Stand Up !

I knew that someone would actually support the punishment by KKM in my previous article:

"I think the ‘punishement’ is fair. Imagine that O&G MO........ (by poor doctor in MMR)"

My rebuke:

“poor doctor’s” comments is as typical as our director’s point of view. It is the doctor’s (HO’s) fault for not following through their logbooks and confirming an APC for practise. It is their fault for being careless and with their “takde ape ape” attitude, that causes their demise. “no one to blame but yourself.

Basically, “poor doctor” clearly is thinking “in the box”. A qualified surgeon who is competent in TURP or gastrectomy, but does not have a proper Malaysian APC (suggestively he graduated and further studied in Congo and returned to Malaysia), is technically “incompetent” in view of his “paper qualification”. No papers, no go (Nazi attitude). Anyways, its true enough that a license is pertinent in medical practice. The issue at hand is how these doctors ended up where they were and how the bureaucratic red tape has made their situation worse rather than giving ways or methods for resolution. Remember, these doctors underwent housemanship the same time and and handed up their logbooks to the office together, but subsequently got lost without their knowledge. Why were they ignorant as “poor doctor” may ask? Its because they were neck deep with work and were dedicated in achieving a pinnacle in their career by further studying. Their HODs can vouch on their efforts and hard work. However, they seem to have overlooked to check the office (who ensured them that they will do everything) to ensure that all paper works have been submitted.

Whether these doctors are functioning within the law of Malaysian medicine, it is totally a subjective matter. If they are convicted of malpractice, they may be labeled as Murderers as “poor doctor” suggested. But in the true eyes of practice and doctoring, these doctors cared more for their patients rather than their own bureaucratic well being.

A story; my sister in law is a lawyer, she also has so called “logbooks” to fill out. Once completed, they hand it up and the Malaysian Justice Dept will process the papers followed by “2 support letters” and subsequently “called to the bar” once the registration has completed. Not much effort was done by my sis as updates and progress of her registration were sent via mail to her by the justice dept as they believe that lawyers are very busy people.

But I guess doctors in Malaysia are treated differently. Therefore they have to be vigilant in every sense of the way; while working with patients, bearing with consultants, handling “takde ape ape” HOs and the bureaucratic crap of MMC and KKM. Nobody watches their back here in Malaysia. “pseudomallei” has given very valuable advise for new doctors in Malaysia.

“poor doctor” sounds like the typical KKM doctor.(Specialist or consultant maybe?). One that we have too much of and would never change the system for the betterment. Everything “by the book”. (r u Ismail Merican? )

My plea: “Give these doctors a break for God’s sake….they really need it”

I have a lousy weekend ahead. In fact, I’ve been having many lousy weekends. Thanks to being on call. Yup… the usual drag of working in a hospital for 36 hours. Why does it produce a lousy weekend? Well, if u’ve worked for a solid 5 days a week (with 1 – 2 on calls in between), u don’t have the weekend to look forward to especially if ur on call on Saturday. And nope, usually u don’t get the next day off as u would need to do the weekend morning rounds the next day which usually ends by 2-3pm (on a Sunday). And then ur off to work again on Monday. So it actually feels like uve worked for 2 weeks straight. And to top it off, u might get another Saturday which then makes it feel like 3 weeks straight. No wonder doctors are a bunch of grumpy a$%holes. Even I know that I’m grumpy at times.

But to make matters worse, married to another doctor whose on call schedule is as crappy as mine, we end up not seeing each other as often as a stewardess and a pilot. As of this weekend, I’m on call on Saturday (cant see my wife), she’s on call on Sunday (cant see my wife), and then I’m on call again on Monday (EOD). So technically, I wont see my wife from Saturday till Tuesday afternoon. And the one I pity the most is my son, who will only get to spend time with one of us during the weekend. I guess its tough to be a Malaysian govt doctor, and worse of all would be the children of Malaysian Govt doctors whose parents are so busy with work, patients, on calls and so on. So much for family outings and family quality time.

Once a paediatrics consultant confided in me when her daughter was prepped to go overseas for studies in engineering. She claims that her daughter refuses to do medicine as both parents are doctors and are barely around for anything much. All of a sudden, my fierce consultant looked at me with tears in her eyes a said “I was a bad mother, a very bad mother”. But hey, her kid turned out ok, just not close to the parents. I guess that’s not important for doctors. Well, as I said before in my posts. Being a doctor is a noble job. Being a doctor in Malaysia is the dumbest job in the world. If u had a lifestyle (or life even) before medicine, u can kiss it goodbye once u start serving this country.

PS: All this for a solid cool RM 3500 a month. I love this job!!!! Should get Mike Rowe (of Dirty Jobs on Discovery Channel) to come and do a stint of doctoring work in a Malaysian Govt Hospital. I’m sure it would be a highlight in his documentary. And I’m still doing it……

Oh, by the ways… HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!!

Here's an update to the log book incident. Apparently, a decision has been made by KKM (Ministry of Health) and our beloved Dr Ismail Merican. 4 unfortunate doctors in my hospital have fallen victim to the "late logbook" incident and have received the punishment as I have dictated before. But to add more salt to the wound, KKM has released an order that the 4 fellow doctor's APC are not fully licensed and are subsequently not allowed to do clinical practice. Its funny, these doctors have served for 5 years without any incident, one of them have a part one in MRCOG and another has part one in MRCS. And now, they are going to be clerks. Or doing statistics or whatever KKM would give them. For a country that claims not to have enough doctors, they sure as hell take red tape seriously. That's justice for ya.....

Malaysian government doctors are late bloomers. Yes, it took me 5 years of working in this line to actually realize it and to eventually succumb to the cruel reality. It actual fact, no matter how many of u may deny it, life is none other than a "rat race". (I'm sure some can picture Mr Bean in the movie similarly entitled Rat Race). Once children become school goers, their life has entered the never ending race for high achievement. Heck, some as young as 4 years old are sent to pre schools where they start teaching these toddlers hi fi subjects and send them home with homework. Once in school, its the race for excellent grades, to ensure the excellent university (most likely overseas for Malaysians) and subsequently to pursue the excellent career. Now in Malaysia, if ur a straight A student, then ur destined to be doctor. Nothing else. Read the news papers - " Straight A student for SPM did not receive scholarship to pursue medicine", "Straight A student dies in freak car accident - aspired to be a doctor", "Daughter of padi field worker got straight As, acquired a spot for medicine"...and the list goes on. Its blasphemy for those with all As not to do medicine. Anyways, as to late bloomers, those doing medicine will undergo a grueling 5 years medical course. Not to mention some universities having pre medical subjects (core sciences) for 1 or 2 years, thus making studying medicine a total of 6-7 years. By that time, those doing other fields may have a head start in working and in their careers 3-4 years before a med student graduates. "So what?" some may say. "Once doctors start work, their salary are high". Maybe, but no longer in keeping with current economic turmoil and inflation. And in the government service (Ministry of Health), a doctors salary climbs at a snails pace. I've worked for 5 years and my current salary is RM3300 a month. Plus another RM 900 for sleepless on calls (paediatrics). Which makes a total of RM 4200 a month. It may look big, but its just keeping my head above the water for now. Now many of my colleagues have reached a basic salary of RM 10,000 a month. Of course after working for 8 years, me only 5. Some even RM 15,000. Of course, they have been dwelling in the private sector. To them, the sum above is AVERAGE. So with that, they are able to buy a teres house costing RM 380,000 or above (in the Petaling Jaya area), and a non Proton car. With all that baggage, they still have extra to spare for insurance and other luxuries such as vacations. Ok, as for me, I just bought a house (apartment) costing RM 250,000 - monthly loan of RM2000, and a Proton Persona - monthly loan RM 607. Then my maid for RM500 a month. Then my kids insurance for RM 500 a month. All in all, my expenditures are RM 3607, which leaves a balance of RM 593. My wife earns RM 2700. She's a doctor too but of 4 years. She has her own car loan and parents to support. Now, my private colleagues have moved in to their respective houses, renovated and furnished them beautifully. I just bought mine and will only move in mid of 2009. Still staying with my parents. In short, I felt left behind in the "rat race". All said and done, my friends have progressed ahead in life whilst I'm just beginning to explore into it. Furthermore, now in a Master's programme, I'm now a doctor cum student. Which makes the feeling even worse. To my surprise, I'm not the only one suffering this slow paced feeling. My wife's specialist in Urology, (whos a qualified surgeon, now in his 4th year of Urolgy sub specialty), does not own a single property. He has yet to acummulate the finances to attempt to buy a property in Selangor. He's still renting with his doctor wife. Many of u may yell at me now and suggest private practise, or even to stop whining and get on with the job. But I have just one problem - I wanna serve. And the best place to do it is in a government hospital. I guess u can't get everything in life, and being a late bloomer in the "rat race" may well as be the folley of medicine. Or is it a sacrifice? I'm not too sure anymore, as doctors sacrifice so much already.