Ex-houseman ready to testify about abuse at hospitals
A task force has been appointed to look into allegations of junior doctors facing abuse from senior doctors during their housemanship term. (Freepik pic)
GEORGE TOWN: A 35-year-old former houseman is prepared to testify before an independent task force looking into bullying and abuse of junior doctors at public hospitals.
Dr Alice (not her real name) said the recent spate of allegations of abuse of housemen by senior doctors had emboldened her to spill the beans about how she was tormented by a few malicious doctors at a hospital in Selangor.
The government recently announced that a 10-person task force was being set up to improve the work culture in the national health service, following claims of bullying and mental stress by health workers.
On Wednesday, a state executive councillor said she had submitted to the health ministry the names of five doctors alleged to be “bullies” at the Penang general hospital. They were alleged to be “the most toxic ones”, said Norlela Ariffin.
“Dr Alice” said she was heavily pregnant when she began her housemanship in Selangor and was tormented for two months by a medical officer every time she was on ward rounds at the obstetrics and gynaecology department.
“She tormented me, asking me why I chose to be a houseman when I was pregnant,” Alice told FMT.
When she resumed her housemanship after returning from maternity leave, she faced abusive remarks from a specialist doctor at the surgical department.
She said the doctor told her colleague to make drawings of her genital parts and that of her boyfriend after the colleague failed to make a sketch of a surgical procedure in front of a patient and his family.
“There was another houseman who was pregnant at that time. He told her she was stupid for being pregnant and cursed her unborn child to be stupid like her,” said Alice.
“There are so many other things he had said to us; we often cried after our rounds, and I had heart palpitations before going to work because you don’t know how he will torment you with his words next.”
Alice said she began developing suicidal thoughts a year later and sought psychiatric treatment. “The same doctor started calling me Ms Schizophrenia whenever I could not answer my questions because he found out I sought psychiatric help.”
After three years of being a houseman (extended by a year because of maternity leave) and a medical officer for close to two years, she quit the health service. “I had had enough,” she said.
She said her experience made her empathise with housemen who thought of ending their lives after being overcome by feelings of helplessness.
GEORGE TOWN: A 35-year-old former houseman is prepared to testify before an independent task force looking into bullying and abuse of junior doctors at public hospitals.
Dr Alice (not her real name) said the recent spate of allegations of abuse of housemen by senior doctors had emboldened her to spill the beans about how she was tormented by a few malicious doctors at a hospital in Selangor.
The government recently announced that a 10-person task force was being set up to improve the work culture in the national health service, following claims of bullying and mental stress by health workers.
On Wednesday, a state executive councillor said she had submitted to the health ministry the names of five doctors alleged to be “bullies” at the Penang general hospital. They were alleged to be “the most toxic ones”, said Norlela Ariffin.
“Dr Alice” said she was heavily pregnant when she began her housemanship in Selangor and was tormented for two months by a medical officer every time she was on ward rounds at the obstetrics and gynaecology department.
“She tormented me, asking me why I chose to be a houseman when I was pregnant,” Alice told FMT.
When she resumed her housemanship after returning from maternity leave, she faced abusive remarks from a specialist doctor at the surgical department.
She said the doctor told her colleague to make drawings of her genital parts and that of her boyfriend after the colleague failed to make a sketch of a surgical procedure in front of a patient and his family.
“There was another houseman who was pregnant at that time. He told her she was stupid for being pregnant and cursed her unborn child to be stupid like her,” said Alice.
“There are so many other things he had said to us; we often cried after our rounds, and I had heart palpitations before going to work because you don’t know how he will torment you with his words next.”
Alice said she began developing suicidal thoughts a year later and sought psychiatric treatment. “The same doctor started calling me Ms Schizophrenia whenever I could not answer my questions because he found out I sought psychiatric help.”
After three years of being a houseman (extended by a year because of maternity leave) and a medical officer for close to two years, she quit the health service. “I had had enough,” she said.
She said her experience made her empathise with housemen who thought of ending their lives after being overcome by feelings of helplessness.
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