Thousands Rally in Taipei for Tougher Scrutiny of Foreign-trained Doctors and Dentists
On Sunday, around 2,000 people, including a large number of medical professionals, gathered in Taipei to demand stricter regulations on foreign-trained medical and dental graduates who wish to practice in Taiwan. The protest, organized by the Taiwan General Dental Practitioners Association (TGDPA), came after concerns over the growing number of Taiwanese medical practitioners who earned their degrees abroad.
The demonstration, which took place in front of the Legislative Yuan, saw participation from lawmakers across political parties, including the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). The march focused on calls for reforming Taiwan’s medical licensing system, specifically regarding “BoBo Doctors” (波波醫師) and “BoBo Dentists” (波波牙醫), who are trained in Eastern European countries and other regions with less stringent entry requirements.
Rising Concerns: The “BoBo Doctors” Debate
The term “BoBo Doctors” has recently gained prominence as a way to describe Taiwanese professionals who pursue medical degrees in Eastern or Southern European countries like Poland, Spain, and the Czech Republic. These students often turn to these institutions due to the high competition in Taiwan’s medical schools and take advantage of a legal loophole in Taiwan’s medical licensure process.
According to TGDPA President Huang Ying-chi, these foreign-trained professionals bypass Taiwan’s rigorous “academic certificate approval process,” allowing them to take the national medical exam with relative ease. Critics argue that the current system undermines Taiwan’s medical standards and raises questions about the quality of education received by these graduates.
The Government’s Response
In response to the growing concerns, Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced plans to make the certification process more stringent. New regulations will ensure that only graduates from accredited institutions are eligible to take the national exams, and degrees obtained through online or distance learning will no longer be recognized for this purpose. The move aims to restore confidence in Taiwan’s healthcare system and maintain high medical standards.
Views from Foreign-trained Doctors
Some foreign-trained doctors, however, believe these concerns are exaggerated. Colin Lin, president of the International Dental Union Alumni Association, who graduated from a Spanish dental school, emphasized that the Physician Examination has become much more challenging since 2018. Lin argued that foreign-trained candidates are not necessarily inferior to their Taiwanese counterparts, citing examples of exceptional graduates from European institutions who excelled in the national exams.
Public Support for Reform
Despite the debate, the majority of the protesters, including doctors, dentists, and healthcare workers, voiced their support for reforming Taiwan’s licensing system to ensure that all medical professionals meet Taiwan’s high standards. Many believe that this change is crucial for maintaining the quality of healthcare services and protecting the interests of local patients.
Taiwan’s Medical Licensure System: Current and Proposed Changes
| Current Process | Proposed Changes |
|---|---|
| Foreign-trained graduates bypass the “academic certificate approval process” for degrees from certain countries. | Exemptions for foreign degrees from non-EU countries will be removed. |
| Graduates can take the national exam using past questions, leading to concerns about exam integrity. | New exam formats with more varied questions to ensure fairness and rigor. |
| The “BoBo Doctors” system has led to growing public mistrust of foreign-trained professionals. | Stricter eligibility criteria for foreign-trained professionals to ensure qualifications meet Taiwanese standards. |
FAQ: Key Questions About the “BoBo Doctors” Issue
Q: What are “BoBo Doctors” and “BoBo Dentists”?
A: These terms refer to Taiwanese medical and dental professionals who have earned their degrees from schools abroad, particularly in Eastern Europe, such as Poland and Spain.
Q: Why are these foreign-trained doctors criticized?
A: Critics argue that these doctors and dentists bypass Taiwan’s rigorous medical certification process, which could lead to concerns about their qualifications and the quality of their education.
Q: How is the Taiwanese government responding to these concerns?
A: The government has announced plans to raise the bar for foreign-trained professionals, including more stringent reviews of foreign degrees and a tougher national exam.
Q: What do foreign-trained professionals think about the criticisms?
A: Some argue that the national exam has become more difficult in recent years, and that foreign-trained professionals are not necessarily less qualified than their Taiwanese counterparts.
