Letter from Hong Kong - #16

A visit to the doctors office in Hong Kong is an experience, but of course not one I recommend simply because I hope, when you are here, you do not need a doctor. In any case I ate something that I should not have and everything that I put into my mouth for two days came running out of me within an hour or so!

Our hotel recommended a medical center here in the mall just outside our hotel. The lady indicated that many of their staff went their and were satisfy. The doctor I saw had a M.B. B.S. from Hong Kong University (HKU), which I think is a medical degree generally awarded to schools in the United Kingdom and countries such as Hong Kong and India, who were formerly colonies. The training for this degree, I am not completely sure, but I do not think it is extensive as the M.D. training in the States. I believe the M.B. B.S has about six years of training and some internship but not residency requirement.

Anyway the doctor I saw spoke very little English, which was surprising since I thought that the courses in medicine at HKU were giving in English. This gentleman was around sixty so maybe the requirements when he was in school was different.

Anyway the big, big difference in seeing a doctor here and in the States was getting all the medications as you leave his office and not have to go to a drug store with a prescription. Yeah, the doctor is a doctor and a druggist!

When I left I had four medications: ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic approved in 1983 by USDA but has some serious side effects (Tendinitis, sun sensitive to mention a few, but I guess all drugs have side effects),Dhamotil, Panadol, and Kaopectate. The total cost to see the doctor and for the medications: HK$350 which is about US$45.

Summation: I was very fortunate to have Jenny with me to translate or I would have been in trouble at the doctor's office! Today is the start of the second day after seeing the doctor and although I think my diarrhea is better I'm not out of the woods yet!