While the country is being entertained by our political masters on a daily basis on who will be voted as the stupidest of them all, the medical fraternity was yet again shocked by a picture that was circulated via social media. I received the “picture” early yesterday morning which I felt need further evidence on it’s authenticity before saying anything.Then I was informed that it happened in Johor and in one of the main hospital in Johor Bahru. I was shocked and dumb founded!
IN June 2015, I wrote HERE about professionalism and ethics of doctors. The public view us or use to view us as the most educated group of people. They expect us to behave professionally. In that article, I mentioned that doctors should remain professional at all times, mind our words and should never reveal any personal information of any patients or take any pictures of any patients without their consent. These pictures taken should never be displayed in public domains. It should only be used for teaching purposes in close group discussions.
Unfortunately, a once respected profession is going down the drain. I had predicted many things in this blog over the last 5 years and even in my MMA articles almost 10 years ago. Many, which use to be just “rumours” had become reality. Many accused me of spreading rumours and scarring the future generations but had to swallow their own words along the way. A clerk in a hospital recently said that ” if a SPM result such as this can become a doctor, I should have become one!!“. That’s how bad the SPM results was, of an houseman. Remember my article over HERE ?
There is no doubt that the quality of doctors had deteriorated. I have to admit the fact. No point hiding it anymore. Call a spade a spade!. This picture which shocked me was something that I had never expected for a doctor to do. I can’t even imagine such a thing can happen. Something that I failed to predict! All kind of words are coming out of my mouth but I am trying to be as professional as possible.
When I started to receive news that the picture was authentic and who the doctor was, I was speechless. There goes the reputation of doctors. While in my previous article I spoke on the battle between doctors and proponents of home birth, here we had just shot ourselves. It only takes one person to spoil everything. Would the public trust doctors anymore? We must understand that no matter how the public mistreat us or shout at us ( as I had written many times before), since we became doctors to “help” people, we should just keep quiet and do our work! Just make a police report if you think it is overboard. Recently, a nurse who brought her husband to a district hospital at 1am for palpitation told me that, the doctor said “ Please decide fast where you want to be admitted, I want to sleep!“.
The Star has reported that the matter is being investigated. Interestingly, it says that the doctor in also known to take selfies in operating theatres, OMG! I think it is time for MOH to do something about this. Whatever said, action must be taken against this doctor. MMC should also take action as it is considered a professional misconduct. This should never happen!
Pagalavan's Avatar 
hey paga,
this is happening right at your own town.
i think you better close shop….close this blog.. nobody is listening to you
Huh?
this incident is like the “doctor in the selfie” is spitting of paga’s face.
she is saying,”write all you want. it is all going to come true. you are right & i’m proving you right. i’m working in JB!!! & my hospital is just next to yours”
ha! ha!
Jimmy lee by any name is still Jimmy lee!
i think this is insane, toxic and disgrace to us to the highest, the whole system collapsed. The falling ringgit value, the repulsive word from the politician, the despicable professionalism like this only reflect the younger generation today – spoilt, narcissistic, self-centered, and treat life as toy with no sense of guilt. Their attitude and behaviour is incomprehensible. I can not see any future in this country because even the most basic fundamental right of rakyat and health can not be regulated properly. Indeed this is not a bolehland but a bodohland.. if our love one in the sick bay was treated by these ppl, i would rather stay at home to die with dignity. i can not imagine our standard is that low and subpar. This is beyond my imagination….a very disgusting one. I am glad I left Msia, and decided not to come back, not that i am chicken, but we need to leave massively so that the bolehland will suffer with massive brain drain only then they will appreciate us. With the bumiputera policy, hav u ever seen the minority supporting the majority in any other part of the world? This is a bodohland, but worst still the politicians say we are world class, it is the attitude and arrogant tht is beyond repair and it is well depicted in the depreciating ringgit. Good luck malaysia. Yes the depreciating ringgit will hurt Malaysian, but this may be the only way Malaysians will be angry and rise up against the abhor regime. See you all in Bersih 4.0..
immediate suspension is the order of the day!
I always thought ethics was a waste of time in med school and post grad teaching. I always wondered why we are wasting so much time on confidentiality consent etc… When we could spend the time developing skills and relevant knowledge
I think I know why now…
Some idiots need it…
Normally, the system sieve through and prevent these idiots from getting in. In Malaysia, there is no sieve, and the profession is debased to the lowest common denominator. Because politicians thinks everyone can and should be a doctor.
I foresee worse in future, when this mass of mediocre doctors enter the workforce in increasing numbers.
I’ve seen my juniors taking selfie in the observation room during autopsy session. Their idiotic manner was recorded by the cctv inside the observation room and they were screwed hard by the MO and specialist over there . Surprisingly no further action was taken against those arrogant students. They seems pretty oblivious about their act despite terrible scolding. Unfortunately this issue wasn’t publicize on social media .
which medical school?
In the UK, a student connected to such a post will be expelled from the medical school. They’re all warned about social media postings and its (rather dire) consequences.
Read:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/07/23/world-s-dumbest-med-student-takes-selfie-with-pregnant-patient-s-vagina.html
Maybe they will only learn when legal proceedings for loss and damage are served on them. They wont be smiling any more
Going through your pages, i realize that you really really hate the current batch of houseman that every single post had to have that houseman dissing part.It seems that you forgot that during your houseman time , you are just as stupid and oblivious as today’s houseman.so, get off your high horse and stop spreading hate message.if you cant give encouragement ,then silence is better.
During my time, housemen don’t complain of working long hours, during my time there were 2 of us in a ward of 50, during my time we come to ward at 6-7am and work till 6-7 pm, during my time we work 32 hours straight during calls, during my time we don’t have housemen complaining to MOH and missing in action. Finally, during my time, you don’t see stupid thiings such as above being done!
Finally, i have had comments like this countless number of times and i had answered many times, of the differences between now and then. I am also not talking about rocket science. Basic stufss that should be known before graduating and ATTITUDES!!
i literally puked upon reading the self-glorifying lines
Haha, you see that’s the reality. Our generation worked hard. Knowledge can be learned but attitude is difficult to change at that age. But when lack of knowledge and attitude problems combined together, the situation will only get worst.
Even MOH admits that quality has deteriorated. Those who are in civil service for more than 20 years can’t be wrong in their assessment. They have seen countless number of houseman passing through them.
That is a point to be noted and sad to say that I have to agree on what you said Dr. Also, Its just that the wrongdoing of some HOs which create a bad impression on the current HOs. Its very discouraging for the future HOs but we need to swallow that bitterness to do something for an improvement in future.
Yes, I feel you. During my time (roughly in your era too), many of us were also considered below par by our superior. But we owned it up and strived hard. It is of course quite different now. Dr Paga, you don’t have to convince those who like to choose failure. Medicine, at present, is just like any business: the top 10% will get 90% of the business, and the bottom 90% will have to share the remaining 10% leftover. Success is expected to be scarce.But the deterioration in standard will be checked by rising litigation rate.
Although I am not a medical student, I believe I have the right to say that this guy is out of his mind! How can you do that in an operating theatre?
Next,
I want to express my gratitude towards Dr. for taking your time to make this blog and all those who provided valuable insightful comments. Even though there are some that are terrible towards you guys, but there is still many like me who would love to learn more about Malaysia’s condition and the medical field. I hope that you will keep posting in this blog and enlighten aspiring doctors.
And to those who are giving nonsensical comments, please “be skeptical not cynical”.
It is now reported in the UK newspapers. Read:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3217283/Doctor-Malaysia-faces-sack-posing-picture-one-hand-female-patient-s-private-parts.html