The great Romanian doctor drain

"In Romania, they have to take bribes to live decently. In the West, they make a fortune!" The front page of Cotidianul presents an alarming report on the exodus of Romanian doctors to France. Once they have entered the French system, Romanian doctors – who account for 12 % of France's foreign doctors and who often work on night duty for minimum salary — are taken to task for their supposedly inferior qualifications. At the same time in Romania, ["the doctor drain"](http://www.cotidianul.ro/franta_nu_mai_vrea_import_de_doctori_romani_pe_motiv_ca_ar_fi_slab_pregatiti-97594.html ""the doctor drain"") is perceived as a major threat to public health. Patients who are being deprived of treatment are powerless to halt the departure of the nation's medical professionals. In 2008, 2,000 out of a total of 40,000 doctors opted to leave the country. In some cases, 60 doctors have left the same hospital, leaving behind wages of approximately 400 euros per month for salaries that can be as much as ten times higher. French rural villages are offering hefty incentives, and those who are willing to set up a country practice can benefit from grants of as much as 60,000 euros.