Reflection on the Interview with Dr. Samrawit
Reflection on the Interview with Dr. Samrawit by Hakim and Gratitude to Physicians
By: Shimels Hussien Mohammed (PhD)
Public Health Faculty, SPHMMC
The interview Dr. Samrawit by Hakim is truly moving and heart touching. I commend Hakim for hosting such a candid and insightful conversation with an honest, wise and intellectual professional.
This interview reflects the realities faced by many professionals in Ethiopia. If there is anyone to feel ashamed of it, it is the country itself for wasting its best minds.
Dr. Samrawit is a woman of many qualities. Dr. Abraham is a skilled interviewer, much like a seasoned journalist. I learned a lot of life lessons from the interview.
However, when advising younger generations, it’s crucial to consider the broader perspective and maintain a hopeful outlook. While challenges exist, there are also opportunities for positive change. Thus, I offer the following caution, as the video has the potential to influence future generations:
- The low pay for medical doctors in Ethiopia is attributing to the country’s broken system rather than the field itself. Dr. Samrawit advises young people that medicine may not lead to a decent income and life in Ethiopia. While her point is valid in the local context, it might misrepresent the global perspective.
Medicine is a highly esteemed and well-rewarded profession worldwide. I’ve witnessed firsthand the respect and compensation it commands in many countries. It is just that Ethiopia, being one of the poorest countries, struggles to reflect this value.
- The suffering in Ethiopian medical schools is also not primarily due to the field itself but rather to the deeply flawed medical education system.
I studied at 4 universities (two Ethiopian, one European, and one Asian). In the Netherlands, for example, they follow a flat structure in academia. Teachers and students have a friendly and equal level relationships. Students address teachers just by their first names (using titles is weird there). They share the same common spaces, such as cafes and restrooms.
In Iran, teachers often stand up to welcome students to their classes and even offer refreshments. On the contrary, Ethiopia’s medical education system is overly hierarchical, backward and authoritarian. In my understanding, the primary reasons for this are the extremely poor teaching quality and flawed modeling.
Most Ethiopian medical teachers lack proper training in teaching methodology. They became teachers primarily due to their higher GPA, without checking any pedagogical training and skills.
Additionally, many of these teachers were themselves educated in Ethiopia’s hierarchical system, perpetuating a cycle of disrespect and intimidation. I would say the most terrorizing are the ones who are made in Ethiopia A to Z.
- Remember that the situation in Ethiopian medical schools is not unique. Many other professions in Ethiopia face similarly dire circumstances. For instance, PhD holders earn significantly less after completing their PhD studies than they did during their studies. A friend of mine who holds PhD and edited this document told me his current salary is almost 30 times lower than what he used to get while doing his PhD in Denmark. He is surviving on his savings from his student days.
- Remember, there are many people who hold their physicians in the highest regard. When faced with ingratitude, a challenging system, or feelings of disappointment, remember the countless patients who are deeply grateful for your care. The media often focuses on negative and extreme stories, but there are countless positive experiences that go unnoticed.
- Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to all healthcare workers in Ethiopia who are dedicatedly serving their communities in public health facilities, often without adequate compensation.