SA doctors in Melbourne

[OzDreams]

I have no problem trying my utmost to help if someone asks for a good doctor or medical center in Melbourne, there are many good ones but why does it have to be a South African one?

So to me it is quite insulting for someone to ask for a South African doctor specifically as there are good and bad South African doctors, just like there are good and bad Australian / Chinese / Indian doctors here in Australia. What could be the reason for asking for a South African doctor, except to try and get a prescription for (mostly) unnecessary medication?

But that is just my personal opinion.

OK Sibella, since you ask so sincerely I'll add some more reasons then:

1. Specific populations tend to share genetics and hence they have similar medical problems. A fat, diabetic American patient that goes to see an Ethiopian doctor in Ethiopia will probably be treated differently when he/she sees an American doctor who has dealt with fat, diabetic Americans all his/her life. Closer to home, despite the fact that I've made peace with my BMI of about 17 (I'm a real bony ass), my previous cholesterol count was 9 (can't remember the unit of this measure) - in other words twice what it's supposed to be. Familial hypercholesterolaemia is pretty common in SA and our GPs see patients just like me all the time, a foreign doctor might have no experience of dealing with this issue.

2. As you say, South African doctors do have certain practices that is maybe different to those of the docs in other worlds. A negative example includes over-prescription of antibiotics. There will probably be positive examples too. Regardless, the medical history of a South African patient might make more sense to an ex-SA GP. The GP might understand things stuff like why a patient had an op for reflux (also a negative example, I'm afraid, as these ops are usually a terrible idea!) and is likely to understand the long-term effects of treatments that are common in SA.

3. I believe that docs in SA used to get pretty good training. If you get to see a middle-aged doctor who studied at, say Kovsies or Maties, you have a reasonable idea of what to expect. (A GP that practices right across the street from where we currently live studied at Kovsies 20 years ago and I think he's a complete ass, so I'm not saying you have any guarantees.) If the doc trained somewhere in Slovakia for example and then emigrated to Oz, it's more of a lucky packet, don't you think?

Seriously, I can think of a lot of very good reasons to see a South African doctor. (But I'm not saying I will be unhappy with seeing someone else should I be lucky enough to one day live in Oz. I don't think the original poster said that either, though.)

Edited September 5, 2013 by OzDreams

[Sibella]

OzDreams I think you have a misconception of what the doctors here are like. The ones I have taken my children to have been nothing but kind and gentle to my children (I have three). They all have toys both in the waiting room and in the consulting room and our favourite one has a fish tank which makes waiting a bit easier. I have an excellent female GP (Australian I think but it does not really matter) who I go to for all my female stuff, but to be honest the doctors at this practice are all good.

I also visit a new Superclinic which bulkbills and stays open late and have had outstanding service there as well. I just rang them to find out if they can fit in my two kids for travel vaccinations tomorrow morning and they said yes just bring them along at the same time as my appointment.

Also recently visited the Royal Melbourne Children's Hospital and this is world class - they have a cinema, huge aquarium, park and playrooms for the children - I have never seen anything like it.

So far the medical care we received is world class and mostly free or highly subsidized by the government so to me it makes the fact that I cannot see a South African doctor immaterial.

[OzDreams]

Hi Sibella,

It is nice to hear that you've had such positive experiences with Aussie docs! I have never been to Oz, so I have no personal experience of the docs there. I'm sure the original thread poster would have been very grateful for the answer if you responded with your experience to the original question.

I'm not trying to be difficult by arguing the point of the original poster, I'm just saying I don't think the question was idiotic or unjustified. If the poster said they've run out of antibiotics and the candy store doesn't want to sell them more without a prescription, then negative answers would have been more justifiable.

Anyway, the poster seems to have decided it's easier to go without the 'support' of us on the forum. But maybe a bit more open-mindedness towards questions in future would be a good idea.

[Mikej]

if the person doesn't strike her as weird in an anti-Christ type of way

Can moderators please do something about this type of bigotry on the forum. Why are non-Christians weird? Do you tell your children that non-Christians are weird? If you do then you are setting them up for tough times in Australia.

[Search]

Mikej, tsek jou duiwel kind.

[OzDreams]

Can moderators please do something about this type of bigotry on the forum. Why are non-Christians weird? Do you tell your children that non-Christians are weird? If you do then you are setting them up for tough times in Australia.

Relax. Lots of my friends are non-Christian, but they don't LOOK scary. Sorry if I offended though, it was unintentional.

My tot might find the most devoted Christian weird in an antiChrist type of way - if he (or she) has the wrong type of beard, smells of chilli or looks strange to her for whatever random reason. It was just a saying, which was obviously not thought through well enough. Apologies.

Edited September 5, 2013 by OzDreams

[rozellem]

Wow

Is it just me or can other people also not smell chilli as such. I mean I can taste it, but not smell it.........

Edited September 5, 2013 by rozellem

[Mikej]

Relax.

Quite right I will.

Your comment and gave me the opportunity to keep you Christians on your toes and remind you that there are other types of people in the world.

[OzDreams]

Quite right I will.

Your comment and gave me the opportunity to keep you Christians on your toes and remind you that there are other types of people in the world.

You Christians? But I do understand where you're coming from. I grew up in the NG Kerk and was taught that non-Christians are incapable of true love, joy, integrity, etc. It's not a mistake I intend to transfer to my own children. They're free to choose their own paths.

[Rhino1]

Wow, this thread has covered just about all subjective topics. I see we are on religion now... Who's going to talk about sex next before this ends in the cooler?

[Sibella]

I wanted to mention that a three year old would be too young to be prejudiced towards a doctor from Pakistan but I didn't want to bring race into this as well. Ooops!

[Sunnyskies]

I haven't been on the forum for a while for the reasons mentioned - just needed a break. Fully agree just don't respond if you don't agree.

But to respond on the question, we went through a phase in the beginning where we sought out SA doctors. It wasn't to get antibiotics, but more in an effort to get the same type of treatment that my old house doctor used to give us. I really struggled with the sausage machine some of the clinics operate and that you don't have a house doctor who knows everyone in the family. Got over it, as I also had some of the worst treatment from the only SA doctor I actually saw in Melbourne. Took me 4 years and about 6 doctors later, but have finally found a doctor group I like.

My advice keep on moving until you find someone or a clinic you like.

[OzDreams]

I wanted to mention that a three year old would be too young to be prejudiced towards a doctor from Pakistan but I didn't want to bring race into this as well. Ooops!

I know that kids are all supposedly born without colour perception, but my boy screamed blue murder the first time he saw a really dark-skinned face after we moved to Limpopo from Cape Town. Quite embarrassing, yes, and throw stones at me now all you like, but my kiddos seem pretty scared of the unknown and unfamiliar. Call it prejudice if it makes you happy. Little boy had the same reaction when he first saw a seriously obese (white, if you must know) family friend (male, Rhino, male ).

But seriously, I'm still sitting in SA - Oz is only a dream still - and I cannot tell you how tired I am of all this old racism crap. I know, I know, you're allowed to say you like/love having a black skin, but saying you enjoy being white makes you a racist. I know the drill. Anyway, as mentioned ... so sick of this. *pukes*

[Sibella]

OzDreams I am sorry, I was just joking with you!

Also we left South Africa a long time ago, and lived in the UK for nearly five years and the health system here is better than the NHS (to me personally) even though it is not free like the NHS. Also I can't even remember what the doctors in SA were like which is why it is strange to me to understand why it would be important. But I'm sure if I had just arrived I might have felt the same.

Also another thing I appreciate about living both in the UK and Australia is that the weight of racism is lifted from your shoulders and everyone is exactly the same and it is wonderful. Yes there are still extremist weirdos around but overall everyone lives in harmony together and appreciates each others differences.

Today at the little group I take my toddler too there were Chinese, Greek, Italian, South African (excluding me) and Brazilian moms and toddlers.

I think only two or so Aussies, and I just love hearing the different languages and peeking in their little lunch boxes to see what treats they pack for their littlies.

So again changing the topic but just to say relax, it will all work out in the end if you are open minded and go with the flow.

[OzDreams]

Wow

Is it just me or can other people also not smell chilli as such. I mean I can taste it, but not smell it.........

I've previously worked with two guys that like eating lots of chilli and they also smelled incredibly strange. They were Chinese though, so maybe it wasn't the chilli? Anyway, the other programmers ended up refusing to do two-per-keyboard and -cubicle, Agile-style peer-programming because of those two.

[OzDreams]

So again changing the topic but just to say relax, it will all work out in the end if you are open minded and go with the flow.

Thanks Sibella. Appreciated. Your world sounds awesome in many ways. I really hope we get to go there too.

[HansaPlease]

I've previously worked with two guys that like eating lots of chilli and they also smelled incredibly strange. They were Chinese though, so maybe it wasn't the chilli? .

Oh crumbs, now this thread has seen it all. I think we still have a couple of groups to work through... I'll pick on the disabled, maybe somebody else wants to cover gay people?

Oh, and lawyers!

[AndreaL]

Oh my

I'm glad everyone is keeping it civil.....OzDreams I also pricked up at the "anti-Christ" bit (BTW what does an anti-christ person look like lol............are you really serious that a church taught that non-Christians are incapable of love, joy, integrity?....................far out, that is so messed up.

I also laughed when you said about your childs reaction to a person of colour...........I'm thinking, but wait, you live in South Africa..........there are about 40 million people of colour....

HansaPlease..........while we're at it, politicians, bogans, people who are famous for being famous

.............I wonder if I smell funny.........

[HansaPlease]

Ooh, ooh, I'll do bogans!!

[Lyn]

Moderators can you please ban posts like the above. I am a bogan and proud of it !

[HansaPlease]

Moderators can you please ban posts like the above. I am a bogan and proud of it !

Moderators, please can you ban bogans!

(Admittedly, I drank cask wine a couple of weeks ago so I can hardly point fingers...)

Moderators, please can you ban bogans!

(Admittedly, I drank cask wine a couple of weeks ago so I can hardly point fingers...)

....AND I went to the shops in my tracksuit pants...

[AndreaL]

Ooh, ooh, I'll do bogans!!

Do you DO bogans before or after your cask...............and do you wear Ugg boots with your Trackie Daccs.............these are important issues.

Sorry Lyn....you'll have to un-bogan yourself.............no bogans allowed on this site

[Nessa]

Did no one notice that the original poster gave his first language as Afrikaans? Maybe he just found he had trouble communicating with the doctors he had tried visiting. It's hard enough talking about your embarrasssing health concerns to a stranger without it being in your second language with the other person struggling to understand your accent and the nuances of how you express yourself.

Let's just be kind.

[AndreaL]

You're right, I have a friend here that goes to a South African Dr because she can speak Afrikaans, she's lovely, likes Australia, has many friends, but that is her little comfort thing.

I also thought that depending on the persons situation and something I have personally seen......is that Australians are not always aware of how life in RSA can be, take someone accessing a psychologist or the like due to PTSD caused by witnessing trauma (like a loved one shot), a South African psychologist is going to be familiar with this type of trauma and be more familiar with PTSD focused treatment...where here in Australia there are only a few places and professionals that are...

I realise I am making assumptions, but none of us know why the poster wanted a particular Dr and are in no place to judge

[Mara]

Andrea, you are so right, that is why I said in my first post, on this thread, that no questions are silly questions, to the person asking, it is important, we should treat it as such.

Now as for how this thread has now picked up on race, religion, bogans, sex, lawyers, etc.. amazining!

I have a better idea...lets just ban the moderators (hosts)....then we could really have fun here!

I have a meeting with a lawyer this weekend...mmmm....will tell you if it was good or bad on Monday!

Why do sharks not bite lawyers?

Professional courtesy!

(My son, who is a lawyer, loved that one)