One of the major advantages of being an active member of listservers, particularly international ones, is that I am in touch with leading colleagues around the world, and also I can learn about issues and think in ways that I would not otherwise have become aware of. I’ve had the chance to cross paths a few times with Dr […]
Category: Tiago Villanueva
Tiago Villanueva: Medical students should be guaranteed a job on leaving medical school
I’ve recently read with great interest the “for” and “against” debate in BMJ Careers on whether doctors should have a guaranteed job upon qualifying from medical school. It sounds reasonable that medical schools train the number of future doctors that is adequate to the needs of the population and that replaces the doctors that retire every […]
Tiago Villanueva: National health services are a great thing, particularly in times of financial austerity
Looking at my country’s national health service which is chiefly funded by taxes, from a user’s rather than from a provider’s perspective (or better, from a passive rather than from an active perspective), gives me plenty of food for thought. A relative of mine was recently admitted to the local hospital in very serious condition. They had not […]
Tiago Villanueva: Financial austerity and health in Portugal
Financial austerity in Europe has been a hot topic in the news lately. But the spotlight in Europe over the past few weeks has definitely been on a small and overlooked European country that is considered peripheral. Portugal, buried in debt, has just followed in the steps of Greece and Ireland by becoming the next country to […]
Tiago Villanueva: Does medicine cater for a truly “global” career?
I was inspired during medical school by Mark Wilson’s “Medics’s guide to work and electives around the world,” which conveys the core idea that medicine can be a “passport to the world.” But at first glance, I feel you can’t really compare a conventional medical career with the often apparently more glamourous careers in business, […]
Tiago Villanueva: Choose your trainer wisely
When choosing a specialty, many prospective trainees will thoroughly consider the location and the institution. This is self evident. If you can’t fare without the big city perks and comforts, you’re probably better off in London than in the Orkney islands. If living close to your family and friends is extremely important for you, perhaps […]
Tiago Villanueva: GPs are specialists too
In Portugal, general practitioners (GPs) are considered “specialists,” as general practice/family medicine is considered a specialty like any other hospital specialty. This is also the case in many other European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries. If there’s a more satisfying moment than qualifying from medical school, it must be finishing specialist training. Becoming a “specialist” […]