Samir says doctors are not valued in Iraq despite their skills

But they are finding the decision harder than they expected.

BBC News Online spoke to Samir Ali, a 29-year-old doctor specialising in urology at the city's al-Yarmouk hospital, who faces this dilemma.

While he sees only limited opportunities available to him within Baghdad, he is reluctant to leave his mother and sister, fearing for their safety.

This is his story.

I am hesitating about leaving Iraq. Because of my family.

All over it is not safe to live in Baghdad.

Many Iraqis are resentful because they think that the brilliant ones are leaving because they are the best and can find jobs abroad

The most dangerous part is the travelling. It is safer in the hospital.

It's not just money, we here need a man in the family, women can't do everything.

My mother and sister - they don't want me to leave, they don't accept the idea at all.

I'd like to be in an Arab country or at least a Muslim one, this is a primary idea because it is so near to my cultural background, really I am a committed Muslim and I want to continue like this.

Most of my colleagues have travelled to Europe and America to marry their relatives there and get the visa or green card to get out of Iraq.

Most went before the war, although a few of them returned back after it - their mothers wanted them in the family again.

I am the only son of my mother.

My father died when I was one-year-old, I mean so much to her so I cannot let her down.

'Iraqis are resentful'

Doctors need to be valued in the community for what they do. This is not the situation here.

For my family, it's so, so hard, they are so emotional - my mother says 'stay here' even if we have to 'eat bread and water'

People here think that doctors are no longer interested in treating them, because of work overload and the fact is that there is a shortage of supplies.

Doctors can't do anything by themselves, we need medical supplies and instruments.

There is a misunderstanding between doctors and people here, so we face many problems.

Many Iraqis are resentful of doctors because they think that the brilliant ones are leaving because they are the best and can find jobs abroad.

People need some medical education so they know why some patients are delayed and others managed immediately.

A doctor has the right to take money because he and his family lives on this income.

We can't do our jobs just for humanity even though our job is concerned with human life.

Working struggle

Here doctors take about three US dollars for every patient they see, but it costs $200 per month just to rent a clinic.

Samir at work in the emergency wards of Yarmouk hospital in October 2003

As a doctor, I only make $200 a month which is not enough. This is the main reason why I am not married.

A simple governmental employee will earn more than me.

They give the salaries according to how long you have been in your job regardless of the speciality.

Here postgraduate students like me are not allowed to open clinics.

And to get my speciality this means two years more at least.

I want a good salary so I can live without a clinic and so I can get enough time for my social activities.

At the moment there are only four things I can do - work, study, chatting with my friends on the internet and watching TV.

Because I have to travel in Baghdad, it needs a lot of time now as it is so crowded and unsafe and hot. It is hard to visit friends.

Mother's plea

I have to decide now. I have no extra time, I am really thinking of what to do next.

But for my family, it's so, so hard.

They are so emotional - my mother says "stay here even if we have to live on bread and water".

I hope she will understand my decision. It is a major sin in Islam to harm your mother feelings.

I need her prayers. But she thinks with her heart not her brain.

She insists I get married and I can hardly change the subject when she starts talking about this.

She wants to see her grandsons.