Lost in translation: 'I will, yeah' misunderstanding leads to call for better supports for doctors

A misunderstanding about the uniquely Irish phrase ‘I will, yeah’ has led a Sudanese doctor working in Cork to call for more cultural supports for newly arrived migrant doctors.

Dr Mohemed Elbadri was advising a patient about quitting smoking when some confusion arose.

“I had asked as a first question, ‘Are you willing to quit smoking,’ and he said, ‘I will, yeah’,” recalled Dr Elbadri.

“I was happy, I thought he was determined to quit smoking so I didn’t offer him anything (in support). When he came back three months later and I asked how was his journey with smoking cessation, he said, ‘I told you I will never stop.'” 

The patient then explained the nuances of this phrase, ‘I will, yeah’.

Dr Elbadri acknowledged the humour in the situation, but pointed out it could have been more serious.

Now in his fourth year working at My Cork GP, he said the more serious challenges stemmed from how different the Irish health system is compared with Sudan or with his previous experience in Ukraine.

“I would tell a patient that you are going to be referred and you will be seen soon,” he said.

“I didn’t realise they might not be seen by secondary care for two or three years, and I should be supporting them for all of that duration (of time).” 

 His visa allows him to bring his family with him. He travelled initially alone, arriving in March 2023.

“I moved myself firstly, I thought I would settle in first but two weeks after I moved in, a devastating war started in my country,” he said.

Instead of being separated for a few months, it was 18 months before he saw his family again.

“Luckily I had support from Irish society, Irish people, the doctors here, the nurses, and the staff, which was a good thing,” he said.

Speaking at the Irish Medical Organisation’s annual conference in Killarney, Dr Elbadri called on the IMO and other doctors’ groups, as well as the HSE, to better support newly arrived migrant doctors.

About 40% of HSE doctors trained abroad as did a growing number of GPs.