Doctors, heal your profession

REFERRING to the letter “Once noble, now miserable” ( The Star, Dec 14), medical doctors would agree with the views of the writer to some extent. Some may even be depressed or may have already stopped practising medicine. I pray the writer will feel better soon as he continues to serve in our noble profession.

To save the medical profession is to save the nation. May I suggest everyone does his or her part?

1. Doctors can conduct group therapies for themselves by holding workshops, among others, through their own societies or associations like the MMA (Malaysian Medical Association). They can encourage one another by working out some solutions together.

2. The public can be guided by the media to be more appreciative, or at least sympathetic, of doctors.

3. Parents must try not to live their own dreams of becoming doctors by proxy through sacrificial lambs – their own children. Many take up medical courses mainly because of parental wishes. Some have failed and those who make it may move to other fields or greener pastures. Some have learnt to enjoy the noble profession, thank God! Future doctors will face tougher times simply because of oversupply, so let us save our children who are not keen to become doctors.

4. For those who want to be doctors, I would advise them against it unless they want to be specialists!

5. The authorities must remedy the oversupply of doctors and review the policies that are too stressful especially to young doctors who want to establish their careers. Ironically, some of these rules were laid down by doctors themselves!

Doctors are an important and integral part, if not the leaders, of societies. Let’s keep them going!