House officers learn by seeing patients

THE issue of house officers being overworked has been overblown.

House officers were once overworked, but not anymore. With the new flexi system, the majority work within the stipulated time frame.

The group that is overworked is medical officers. Does the public know that besides doing their job, they also have to do the house officers’ job, do their usual on call and on top of that study for their exams?

House officers are apprentices. They learn by seeing cases. The more patients they see, the more experience they accumulate and better doctors they will be.

The public is complaining of deteriorating health care services.

But with the interference of parents in housemanship training and with the lack of experience of house officers, do you seriously think your son or daughter will be a good doctor?

Will you, the pampering parents, be willing to be treated by your own children who lack experience?

If we are not willing to let them learn, we should not complain about deteriorating health care services.

Pampering parents should not complain of poor health care.

All the great men and women in history learned things the hard way. Those who had it easy will never be the best.

Of course, we should not sacrifice rest, which is vital in making sensible decisions at critical times.

That’s why the flexi system has been implemented.

But when the house officers rotate between departments, some departments are bound to have a fewer house officers, so if there are not enough house officers to implement the flexi system equally, is it so wrong to have to work a few extra hours?

Isn’t medicine about helping suffering patients? Is it so difficult to work a few extra hours for the suffering patients?

If house officers are to be calculating to such an extent, maybe they should rethink they career options.

Everyone knows that in the “good old days” we worked 36 hours when on call, so what are a few extra hours?

And, tagging does not equate to ragging. It is an official task.

A new house officer, medical officer or even a specialist does tagging when he/she starts in a new department or hospital, to be familiar with the system and the protocol of the department or hospital.

Do you, the pampering parents, expect your children who have just graduated from medical school to know exactly what to do on their first day of work?

House officers claim they are overworked, but if they have so much time to complain to the newspapers, obviously they have not been working enough.

House officers claim they are being scolded, but if they give the wrong medicine to patients, don’t you think they deserve to be scolded?

If they cause more harm to patients, despite being told what to do, we pat them on the back and tell them they did a great job? You be the judge....