I was blog hopping and I came across this really interesting entry from a doctor's blog
(Stand Up!). From what I've heard from other senior doctors I've met, they basically told me the same stuff and I personally have seen it first hand during my O&G posting on my on-call nights. The HOs, junior MOs, MOs, and even specialist work their a$$ off. I just hope that by the time I graduate, things will be different. Hope it'll be different for the better that is. Here's the entry which I find interesting..
Malaysian Govt Doctors Criteria
Criterias for becoming a Malaysian Govt Doctor. Theres no need for an aptitude test. Students should consider these requirements:
1. No life outside medicine; this includes dating, sports, clubbing, chores for your parents and visiting the toilet
2. Not to live with your parents. Move out ASAP as they will never understand the ludicrous working hours that u go through. Furthermore, chores are not suitable for u as to rule No. 1.
3. Not to be married until completion of all 4 years of Govt Compulsory service as u will be transferred left and right to some of the most remote Govt clinics in Malaysia. Having wife and kids to follow you to your new working area may increase high level of stress on all parties. Furthermore, if your spouse is a Govt Doctor, he/she will also be transferred away from u and no matter what appeal is made, KKM will put up a deaf ear (unless u have big cables or of a certain skin color).
4. If married, no to have children until u finish all 4 years of Govt Compulsory service, as to which u and your spouse will not have much time for your child/children or they end up not recognizing u and refer the Indonesian maid as their mother (change in language patterns commonly follow).
5. To obtain life insurance once your govt service begins as there is not many claims for accidents during work. Don't be fooled, Doctoring in Malaysia is hazardous.
6. Able to withstand 36 hours of non stop work and stress without mistakenly labeling Left for Right or uvula for vulva (or Volvo S40)
7. To buy a car with complete safety features (like I'm doing) which includes multiple airbags, ABS, EBD, side-front-rear-top-parallel and diagonal impact bars and seat belts to ensure survivability if u are involved in an accident because your driving resembled a drunkard maniac after working in the hospital for 40 hrs non stop.
8. Constant supply of coffee
9. Nicotine Patch as u will have the urge to start smoking due to overwhelming stress
10. Interest in watching medical sitcoms such as House MD, Scrubs, ER, Grays Anatomy and Chicago Hope to inspire u to continue your life as a doctor as the exciting things u see on TV does not resemble the real life of a Malaysian govt doctor.
11. Not to have any pets or plants (not even cactuses) as u will have no time to feed or care for them and eventually all will end up in your mortuary.
12. Able to endure the stench of your own sweat as to when 36 hours "on call" does not permit u time to bathe or freshen up.
13. Able to carry on working without food or water over 15 hours. ( I was in OT for 16 hrs without food, water or bathroom breaks). If during fasting month, able to break your fast with “water for injection” as u had no time to buy food.
14. Able to come to work with fever/cough/illness or physical disability (sprained ankle etc) as to which doctors do not deserve MCs. (My MO was on crutches during rounds)
15. Able to stand scolding, destructive criticism, kiss ass behaviors, racial bias, finger pointing, scape goating, and in competency from your superiors.
16. Able to withstand the jealousy when your friends call u up for some fun and ur stuck in the hospital during on call.
And here's another one which is interesting but really true. I've seen it first hand.
Only the dumb ones do it...(no disrespect, I'm doing it too)
As depicted by this poor, tired doctor, its quite clear how hectic and busy a Malaysian Govt Doctor's life is. May I add that in some M'sian govt Hospitals, doctors work 40Hrs in a stretch because those on call do not get their day off on the next. They are to continue till 5pm which eventually ends around 7pm. And these tired, worn out doctors are basically zombies after a very busy and hectic night. Mind u, doctors don't work sitting on their a$$. Our night involves running like lemmings here and there to pursue cases, results, set lines, attend to dying patients, face an angry relative or merely to sign an MC at 4o'clock in the morning. We sometimes run to obtain vital blood results, climb on beds to conduct CPR, sweat in thick gowns in 7 hour night long surgeries, prick our fingers while taking blood, get scolded by patients for not "smiling", write case summaries, beg with the blood bank MOs to get blood bags, and the list goes on..... There are times that the body works on its own without the direct control of the mind. And falling asleep during procedures or interviewing is almost a normal thing. And knowing that when u go home to enjoy your 12hr rest, the 36 hr on call will begin again when u wake up (Every Other Day - EOD).
Govt doctors in Malaysia work 36 hours non stop!! Thats the main message to get acrross. Theres no glamour here, theres no respect, theres no glory. When u save a life, its just a pat on the back, and when u fail, its your mistakes and faults. We go home after on call only wishing to sleep and prepare for the body for the next one. Imagine doing this for one year or more!! Saturday Sunday included!! No life definitely!! And for what? A mere RM 2185 per month and RM 150 per call. Most of us don't have the luxury to spend that money.
Keep in mind, govt Hospitals wish to seek ISO 9001 approvals. It makes u wonder, are they more concerned about facilities available or the service provided? If a tired doctor comes and sees u at 5am in the moring, ask them this very wonderful question, "Tak balik ke?"
Hehe...well..this doctor is just venting his anger and voicing out his disappointment and I guess he is just trying to survive in this cruel yet noble job. Cruel to the doctors that is.
And here I am..complaining about exams and postings..the 2 entries by Stand Up! are an eye opener for me...the kind of things I will be facing and vaguely gave me the idea how the real world will be like. I said vaguely cause I know that whatever I read is just 10% of it. I have to go through all that to really know what it's really like. But this is what I've chose, so those are the things I will be facing later and there's really no point complaining.
But I guess that will be in 2 years from now.
Still got time to ronggeng.
Ngeeee.
=p
Currently listening
it, Khai Yin, Su Tein, Ramesh & Alvin) on the eve of Sultan Perak's birthday (ok, 2 nights ago..hehe) and we went to this popular new hang out in Tambun called Rum Jungle..konon "the" place to be seen at lah kat Ipoh ni..=p It was fun just hanging out and have a good laugh, unwind after hours and hours of standing, sitting, and running around in the surgical wards..the place was kinda nice (I'd give 6/10 for the interior) but too bad..the music they were playing sucks...and the crowd consists of people between the age of 25-40..bleah~ Sanj, if you're reading this, yes, I had fun..but can we go somewhere niceeeer next time? hehe..
