First of all, I'd finished my Housemanship and went into another chapter in the Healthcare System. In Malaysia, we call it "Medical Officer", sounds a bit high class compared to Houseman / Trainee doctors, responsibility is higher, workload is actually more, requires more brain juices (have to squeeze them like squeezing lime into teh "o" to get the flavour), requires more time and dedication. However, same thing happened, pay is not appropriate. I will analyze and breakdown this way:
A Houseman in Malaysia now are working on shifts. Hooray, less working hours... Yes, it is very nice / luxury for the big hospitals, but kindly think of the smaller district hospital PLEASE. Because of the numbers, it turned out to be an imbalance act between the 2 type hospitals Housemen.
Houseman pay is ok and appropriate for now. Work lesser hours, supposed to be less stressful. But in the hospital i am working in. I see they are much pitiful like a worker working for 900 bucks per month. What they do now since the shift system now are
1) Taking Bloods - does most of the time they know why the blood investigations are needed for? indications? or just follow orders via passing over... Remember to take that tonight, drug level etc... Best is, Dr A, can you please take this blood gas STAT...
2) Do rounds - Doing own rounds are the most important thing for houseman, as they will learn the most, nowadays due to the punch card system, some housemen come late and without knowing how many cases they have in their workplace to review, which means they cannot afford to review each and anyone. And mostly they have to do together with the Medical Officers. Once the medical officers take over the management part, the housemen will never get to learn, as they are just following what the medical officers say.
3) Trace results, folders - A useless job which can be easily done by a trained operator / PPK...
4) Carry out orders - Same thing, take blood, do procedures etc...
5) For surgical field, maybe some documentations, holding retractors, suction etc...
Looks simple, but takes a lot of time, until no time for oral feed. Most of the Housemen in my hospital do not have time for lunch, they work continuously from maybe 6am to 6 - 7 pm... NO SOCIAL LIFE in hospital at all... Not much time to talk, all wear masks and quietly do their procedures
Well, thankfully i am no longer a Houseman, and i escaped from the system earlier, but i foresee later on, we will have our own shift system on medical officers as well.
It is no joke being a doctor. Kindly don't force anyone to study medicine for glamour and monetary rewards. It is wrong, and you might end up opposite. Working in such harsh situation. One can easily get depressed. But another way to look around is, you will be the toughest person if you able to get out of it.
If you want to go for monetary rewards, kindly spend less money and less time on the educations and do business, usually can earn a few folds than being a doctor.
It is late here, good night and hope for a better day tomorrow.
