the couple was furious. "She clearly was shocked by our relationship, unable to recover," said Andrea Markowski.

Dr. Elias is just one of an increasing number of immigrant medical professionals whose beliefs and backgrounds clash with Canadian ways. Some discover that the struggle to have their credentials recognized is not the only barrier; there's also the culture gap. The Markowskis have filed a complaint with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission, and Dr. Elias has found herself condemned by gay-rights groups across the country....more

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