Thread: Info on Healthcare Jobs in Spain?

My name is Sam and I have been trying to find some info on the Healthcare industry in Spain, I currently work as a Radiographer in Australia, although from what I can tell this profession doesn't seem to exist in Spain, but I could be wrong as information on European healthcare in general doesn't seem to be very easy to find. Does anyone have any info on allied healthcare jobs in Spain? (Radiography to be very specific, but am interested in hearing about other professions as well) (and I am currently learning Spanish).
Cheers

-Sam

Sam I have a couple of friends that work in the local hospital, the absolute first thing that will be needed is fluent Spanish especially for the profession that you are qualified in.

There are private practises that only speak English but in general these are just doctors.

Correct me if I am wrong but a radiographer is X-Rays, yes or no? If so there are private places that do this, I had to have an X-Ray last year and it was an apartment kitted out with machines. You get that a lot here you can buy an apartment and your next door neighbour is a dental surgery! Again though Spanish is a must!

Keep learning that Spanish and then I guess it would be a case of registering with the various health authorities for job vacancies...

Thanks for the reply Leisure2000. I have been looking into this a little bit, on the ministry of health website, and I can't seem to tell (could be because of the language barrier) if their is a profession in Spain known as "radiographer." I have easily found doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and the other usual ones, so I figure talking to someone who works in a hospital there would be able to tell me if there are radiographers (radiologic technologists as they are called in the USA) , and also if it is a profession in demand such that they would allow foreign workers to be hired? From what I have read online the main 2 streams of employment people use to get work permission and visas are "teaching english," or "tourist/seasonal jobs." Do you know if there is demand for healthcare professionals in Spain? There is always a shortage of doctors and nurses and radiographers etc. here in Oz, as well as in Canada and the US and UK, but I am not sure about the EU?

Also, I noticed that Barcelona hospitals (I looked at Hospital Del Mar) are in Catalan, do you reckon a healthcare worker would need to be fluent in Castellano and Catalan? I imagine one would in BCN, but thought I would ask. Cheers

-Sam

Hey Sam, generally speaking you have much greater chances if you speak Spanish in Spain, in Barcelona the same goes for Catalan.

Saying that I could imagine that your English would be valued in areas where there are many foreigners such as the Costa del Sol for example, nevertheless you'd still need to speak Spanish to talk to your colleagues at least?

I've also asked around a bit and found that most people say the job you are referring to is referred to as a "Radiólogo". How about working for a private clinic? One where English is widely spoken?

Hi Sam I don't work in the health sector so can't really comment too much without doing thorough investigation into it, however I have had a quick look on the internet and it appears that there is an Asociación de Radiólogos, however like most things in Spain its split into all the different provinces for example this is the Zamora region one:

IV Congreso de la Asociación de Radiólogos de Castilla y León, Cantabria y La Rioja

Each hospital seems to have its own web site and our local one the Hospital Costa del Sol also has an offers of employment section, like most Spanish web sites the link doesn't appear to work!

:: PORTAL HCS ::

Private hospital wise and this might get you some answers to your questions we have next door to where I live a new "Hospiten" private hospital. Web site also in English and you can send your CV and apply for jobs online.

Hospiten

The state hospitals do employ foreigners but fluency in Spanish is obviously paramount as it will be in a private hospital although in certain areas like the Costa del Sol they will look for bi and tri-lingual employees, its not just English people that have invaded this place

Thanks for that, I actually did a little more searching with that term you gave me and found that Radiographer is "técnico radiólogo," I will do some searching with that term and see what comes up. Also, I am learning Spanish, slowly but surely, and I figure that I won't actually be reaching any level of fluency until I jump in the deep end and am in a place where I have to practice and make lots of mistakes all of the time. Pero, tienes razon que necesito comenzar en un lugar donde hablan engles, asi que primero voy a ver en esos lugares. Muchas gracias por ayudarme. (I hope that made sense, got to practice sometime aye?)

Saludos

-Sam

Originally Posted by sber6415

Pero, tienes razon que necesito comenzar en un lugar donde hablan engles, asi que primero voy a ver en esos lugares. Muchas gracias por ayudarme. (I hope that made sense, got to practice sometime aye?)

Hey Sam, make sure you check out the Spanish speaking forum section, there you can test out your Spanish skills

Hi and welcome, I have had the misfortune to have been attending our local hospital here a little west of Sevilla, for months now, and have had numerous x-rays and a MRI scan done there. They have a big area set aside for it and always seems busy no hours long queues. The staff appear to be mostly spanish and have a little English. Good luck with your researching and move if/when it happens.

Originally Posted by sber6415

I won't actually be reaching any level of fluency until I jump in the deep end and am in a place where I have to practice and make lots of mistakes all of the time.

Don't say that at your interview to be in the medical profession