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Foreign Medical Practitioners in Mexico


Carnivore

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Is there any supervision or licencing of "medical" practitioners when they set up their practice here in Mexico? Are their supposed credentials "screened" or "verified"? Are they legally able to set up their business here? Have they registered their businesses and do they pay income tax here in Mexico? If not......why not? If you're required to pay cash and you don't receive official receipts then you are not dealing with a "reputable business". Be very careful you might also be putting your health at risk! If something goes wrong....who can you blame but yourself?

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Medical practitioners who wish to practice here are required to spend a certain amount of time doing public service before they are allowed to practice legally and are issued a license to do so. They must pay taxes and give official receipts or facturas. I know nothing about the regulatory agency responsible. If you don't get an official factura, you can bet the practitioner is not practicing legally, for some reason.

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Professionals here must have a professional cedula, if not then they are skirting the law and probably not paying taxes, etc. They can get their professional cedula here but they need to revalidate studies and do their community service plus any other courses. It is a rare foreigner who will do everything properly and get their papers done right here.

The process will easily take someone a year minimum and up to three years. I have a friend who is a renowned cardiologist in Guadalajara and his wife is from Spain and had her gynecological office there and she has spent one year on getting her cedula here and it looks like it will be another year to complete her servicio social and that is where they assign you, you could wind up in the boonies.

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Guest bennie2

there was (maybe still is) a dr. from US practicing here w/out that backround. he practiced out of @ a well known clinic & did prescribe the correct medicine. go w/your instincts.

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I would suggest that there are, here at Lakeside, chiropractic practitioners, some with highly "touted" spine treatment machines, fancy advertisements and supposedly factual testimonials are with little doubt, kidding somebody......perhaps themselves. It's only a matter of time before they'll get caught (or quickly leave town!) Rule of thumb: If you are not given an official "numbered" receipt then it's highly unlikely that your "practitioner" is legitimate! It should go without saying that if you want to put your health and well-being in the hands of someone who is not legally practicing then you will only have yourself to blame when something goes wrong! After all.....where will you take your complaint?

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The only three medical professionals from the US (born and or born and raised) in the Chapala area who have their cedulas are Victor Youcha, Santiago Hernandez and Sam Thelin. Victor is a Chiropractor and the others are doctors. If there are other please post AFTER checking to make sure they have their cedulas.

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Agree totally with Spencer and in addition, the certificates they show from the US, Canada etc could be printed out by anyone. If a professional such as nurse, doctor, chiropractor, architect etc went from Canada to the US everyone knows and expects them to get certified in the US and pay taxes and issue proper receipts. Here for some reason many come and set up shop with a simple certificate on the wall.

Teachers are to go through this process and obtain a cedula as I understand the process.

In addition all these "professionals" need the proper visa from INM allowing them to work. If a professional applies at INM for a lucrativa visa for say a nurse they must have a cedula first before INM will issue the visa. So, many just ignore these requirements. Unfortunately, they are patronized and enable by their clients.

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Guest bennie2

the dr i am speaking about was a real dr in the US. dont think he offically got certified to work here. he had another dr. stand behind him. maybe a friend of the family.

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the dr i am speaking about was a real dr in the US. dont think he offically got certified to work here. he had another dr. stand behind him. maybe a friend of the family.

I thought that is what happens at the LCS Dermatologist session..money goes to kids program , but does that make it kosher???

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The single and most important thrust of this post is to bring attention to the fact that there are "so called" medical practitioners here at Lakeside who are not registered to practice in Mexico. They are working illegally and are not paying taxes. What you pay them goes into their pocket. They are not paying taxes and should not be supported. Expats who live here and work legally contribute to the welfare of the community and country. If you patronize an Expat who is operating as a chiropractor, a dentist or any other person who suggests they are a licenced medical practitioner and they cannot produce a "CEDULA" then they are operating illegally and should be reported to the following web-site. http://www.sat.gob.mx/contacto/quejas_denuncias/Paginas/default.aspx

U.S. citizens who are working in Mexico should also be reported to the I.R.S. through the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara.

Bottom line. We're all required to continue to pay taxes regardless of where we live. So, why would you support someone who feels they are above having to do so? They're simply "SCAMMING" and are not good citizens here or where they came from! If something happens to go wrong as a result of the treatment you've paid for.........who are you going to complain to?

The reference in the post by "Lakeside 7" above is something totally different. To the best of my knowledge the retired doctors who give of their time and voluntarily provide "Skin Cancer Screening" at LCS. All of the money collected has been utilized to provide educational assistance to a great (and growing) number of Mexican children.

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This "Chiropractic Doctor " so to speak, ask him for his Cedula, or better yet check his status with immigration.

If he has not been qualified to practice here, then he shouldn't

Also if he is not paying taxes, in this Country that is so much in need, then he shouldn't be a working member of our community

Lowell Stephen Birch at Interlago behind the Pemex does not have a cedula profesional. I checked on the government website. Shame on him and shame on the Ojo Del Lago for printing his ad. Professionals are obligated to print their cedula profesional # on their advertisment, it's the law. Dr. Youcha's advertisment is the only other listing under "Chiropractic", he has this # on his ad. He earned his right to practice in Mexico, no small endeavor. Look for the D.G.P. Followed by 7 or 8 numbers on ad's for professionals, if it isn't there, ask for it.

I didn't check them all but the four legitimate Dr.s ad's in the Ojo that I did look at all had their D.G.P. In the ad. The Ojo Del Lago is aware of this law, it's a slap in the face to the legitimate medical professionals that pay to advertise in the Ojo. This in addition to all of the other reasons mentioned.

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I guess I just view things differently. I know some doctors that are fully licensed, board certified, etc that i wouldn't let them take my pulse. Licensing etc, IMHO is a waste of time and a way to keep people out of a profession. I'd much rather check around and see their results.

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Thanks for the good information. Now if only all Realtors were required to have a cedula. In the US and Canada they have professional licenses but not here. Actually, it would be a huge plus for their credibility if they organized themselves similarly.

I believe teachers need a cedula, can anyone please confirm.

Sonia

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Well, well I wondered if the Realtors would come under fire in this chat....and that is my question also....I doubt they all have cedulas....and their professionalism and attitude come under question Any info on them????

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Mexico has no official regulatory process for real estate brokers or sales people.

Doctors and other professional practitioners are required to have cedulas and foreigners practicing without them would be subject to INM regulations as well, with the possibility of deportation.

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A license or cedula is no guarantee that a practitioner is skillful in his profession. A practitioner in Mexico is required to work where the govt. sends them for a year. Many are sent to backwater places that have no medical care at all. Someone coming from the north needs to provide this service year also. I resent any practitioner who chooses to go around this requirement by setting up shop and accepting paying patients. I wouldn't be seen by such a person who tried to skirt to law and cheat Mexican patients out of a service year.

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True, a license is no guarantee but at least the person has done the process legally and has some sort of proven educational record and in theory can lose the license for misdeeds.

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