The widespread shortage of health care resources motivated a group of physicians to call a strike in the fall of 1995. This in turn led the health care minister to convene a group of experts to analyze the efficiency of hospitals, with the intention of closing the least productive health care facilities. The theory is that the management of the remaining hospitals will have to improve so as to handle a greater workload. Because a rapid downsizing of the health care system would likely cause a high rate of unemployment, officials decided to reduce the number of students accepted to medical schools. This has already been reflected in the total number of medical graduates.
Medical graduates are clearly in a difficult situation.
Hospitals are hesitant to sign contracts for longer than 1 year because even the near future is unstable. The general viewpoint of the medical graduates was reflected in a recent questionnaire released by Chamber of Physicians. A small percentage of graduates set their sights on practicing abroad. Although the percentage of graduates who do not practice medicine remains undetermined, it seems that those who leave the field can usually find work in pharmaceutical companies or others in the medical field. Many graduates choose this option intentionally, lured by higher salaries and a more attractive lifestyle.