MMA president Dr Koh Kar Chai said the young doctors feared that the stigma would indirectly affect their future, especially if they were diagnosed with serious mental disorders.
“But those who have stress-related issues should not fear such repercussions.
“Being stressed is a normal response when a person feels they are not able to cope with a situation. Not everyone knows how to cope properly and they should seek help when it is needed,” he told FMT.
Koh said every hospital had a committee to deal with issues faced by housemen, adding that all housemen were informed of this during their orientation.
“However, some doctors already have stress-related issues since secondary school or when they were in medical school. Many were able to cope with the stress then but they are unable to do so when they start their housemanship.”
He also said each houseman would be supervised by a specialist and guided by a medical officer and their own senior house officer, who would be in charge of them.
“While there may be a few senior house officers and medical officers who are not supportive, the majority will guide the housemen throughout their training period,” he said.
The MMA also has its own toll-free helpline, known as HelpDoc, to assist housemen who do not want to reach out to their seniors due to privacy issues or the fear of repercussions, especially in cases that involve bullying.
“We have assisted over 120 cases since 2017,” Koh said.
It was reported that a houseman fell to his death on April 17, just three weeks after being posted to the Penang Hospital.
In December 2020, a similar case involving another trainee doctor also took place where the doctor fell to his death, three weeks after resigning.
Under the law, a houseman needs to undergo a two-year training period in government hospitals before they can practise medicine.
Koh urged parents against forcing their children to pursue a medical career, especially if they had no interest to do so in the first place, as this could add to their stress.
“As parents, they should support a profession their children are passionate about, and one they will likely excel in. Pursuing a medical degree can be expensive and it puts more pressure on their child to complete their studies and secure a job,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii urged the government to implement a “strict zero horizontal violence” policy to protect frontline medical workers.
The DAP Youth chief said the incident involving the houseman in Penang Hospital should not be treated as an isolated case and should not be swept under the carpet.
“The health ministry must provide a safe avenue for them (housemen) to seek help. In many cases, there are no clear channels for victims to voice out, and by the time they do, it’s too late,” he said.
Police classified the Penang doctor’s case as sudden death but said they might reclassify it “if fresh evidence comes to light”. The state health department has urged the public not to speculate on the houseman’s death.