Both daughters had to go through the first year of Med school even though they knew they’d never make it as doctors, lost year for them and a huge waste of money for the state.
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Quick update,
The other doctors don’t have waiting lists and others over 10k consider we are too far away. So for now it’s 25k or nothing.
Stay healthy!
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We will try…actually having googled exactly where she is my guesstimate was wrong as in reality she’s 34k away
No longer the case since parcours sup came in. About time too.
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Blimey, 10 kms too far away? 
Surely that’s nothing in the countryside. So what are you supposed to do if you can’t get out? Ring SAMU or the Pompiers I suppose. 
Our doctor is 15 kms from us although there is a nearer, larger, cabinet at about 5 kms. We signed up with him in the first place for several reasons, all on recommendation. He spoke a little English, he was non judgemental about smoking etc., but most of all he had no appointment system.
As my experience of appointments in England, with vets here and the other cabinet were very poor (always kept by me, never by them) it was a no brainer and we have been with him for 20 years now. He even came out on a visit once for Fran and called the pompiers as soon as he saw her.
From personal experience of a traumatic time, in our village… some years back…
I would suggest phoning the Pompiers in a genuine emergency situation (heart attack/whatever), rather that SAMU …
In my experience, unless you are very persuasive, the SAMU won’t come out directly until pompiers have been anyway.
For things that are in need of medical advice, but not at the level of needing the pompiers, then don’t forget the médicin du garde service. Our GP is very clear that she does not provide an out of hours service , and expects people to use the médicin du garde (like the pharmacies du garde). The number varies so you need to look it up for your area, or often leaflets in pharmacy
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ha ha… I was asked to arrange a M de Garde for an elderly Brit… many years ago…
She had phoned me in a panic and I rushed to her home… she seemed very ill and I made the call and stayed until he arrived… since she spoke no French…
When he did come, she transformed into “hostess of the year” laughing-off the “health problem” which had been so urgent only an hour before… and I felt a complete fool… 
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Sadly, if someone has already contacted SAMU… the pompiers will not take the case…
Brits in our village discovered this, the hard way… and now everyone here has taken that on board.
Pompiers are the tops… and I have no qualms giving them a good donation every year.
I agree with that, but
Sadly, if someone has already contacted SAMU… the pompiers will not take the case…
Not with that. 
When my wife had her first stroke I phoned SAMU, then my neighbour who had been a pompier. He told me always ring pompiers not SAMU and then rang the pompiers himself to find that SAMU had already phoned them anyway. They soon arrived and, after doing a lot of tests, whisked her off to Perigueux.
I can only speak from my own experiences…
as do you…
it is clear that our experiences differ
It is also very true that since the disastrous incident, no-one in our commune will touch SAMU…
That’s good to hear… I’d hate to think that the (frankly, bad) SAMU treatment my neighbour received was “nationwide”.
edit: of course, it’s always possible that the family doc made a complaint, thus forcing SAMU to hot up their gameplan… 
The only advantage with SAMU that day was that the person spoke English, always handy at times of stress, but it wouldn’t necessarily be widespread. Nowadays my first phone call is to the neighbour, they do the rest even, I think ringing their mates at the local station to short circuit the system. And for strokes and heart attacks that is very handy too, as well as himself being a first responder anyway. 
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In many places the red cross do first aid courses, which I heartily recommend. Obviously not at the moment! but once we are back to something better approaching normality I hope they will be available again. I know some people are reluctant as then gives as responsibility to stop and help when you may not wish to, but if you live more than 15 minutes from pompier access it could be a life saver. So for anyone that hasn’t taken a first aid course do think about it as your treat for next year.
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Our youngest two are part-time pompiers and there is an unwritten rule - call them first and if they don’t have the medical authority to deal with a patient then they call SAMU. We experienced this first hand a couple of years ago whilst at a clients house. A delivery guy tripped and fractured/dislocated his ankle, the pompiers were called but after making the guy comfortable it was decided that he required serious pain relief which they were not authorised to administer so SAMU were called which unfortunately took some time, felt sorry for the guy because he was only 15 minutes from the hospital yet had to wait 45 minutes for the SAMU ambulance, bonkers if you ask me.
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We had a great first aid class run by our local Pompiers, all in French, (naturally), but slowed it down to make sure we understood,. Important, informative and also fun. If they offer them in your area, please go.
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Our local pompiers know their way to our house blind-folded I reckon… been here so many times… for OH and for me.
Fabulous folk, all of them. 
Even came for me through a blizzard, one year. That was fun… they had snow socks on their tyres… which I’d not seen before. Almost made me forget the pain, while they were talking me through how the socks fitted/worked… and of course… I saw the ease they could be removed when we came to the main road (no snow)…
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I live in Saint Sauvant 86600, a doctor started up in our village 3 months ago. Dr MURARIU Ioana tel: 0516837644. It might be a bit far for some of you, but I thought I’d let you all know.
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