Miralem Jasarevic from Brcko received the award for the best young doctor, more precisely cardiac surgeon, at the congress in Paris.
He was born in 1992 and graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in Tuzla. After completing his studies, he received an invitation from the reference medical institutions in Germany, so he began his training in Bayern.
Staying in Bosnia and Herzegovina
He told how he felt when he received such an award, but also what it is like to build a career in European countries.
”Throughout my studies, I wanted to stay in Bosnia, I didn’t want to go abroad at all, nor did I want to study medicine abroad, let alone work. In the last two years of study, I saw how my colleagues were preparing to get a job. These were the children of local doctors and politicians who, of course, were not necessarily the best students,” Jasarevic begins his story.
He also adds that at some point he realized that without the “stela” (nepotism) he would not get a job in the desired place, because it was reserved for individuals.
”The conversation with the director of the hospital in Brcko was the icing on the cake. After months of waiting and being at the employment office, during which I had already received a job in Germany, I received an invitation for an interview. On my “hello” upon entering the office, I got, “Would you like to work here, fella?” A funny and tragic conversation, in which I was offered to work for three months, and then “we’ll see what happens“. I worked for those three months, because I was waiting for the papers for Germany and I wanted to make sure once again that leaving was the right option. And then I went to Germany,” Jasarevic told.
He also referred to whether there was any fear of leaving his country and family, and pointed out that there was no such thing, because Bosnians are great fighters and brave people by themselves.
”I think that every man should give his maximum when doing something. I am convinced that this is a noble goal and that it is not difficult to achieve it every day, despite real obstacles,” pointed out Jasarevic.
A gift to the clinic
There were no bad comments, says Jasarevic, and he adds that the possible reason why there were none is that he was doing a good job.
”There was one comment made by Jacob Heinz, former head of the Department of Cardiac Surgery in Essen. Describing the contribution of my sister and me, he said: ‘I would like to thank your parents because you are a gift to this clinic‘, that was a very nice comment from one of the most recognized cardiac surgeons in the world,” recalled Jasarevic.
Situation is the same
He also pointed out that he has not lived in Bosnia for several years, but that he would like at least something to change, because what he hears from his colleagues is very sad.
”Employment at university clinics is possible if you are the child of a doctor, politician, etc. The other people, if they get a job at all, they get it at local clinics, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It is bad not to put the best students and most competent colleagues in their desired positions. People who have someone to help them to get a job have an advantage. It is certainly disastrous for our system,” Jasarevic said.
Open path for growth
”In Germany, there is an open path for advancement, and if you work well, you will succeed. You have to work hard. Here, if you are a doctor, then you are a doctor who does his job, and not an appointed doctor of some party, who does not have his own opinion or is not allowed to express it,” pointed out Jasarevic, Avaz reports.
