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I have had a lot of trouble finding concrete answers to this question in other threads so I thought I'd ask the blunt question: do medical doctors really earn such low salaries?

In the US, $200K/year for a medical specialist is on the low end. Starting salaries for more competitive specialties are around $400K/year and up (AED 120K/month). Are salaries like this unheard of?

I can assume these salaries might not be realistic at the public hospitals, but does anyone know of western educated physicians in private practice making this kind of money in Dubai?

Thanks for any input!

Some earn 30k or 40k or more.

I hope you're not a doctor though. Your hand seems a bit unsteady - you posted the same question twice.

If you are new to Dubai, earning 20K would be normal.

The more you build your clientele and the more people know your practice. 30K and up then becomes realistic.

sharewadi wrote:Your hand seems a bit unsteady - you posted the same question twice.

Sorry about that - I thought it was relevant to both forums. (And no, I'm not a doctor yet - just getting a head start, that's all)

I just read this on the Emirates Hospital website:

There are tons of doctors but few truly superb ones in terms of having the magic six requirements:

1- Good US education or equivalent with a sub-specialty
2- Three to five year post graduate experience
3- Ethical (honest medical advice and ethical practice)
4- Personable/charming personality (Good looking and sharp dressing is a plus)
5- Able to work as a team (Not egomaniacs)
6- Motivated enough to want to be available to their patients.

I'd imagine that doctors with these qualifications (as I will hopefully be after completing my medical education here in the US) are much more sought after than those educated in south Asia, where it seems many of the doctors come from. I can't believe that salaries for these doctors are the same. What incentive would US doctors have to come then?

The website also said:

While US based doctors definitely earn much more “gross income” than their counterparts in UAE, the quality of life is better, raising a family is easier and more predictable but the rat race is becoming as bad as the west.

Can anyone who is familiar with both lifestyles attest to this?

Really only paid 20K oer month?

This is equiv of approx 75K US$ per annum. if you think about no tax you'd have to be earning anywhere betweeen 100 and 130 per annum in the US to match this, and that is for a doctor without the experience in this country

Good salary for a new graduate I'd say

actually it is about 65 USD but your point is still valid, it ain't half bad but if our friend is coming here with huge student loans it may not be enough.

I know when I got accepted into Berkley medical my education costs were well over 100k/year, then I realized you make way more fixing machines then people

plus the machine can't sue your ass if you fuk up

If you haven't done so already, look into the medical malpratice insurance situation in the UAE.

I'm not a doctor, but I do know that doctors in the states usually have to shell out a lot for insurance coverage.

From what I've heard foreign nurses mostly get paid very low salaries here. So, the salaries for doctors might also be low by US standards.

hi folks--guess im a littlelate on this one having been away.however the previous post hits the nail on the head.docs in us are paid more because they have to factor in a large malpractice insurance premium payout--more than 100k a year in some specialities--25-50 k is the norm.besides that when u consider the tax rates even a 400 k salay( which acc to my experience in us is earned only by a few at the top of their fields or freelance consultants) would whittle down to 250 k after basic taxes and 200k after a 50 k malpractice ins premium payout.consider other expenses for health insurance social security payments and personal household expenses in a major us city and it would take away another 75 kwhich leaves a saving of around 100 k which is excellent but remember we are talking about the top bracket.for a doc with even 10 yrs exp it is about half that or less which translates to a saving of less than 50 k per yr.and all this is not inclusive of home mortgage payments.
i guess even though dubai is much less attactive even after considering no taxes mainly bec of rise in cost of living(read rentals)still we find western expats even americans coming here.the reasons may vary from less legal hassles, less competition,joining a spouse or just a temporary change of environment.guess u guys could throw some light on the reasons for coming.

well this sucks if the reasons we get doctors to come here is the less legal hassle. This means we are getting the rubbish doctors who are more likely to f-up .. errr thanks but no thanks ... i would rather doctors be paid more and have a higher quality of doctors here...