1 year ago, I wrote this article : https://pagalavan.com/2011/01/02/for-future-doctors-what-if/. It is about what happens if you quit housemanship. Recently I came across a blog of a houseman who I presume has resigned as a doctor due to reasons mentioned in his blog : http://chroniclesofaloner.wordpress.com/2012/01/16/a-letter-to-the-dg/
At the same time, he has also written some suggestion of what you can do if you quit housemanship http://chroniclesofaloner.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/life-after-medicine/. I found it quite interesting and decided to mention it in my blog.
As for his reasons for quitting housemanship, I have been saying it all the while that medicine is not about having good life. Recently, I received an email from a houseman who is thinking about quitting medicine. This is what she wrote:
“Despite financial constrain, I borrowed almost 200k from various place, worked part-time in fast food shops and do a few odd jobs to earn money, to complete the mission which i have started. I studied day and night and obtained decent results to work as a doctor in Malaysia. I came to Malaysia with a lot of dreams. Good job, good money and good life. I didn’t begin my job properly. Because, i’m confuse with many things. What i learn partially different than what I am doing. I am trying to learn. But they are not giving me space to grow. Money doesn’t matter anymore. My life has gone. Now, because of these unethical educated bullies, i have lost my confidence, self-esteem and dignity in front of a lot of people. I can earn money anywhere. But not my LIFE. I scared and worried that I will be mentally ill through the torture that I am going through at hospital. I might be just one of the victims. But, still I am. Enough is Enough. Unless the system is reviewed and properly structured, i bet more mentally and emotionally ill doctors will be produced. Others can name me anything. But they can never feel, what i does deep within me. This is definitely not part and parcel of doctors life. DOCTORS don’t deserves this humiliation. They deserve better treatment. Professional must go through professional and ethical training. In short, we want doc’s Life and not dog’s Life. ”
I told her that the biggest mistake she made is thinking that she is going to have “Good job, good money and good life” as a doctor. That never happens! If you go back to all my postings since 2010 under For Future Doctors series, I have constantly said that if you are doing medicine for these reasons, you will definitely be frustrated. Whether there are seniors who are bullies or not, the job is tough and there is no such thing as good life. The shift duties has definitely reduced the workload but not responsibility. Your responsibility increases as you go higher in medical field. I told her that I work 24hrs a day and 7 days a week single-handedly. How can I handle this ? because I have gone thru tougher times before! Taking huge loans is not a good idea either!
Pagalavan's Avatar 
Dr Paga,
Her main issue here is the unethical doctors running around in the hospital. From the public point of view, they think that if you are a doctor : you are of the upmost moral standing, you don’t steal cheat or lie, you’re the angel saving lives, giving yourself up for others etc. However, the truth is that in the hospital, we have all sorts of donkeys running around with the title of “Dr”. Those who treat patients and colleagues in ways which will shock Hippocrates and the physician of the olden days.
And it depends on the culture that the hospital has, as this donkey disease is infectious.
Lee
Yes, I do agree that unethical practices and bullying has been going on for many years. Even when I was a houseman, issues like this are commonn. It will never end and thus we just have to learn how to cope and handle such situation. I know of people who complaint about bullying when they were housemen but ended up bullying housemen when they became MOs!! And don’t think it does not happen in other countries like UK, Australia, Singapore etc. It happens everywhere. The situation in Malaysia will only get worst with more and more unqualified doctors being employed, as you described as ” donkeys”.
She just have to learn to cope with it.
Situations like this do not happen in western countries to the same extent as Malaysia. Singapore yes (same mentality but more money), possibly some UK hospitals (British class nonsense), but not in Aus/NZ. This sort of bullying in the workplace might have happened 30 years ago in Aus/NZ but not now.The consultant will probably be suspended if they tried to do some of the nonsense that goes on in Malaysian hospitals.
FYI, I work overseas and my sister works in Malaysia so I have heard a fair amount of stories, which always makes me wonder how people get away with such nonsense.
People get away because it is the system. Same like how a civil servant cannot be removed! So you can complain all you want but no action can be taken especially when the person is the HOD!
A lot of those who complain now about this will eventually join these guys and become bullies as well…….. It is a vicious cycle.
I understand over the years, with mushrooming of medical schools, just like our nurses, the quality of medical graduates in our country suffered a major deterioration.
In fact, I do feel that doctors in the system have the responsibility to communicate the reality to the public, to make sure that all potential medical students really understand the nature of this profession.
Nowadays, more people are joining the profession for the wrong reason (including myself), not knowing what they are getting into, and it does have a major impact on the quality of healthcare delivered to the public.
I suggest an applitude test made mandatory for the entrance into medical school. Of course, the academic requirements must be stringent at the same time. However, with commercialization of medical education, this is far from possible.
I respect the efforts made by Dr. Paga in raising public awareness. Many would choose to bury their heads in the sand.
If you are entering medical school for common reason…glamour,payment,respect etc…For viewers of this blog that is not Dr this my advice YOU ARE MISTAKEN…trend now you no need to be excellent student,mushrooming college with profit basis,poor goverment plan make things becoming worst now…think before entering medical school ..but now money can buy anything..
there is no glamour in medicine… status so so. I guess it’s all what you find interesting at the end of the day. Med is alot more about management than people realize… and you manage your patients with the resources available to you…in a networked world. And the learning is continuous… You dont learn medicine in medschool…it’s really the hours you put in to your job that integrates all the knowledge tangentially into working memory.
After five and a half decades of BN rule, everything is going to the dogs, including health care.
Do you agree, Doc?
Ha ha of course!
Currently enjoying working 10hr+ shifts 6 days a week.
I find it interesting…and im sure many other interns do to =D
Hi Dr, I’m interested to read the article written by chroniclesofaloner, but I couldn’t access it… Can you inform me how can I read it?
Unfortunately the author has decided to block anyone from viewing his blog!
Being doctor is not to have good life…totally agreed…but due to certain MO’s being nasty…the genuine part of becoming o good doctor also…for example one of my MO ask to buy cigarette ! pack then only he will teach to whatever i ask…plus on first day entering posting they bias to me because i graduate from overseas. The Malaysia doctors shud not be biased from where we graduated from…
biasness occurs due to generalisation, which is unavoidable by human nature. Any MOs who ask you to buy cigaratte should not be entertained! You must have the guts to say NO. When I was a Housemen, I said NO to a MO who wanted me to do his power point for case presentation in a pathology conference. He labelled me as lazy but I know who is lazy!
Is getting distinction in most of the medical school’s exam guaranteed a good doctor?? do share some opinions here…..
Nope. As long as you are above average should be OK.
Good academic results, without clinical acumen, does not guarantee a good doctor. Good clinical acumen, without sound academic knowledge, does not guarantee a good doctor.
But of course the doctor with good clinical acumen and excellent academic knowledge is going to be the unbeatable combination.
I often get asked by medical students whether there is any need to chase A’s in medical school when a pass is enough to get the degree. I relate to them what my Professor of Pharmacology said to my class in our first week of medical school:
“Congratulations for entering medical school. You should all be proud of yourselves. Most of you were amongst the top in your class in high school.
Well, look at the people sitting around you – each of them was also amongst the top in their class in high school. Even in such a talent pool, by the time you graduate, you will all subtend a normal distribution when it comes to academic performance. Whilst a pass is enough to graduate, you will all be competing for a limited number of desirable jobs thereafter. Bear this in mind when you make your choice where on that distribution curve you wish to be. No one was ever penalised for academic excellence.”
A medical student with a good attitude will never be a doctor until he passes his exams.
If you have to choose one from two doctors to treat you, both with good attitude, you will choose the one with better exam grades.
Do strive for good grades, it shows effort in acquisition and mastery of knowledge and clinical skills. Behavior and attitude is another parameter you should also strive for improvement.
I agree with most of what’s been said. Both are important. You need good medical knowledge to function safely but I also think that some A++ students belong in a laboratory to conduct research and should never be let near patients – because of a total lack of social and communication skills.
A medical specialist once told me – one doesn’t have to be brainy to be a good doctor, one has to be hardworking. Read, read and read some more.
Dr Paga ,
Maybe you should start a special link for HOs to voice their grievances or their experiences (either bad or good, sweet or bitter) as an eye opener for those who want to be a doctor. It will definitely help them to be more prepared to face their HO life, including bullying.