A radiology business in Dominican Republic

Hello,
I would like to open a radiology business in Dominican Republic.I would like to know what should i watch out for or know. Are there grants available? I live in the USA.

Evelen

Hi Evelen,

Welcome to Expat.com! :)

I have moved your topic on the Dominican Republic forum for better visibility.

Best of luck,
Christine

I see you have posted several different medical company type threads.  First NO there are no grants available here for you. 

It doesn't seem like you know very much about this country. Tell us more about you.  Why do you want to open medical facilities here?  What kind of funding do you have or not have? Do you know anything about this country? What area are you looking to live?

Understand that the medical industry is complex!

With more info we might be able to help you.

Coming from Belgium, I know the Dominican Republic very well , visiting the country each year and sometimes twice a year for 10 years now. I've come to the choice to leave Europe and establish in Samana, probably near Las Terrenas. I am also a Radiologist and I am looking for a job in the neighborhoods, do you know if there is a need for this profile and which private or public actors are present. My aim is of course to find a job in my field to earn my life but also to be involved in developping a good level of medical care with local colleagues and to try to combinate private and public practice to help people. I conceive this change in my life as a way be involved in this dynamic, quickly changing optimistic economy that RD is. I know that there are a lot of private radiologic centers in RD but samana seems preserved, maybe with the opening of the new airport and growing of tourism industriy the market will grow and these actors will have to find new people to work for them. I have enough private funds to open my business but prefer team working with dominican people. Public hospitals for part time working are not a problem even if I know they do not have good reputation.

Do you have any information on that topic ?

First off you would need a medical lic. here in the DR to even try to do what you are planning. This is a 2-3 year process and requires you to take boards over again and serve a 2 year internship. Probably more boards and training for you specialty on top of that.
Second your Spanish better be very good
Third you will be best served if you have a Dominican doctor working with your to make facility lic much easier and to smooth road with the local Dominican doctors.
Fourth there are multiple hospital and free standing radiology centers all over the place.
Fifth visiting here is much different than living here full time
My suggestion if you really want to do this is come for a year and explore all the above.
Not to be pessimistic, as I have been down this road but I don't see this as a successful venture

Bob K

Thank you for your answer and for these informations, I appreciate.

First let me welcome you to the forums!!!  I  agree with Bob on this, he is our medical  go to guy here on this forum.  He knows more about the ins and outs of this field.

Also, Bob correct me if I am wrong,  radiologists don't make much money!  Not like you are used to for sure!  And trying to do this in Samana  makes it even more difficult.  Come down to visit for 6months and get a real feel for things, then make a decision about moving here permanently!

Sure I will do, and as I am pragmatic perhaps I will take the opportunity to turn my life to another professional orientation when I will discover how real life is after 6 month in Samana. Nevertheless thank you for your input, really.

You are welcome and most doctors here do not earn much money unless they:
work for the government
do no accept insurance
work as a plastic surgeon ( and there are 5 bad one of those for every good one)

Bob K

and Samana does have a radiology unit albeit small, for anything 'serious' people generally are sent to Santo Domingo.  Also remember that while there are many ex-pats in the Samana Peninsula, the community is mainly comprised of local Dominicans who only go to a doctor or the free clinic here if it is absolutely vital as they cannot afford treatment