Stand Up !

I've got a story to tell. Nope, it aint a Christmas carol or tale. Its the usual misfortune of doctors to work in a unforgivable place such as the government of Malaysia, particularly, the Ministry of Health (MOH). In a way, I knew this doctor since housemanship days. She was hardworking, intelligent and constantly works without a single whine (such as myself). She completed her housemanship and progressed onwards to become a Medical Officer. Now, for those who are not aware, housemanship takes about 18 months to do but for the first 12 months, you undergo 3 major postings of 4 months each with a log book filled up at the end. The major postings may include Medical, Surgery, Obst and Gyn, Paediatrics or Orthopaedics. So at the end of 12 months, 3 logbooks must be handed up to the department and subsequently confirmed by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) and MOH for the Anual Practise Certificate (APC), thus rendering a doctor "safe" to practise.

Now, the story begins when this doctor mentioned fulfilled the criterias of passing up all her logbooks and proceeded forward and became a Medical Officer (MO). She was a good MO. She was in Medical, then went off to Nephrology whereby she was loved by her staff and her consultant. She was a nephrologist prodigy in the making. She remained there for almost 4 years and plans were made to further her studies.

However, on one fateful day, she received a letter notifying that her 3rd logbook was never received 4 years ago!! To her surprise, and after inquiring the department of her hospital, the logbook never reached MMC or MOH, thus meaning that the logbook had gone missing in the hospital itself after being handed up. Unhappily but undeterred, my friend made an appeal, and MOH/MMC requested thst she hand up the last 3rd logbook. So off she goes collecting signatures again with a new logbook and finally hands it up once completed.

You think it ends there? Not yet. She then hands up the new logbook to Putrajaya MOH and was finally at ease. So she thinks. She then received another letter with regards to the late completion of her logbook and to face disciplinary action for her delay. Nothing much was thought at first, especially with a her consultant and HOD of nephrologist backing her up.

Then the dreaded letter arrived. Her punishment:

1. Her 4 years of service will not be recognized.

2. She will lose seniority and therefore will gain rank and pay slower than her juniors

3. Since her service is no longer recognized, applying for Masters is even more difficult as Masters require at least 3 years working experience

4. There will be a black mark in her professional record which will affect promotions and applying for Master.

She just stood quiet, silent, when she got the news. All the above had to be explained to her as of to a little child. Shock I guess. Pity.

Doctors save lives, but not many would want to save ours.

Nuff said.