New Pinckneyville Physician
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Dr. Salva Bilal won't have to overcome any language barriers when she begins practicing family medicine at Family Medical Center on Aug. 3. All of the classes were taught in English at the Catholic school she attended as a child.
She and her family may be dealing with a bit of culture shock, though. Dr. Bilal and her husband Syed Bilal Rafique and their sons Syed Mansoor and Syed Ahmad lived in Lahore, Pakistan before moving to Omaha, Nebraska where she recently completed a three year residency at Creighton University. Omaha (population 500,000) is about half the size of their hometown.
The move from a city of half a million to Pinckneyville would shock even the stoutest soul. Dr. Bilal and her family view the change from urban to rural as an adventure.
"The boys have found a new bug or animal every day we've been here," Dr. Bilal said, adding that her sons were even excited to see cattle in local pastures.
In Lahore, one might see horses pulling carts and family pets, but no livestock.
Though the abundance of countryside is a big change in environment, rural medicine in the United States is still far ahead of the medical facilities in rural Pakistani villages.
In larger cities, such as Lahore, newer hospitals have the same equipment that is available in the U.S. Patients at older hospitals have tests such as CT scans or MRIs done as outpatients.
Dr. Bilal said after her interview in Pinckneyville, she had no qualms about moving to such a small town.
"The people here were very encouraging and very friendly," she said.
She has already asked the Pinckneyville Hospital Board to extend her commitment to the town from three to five years. A five year commitment would allow her husband, a dentist, to receive a work visa through the National Interest Waiver program.
Dr. Rafique said earlier this summer that he hoped to get certified to practice dentistry in the United States.
The PCH board authorized Hospital Administrator Tom Hudgins to work out a five-year contract with Dr. Bilal.
She said she especially enjoys interacting with patients and is very interested in pediatrics and women's health.
Dr. Bilal said she played toy doctor kits as a child with her grandmother serving as her 'patient.' Playing doctor evolved into an ambition to become a real doctor.
"I wanted to help mankind and alleviate suffering," Dr. Bilal said. Luckily, her parents were able to provide her with private school education.
There are public schools in Pakistan, but private schools are better. The school system in Pakistan is a matriculation program similar to European schools. Progression to the next educational step is dependent upon performance.
"I was a topper in school," Dr. Bilal said, explaining that she got good grades. After completing tenth grade, she spent two years in an FSC (fellowship of science program), which is like high school here. She then went to University and from there to medical school.
She graduated from Fatima Jinnah Medical College in Lahore and completed her residency there before practicing in her hometown for several years. Dr. Bilal said that a desire to study more advanced medicine led her to apply and be accepted for residency at Creighton.
Dr. Bilal will take the next few weeks to finish unpacking her home then start settling in at the office. She begins seeing patients Aug. 3.
Next she will sit for her board testing in December. Licensed physicians can gain additional accreditation by becoming board certified. Family practice physicians have three years to prepare for the board testing after completing their training.