Young doctors are under immense pressure
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (338682)
Rockingham, Australia
February 14, 2019 7:00am CST
I can’t believe humans can be such bullies and just so unkind and inconsiderate to others.
My rant this time involves a young newly-qualified doctor who started a year’s internship at one of Sydney’s big hospitals. She resigned after four months.
Her reasons included:
• Having to do 100 hours of overtime in her first month
• Working 12 hours, 20 hours then hours on three consecutive days
• Being on call for 24 days straight.
She had been to her superiors to tell them of the difficulties she was experiencing but was told it was ‘good for her’ and would ‘toughen her up’. She began to have serious health issues and decided to resign.
Now the medical world has lost a promising young doctor as she was specialising in plastic and reconstructive surgery. I doubt she is the first to resign from being unable to cope with such pressure. She is however probably one of the first to go public with her story. She has had an apology from the hospital, as if that is going to help, and a lot of support from the public. Others are coming forward with similar stories.
It seems so unnecessary.
Dr Yumiko Kadota says she has received messages of support from all around the world after going public with her story about working at a Sydney hospital.
32 people like this
33 responses
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
14 Feb 19
It is crazy for hospitals to push their staff to such extremes - we need more doctors, not less. An exhausted medic is more likely to make a bad diagnosis or mess up prescribed treatments and dosages too
5 people like this
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
16 Feb 19
@JudyEv it would reduce your survival chances
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (338682)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Feb 19
@arthurchappell It certainly would. Big time I would think.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
14 Feb 19
Wow, that's a lot of stress and pressure! 
3 people like this
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
15 Feb 19
@JudyEv Yes, no wonder they make so many mistakes.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (135331)
• India
14 Feb 19
It is good that such situations are made public just like the "Me too" movement.
3 people like this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
14 Feb 19
This is true..After going through a rigorous course they are overworked due to shortage of staff.
3 people like this
@amitkokiladitya (171928)
• Agra, India
14 Feb 19
Omg... that is just so much of work
2 people like this
@JudyEv (338682)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Feb 19
@amitkokiladitya It is indeed. Hopefully some good will come from it.
1 person likes this
@amitkokiladitya (171928)
• Agra, India
16 Feb 19
@JudyEv yep...but this is a bad reality
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
15 Feb 19
Those are way too many hours for anyone and does not make them any tougher.
She has done well to come forward and tell everyone what goes on as we cannot know everything about what they have to do.
She can maybe qualify other ways and go private if needs be.
2 people like this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
15 Feb 19
@JudyEv
Reckon it would be next to impossible for all the patients to get all of her attention she would be just too done it and tired for anything else.ç
They have to change those rules soon.
Spanish Doctors usually do a stint of work in English Hospitals and they say its tough going there too which I know to be true.
1 person likes this
@Hate2Iron (15727)
• Canada
14 Feb 19
I certainly wouldn't want a young doctor who was exhausted... I don't know how they came up with kind of schedule!
2 people like this
@Hate2Iron (15727)
• Canada
16 Feb 19
@JudyEv How many mistakes are made that are covered up??
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (338682)
• Rockingham, Australia
17 Feb 19
@Hate2Iron That's the other thing. There must be dozens.
@LeaPea2417 (37334)
• Toccoa, Georgia
15 Feb 19
It is so wrong to overwork professionals like that.
2 people like this
@everwonderwhy (7272)
•
15 Feb 19
This is such unbelievable, unprofessional behaviour by the hospital bosses They are so disgusting telling the young doctor what is "good or not good for her." This is unacceptable. So sorry that she had to go through so much anxiety and stress.
So sorry that she had to go through so much anxiety and stress.2 people like this
@JudyEv (338682)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Feb 19
@everwonderwhy I'm not convinced that much will change although I hope it does.
1 person likes this
@everwonderwhy (7272)
•
16 Feb 19
@JudyEv I do hope the hospital staff have changed their ways. The should study on human resource development, or something. They shoukd learn to care for their workers. I want to see their side of the story in the news on how they could augment their labour practices into benefitting their employees and their clients.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
14 Feb 19
That is pretty much what they put all interns and residents through in the US, it is not for everyone.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
15 Feb 19
@JudyEv I am not sure why it is considered a rite of passage but it is.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317004)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
14 Feb 19
That is awful she was put through that and suffered physically for the work she did without any empathy until after she went public. It makes me think the hospital only apologized to save face. It's good she came forward with her story.
2 people like this
@jvicentevalera (13671)
• Santiago, Chile
14 Feb 19
So unfair. How many lives a surgeon can safe, and they're treated unfairly. Sometimes I don't get how the world works these days. :/ I hope she can find a better hospital, or clinic to work where she's treated as she deserves!
2 people like this
@jvicentevalera (13671)
• Santiago, Chile
15 Feb 19
@JudyEv absolutely. :( I hope that too.
1 person likes this
