Saipan Tribune Article
"Six new doctors will soon be joining the medical staff at the Commonwealth Health Center early next year, according to Public Health Secretary Kevin Joseph Villagomez.
Most of the six physicians will come from the U.S. mainland, he said.
Three will be for internal medicine, two for pediatrics, and one for the emergency room. “We're now in the process of bringing all these physicians from the States, hopefully early next year,” he said."
This article seems to conflict with earlier reports of recruiting from the Philippines four days ago. That article stated " Untalan described all recruitment efforts as “ongoing” in both U.S. and Manila hospitals.
He said five potential doctors may soon join the hospital workforce if negotiations with Manila hospitals prosper.
“The extension will give us breathing room to recruit the people that we need,” he said, adding that the emergency declaration is a way to resolve the decade-old problem of manpower shortage at the lone hospital on island."
Are the Doctors coming from the U.S. or from the Philippines? And what does it mean exactly that they are "in the process" of bringing in all these physicians from the States? Are these J-visa graduates? If they are, it will take much longer than early next year, and if they are regular doctors, have they accepted a position or have they been offered a position, or do the over-the-cap salaries need to be approved first?
