Guangming Daily carried an article on the troubled situation that Chinese pediatricians face. First, Chinese pediatricians carry a higher risk than other medical professionals and are often blamed and misunderstood. Most of the patients are from a single child home. Pediatricians often have to deal with patients who are too young to describe their symptoms. Meanwhile their parents and grandparents on both the mother and the father’s side anxiously stand behind them, which creates extra pressure for the doctors. Second, there is a shortage of pedestrians in China and they are often overloaded with work. According to statistics that the National Health and Family Planning Commission published, the ratio of pediatricians to patients is 0.53 doctors for every 1,000 children compared with 0.85-1.3 in the U.S., Canada, and Japan. Each pediatrician has to see 17 patients a day, which is 2.4 times higher than other medical specialties. Lastly, the article said, pediatricians are not well compensated; they are underappreciated; and they have little opportunity to be promoted.
Source: Guangming Daily, July 18, 2016
http://health.gmw.cn/2016-07/18/content_20999288.htm