I arrived in France in 2001. Like many colleagues who graduated outside the European Union, I had to face the administrative and professional challenges related to the recognition of medical qualifications. Since 2004, the licensing procedure requires doctors trained abroad to pass a particularly selective exam, including knowledge assessments organized by the Ministry of Health, in order to practice in France.

In 2011, I took this competitive exam and passed with flying colors. The real challenge then became finding a job. Securing a position as a doctor proved particularly difficult, both due to the competition and the demands of the system. Despite these obstacles, I persevered to find my place within the medical profession. I am therefore a Malagasy doctor before being, today, fully a French doctor.

My arrival in Bourges marked a decisive step in my career, after a truly arduous journey. There, I met a very kind person who opened doors for me and allowed me to settle in the area. I started at the Taillegrain site, where I had my interviews in the geriatrics department. I then worked at the Jacques-Cœur site, before returning to Taillegrain, where I have now been practicing for ten years.

A major geriatric center in Taillegrain

In the heart of Bourges, nestled in the peaceful green setting of the Taillegrain estate, stands a unique establishment: both a place of care and a place to live, it welcomes elderly people experiencing a loss of autonomy or in convalescence. As the coordinating physician of the Taillegrain nursing home, I also manage the Long-Term Care Unit (USLD) and head the geriatric Rehabilitation and Continuing Care (SMR) service. In total, 248 beds—across all services—are under my responsibility.

Dr. Mireille Rajaobelison thus embodies a generation of doctors from elsewhere, committed to a humane, attentive, and community-based approach to medicine. "In geriatrics, it's not just about treating a disease, but about taking care of a person in all their complexity," confides the practitioner, her gaze gentle yet determined.

A vocation fueled by humanity

Caring has always been my calling, a true childhood dream. If I chose geriatrics, it's certainly because opportunities arose, but also because it's a rapidly evolving field at the heart of public health issues. It's an area where you support entire lives, where the essentials lie in attention, time, and listening. Perhaps it's also because my own parents are far away in Madagascar, and I can't care for them daily: geriatrics allows me, in a way, to pass on this compassion to the elderly I care for here.

I have the confidence of my management and I work within a multidisciplinary team, a stimulating environment that enriches my practice every day and reinforces my conviction that I am in the right place. I am also responsible for mentoring physicians who wish to pursue a career in geriatrics. I support and train young practitioners specializing in the care of the elderly, passing on expertise that combines medical competence and compassion, and sharing a demanding, humane, and modern vision of this essential discipline. I have never felt alone in my profession: I have always been supported and surrounded by my peers.

A service adapted to the rhythm of patients' lives

The Taillegrain gerontology center has approximately 248 beds, including inpatient beds for patients recovering from falls, strokes, or other serious illnesses, as well as a residential care facility encompassing both the nursing home (EHPAD) and the long-term care unit (USLD). I coordinate a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, nursing assistants, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and psychomotor therapists. "Each patient arrives with their own story, their own strengths and vulnerabilities. Our mission is to restore their confidence and independence, at their own pace, and also to provide end-of-life care," she explains.

Its approach goes beyond the boundaries of medical care: it advocates personalized rehabilitation, with listening and compassion as the cornerstones of daily work. The Taillegrain site, part of the Jacques-Cœur Hospital Center, thus benefits from recognized expertise, coupled with an environment conducive to well-being, including therapeutic gardens and social spaces.

A figure of committed care

During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Rajaobelison distinguished herself through her unwavering commitment to coordinating vaccinations within the nursing home. “It was a time of uncertainty and fear, but also a tremendous lesson in humanity,” she recalls. “The teams held firm, united around a common goal: protecting our elders.” Her colleagues describe a department head who is attentive, demanding, but deeply compassionate. “She pushes us to give our best, always in the patient’s best interest,” testifies a nurse on the department.

Between competence and compassion

Geriatrics, a demanding specialty if ever there was one, requires great medical versatility and particular sensitivity. "We work on a tightrope: between curative and palliative care, psychological support and support for families. You have to know how to listen as much as you know how to treat," she reminds us.

Under her leadership, the Taillegrain site continues to evolve, balancing medical innovation with a more humane approach to care. For Dr. Rajaobelison, each day is a new challenge, but also a promise: that of aging with dignity and compassion.