SENIOR doctors in government hospitals said they were being unfairly targeted with accusations of bullying their juniors.

They told The Malaysian Insight that allegations were being levelled against them without their side of the story being heard, adding that in most cases they were only reprimanding their juniors in dealing with their patients, and this was often misunderstood as bullying or harassing.

“In many instances, junior doctors perceive reprimands as being bullied. Some of them still do not understand that we are dealing with lives here.”

“This is why reprimanding and discipline are extremely crucial,” said an obstetrician-gynecologist who only wanted to be identified as Samantha.

Last week, Samantha lodged a police report in Damansara police station towards a social media account that had named senior doctors, including her, as bullies based on allegations made by junior doctors.

“You cannot just defame people on baseless allegations. Always investigate both parties,” she said.

“Our profession was looked upon very highly once and now we are fighting among each other. This is not how it should be.”

Last month junior doctors told The Malaysian Insight that bullying junior doctors has become a norm in government hospitals.

The issue of bullying came to light after the death of a houseman attached to Penang Hospital. The houseman died after falling from an office building along Jalan Datuk Keramat in George Town.

Several lawmakers had then urged the Health Ministry and its minister Khairy Jamaluddin to look seriously into the matter.

Another senior doctor based in Negeri Sembilan, Akmal, also refusing to give his full name, said if the senior doctors were not strict towards the junior doctors, there might be lots of lost lives.

“You have to understand that we are dealing with someone’s life, hence we have to make sure there are zero mistakes.

“We tend to be very strict towards junior doctors but they often misunderstand that as bullying,” said Akmal.

“Only some individuals who can’t cope with the pressure would assume they are being bullied whereas the other junior doctors understand that we do not want them to harm the patients in any way.

“We have to understand a doctor’s profession is nothing compared to others out there. Perhaps in other professions one can make a mistake here and there but it is not the same here whereby a simple mistake could lead to death,” said Akmal who has been a doctor for more than 10 years.

He said proper investigations should be carried out by the authorities before any doctors are labeled as bullies.

“I am strongly against bullying and if it is actually happening, then I would want that doctor to be suspended but an investigation must be done first.”

Meanwhile a senior doctor from Penang who wants to be known as Jason said he was not aware of any bullying taking place in his hospital.

“I have been a junior doctor myself and yes, the senior doctors tend to be strict but it is for our own good.

“If it wasn’t for my senior doctors at that time being strict, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” said Jason.

Jason also said that when he was a houseman, he was shouted at for some mistakes he made but he took that as a lesson and never repeated those mistakes.

“At the end of the day, it is all about how we take it. When a senior doctor is strict some may take it as bullying whereas some may take it as the doctor wanting us to be better.

“During housemanship, some may call it the honeymoon years, so of course in my opinion we need someone to guide us in a stricter manner in order to make sure no mistakes are being made,” he said.

Dr Ashley from Selangor meanwhile said she was unhappy seeing senior doctors being called out publicly without any investigations being carried out.

“Junior doctors have to understand that calling out someone publicly can ruin all the hard work and sacrifices made by a senior doctor throughout the years.

“If they (junior doctors) are actually being bullied, they have a proper channel to file a complaint and I am sure action will be taken. So they should follow the procedure instead of taking it in their own hands,” said Ashley.

Last month, the Health Ministry established an independent special task force to look into the work culture of healthcare services. – June 11, 2022.