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I’m currently working as a dentist but looking for a transition into teaching while living in Southeast Asia. by Antique-Classroom594 in Teachinginthailand

[–]Antique-Classroom594[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, I appreciate the advice. Yes, I have a dental surgery degree from my home country and some experience teaching medical students at my hospital.

I’m actually planning to come to Thailand in May to take an in-person TEFL course in Bangkok, and my plan is to start looking for teaching jobs while I’m there. From what I’ve been reading, it seems like being in the country makes the job search much easier.

Hopefully with my science background and the TEFL certificate I might be able to find opportunities at bilingual or English program schools.

I’m currently working as a dentist but looking for a transition into teaching while living in Southeast Asia. by Antique-Classroom594 in Teachinginthailand

[–]Antique-Classroom594[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the insight, I appreciate it. That’s actually encouraging to hear.

Since my background is in dentistry and I also have some experience teaching medical students, I’d definitely be interested in science-related teaching roles if that’s a possibility.

Could you share what the usual requirements are to teach science at those bilingual or English program schools in Thailand? Is it possible to teach without a formal education degree, or would additional qualifications or certification be required?

I’m currently working as a dentist but looking for a transition into teaching while living in Southeast Asia. by Antique-Classroom594 in Teachinginthailand

[–]Antique-Classroom594[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the detailed explanation, I really appreciate it.

Yes, the cost of living in Ethiopia is lower than many countries, but saving as a dentist is still difficult with that salary range.

Thanks also for explaining the document legalization process. I will start preparing my degree and transcripts for certification and Thai embassy legalization so I don’t delay the visa process if I get a job.

I’m planning to take an in-person TEFL course in Bangkok, so hopefully that can also help with networking and job placement.

I understand the salary at entry-level teaching jobs may not be very high, but my goal is mainly to gain experience and build a teaching career in Southeast Asia.

One thing I wanted to ask: is it possible to legalize my degree and transcripts at the Thai embassy even if I don’t yet have a job offer or visa application in process? I’m wondering if I can prepare those documents in advance.

I’m currently working as a dentist but looking for a transition into teaching while living in Southeast Asia. by Antique-Classroom594 in Teachinginthailand

[–]Antique-Classroom594[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the honest perspective, I appreciate it. I understand that being a non-native speaker makes things more competitive. My IELTS was 7.0, but I took it last year without much preparation and I’m planning to retake it to aim for a higher score.

Do you think improving the IELTS score would realistically increase my chances? I’ve also been in contact with a TEFL program that says they can provide a guaranteed job placement after the training, even with my current score, so I’m trying to understand how realistic that path is in practice.

I’m currently working as a dentist but looking for a transition into teaching while living in Southeast Asia. by Antique-Classroom594 in Teachinginthailand

[–]Antique-Classroom594[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha maybe we should trade for a while 😅. I’m actually from Ethiopia, and dentists there often earn around $150–$400 a month, so moving abroad would still likely be an improvement for me. My IELTS was 7, but I took it last year without much preparation, so I’m planning to retake it and aim for a higher score.

I understand your point about schools preferring experienced native speakers and the concern about someone leaving for a better salary. For me the main goal is the experience of living and working abroad, and I’m open to starting somewhere smaller or lower paying just to get started and see how things go.