Eunice: I Feel Like a Widow...

[makapaaa]

Jan 12, 2010

Spare a thought for GPs and their families

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I AM the wife of a general practitioner (GP). As much as I empathise with Mr Chan Kok Keong in his letter last Friday ('Strangers helped dad, 80, but not doctor'), allow me to also share the frustrations my children and I have to put up with as family members of a GP.
My husband spends very little time at home. He works long hours daily at the clinic, often skipping his meals to tend to patients and complete administration work, long after the clinic has closed. He also does not earn as much as the public perceives as he often gives discounts.
When he is not at his clinic, he helps tutor medical students and postgraduate doctors. He must also chalk up sufficient points to renew his licence to practise every two years. So he is away many weekends a year for courses and talks.
That's not all. He volunteers at voluntary welfare organisations as well as in our sons' school. Some of his volunteering duties take him abroad and away from our family many times a year.
Even during family dinners and gatherings, he is busy answering SMSes about medical problems. I have even answered his call in the wee hours of the morning.
It has come to the point that we think twice about attending church services as he can be swamped by inquiries from churchgoers about their medical problems.
We understand his calling and try and support him as much as we can, but I cannot help feeling like a widow and my children orphaned by an absent dad.
Please spare a thought for GPs and their families.
Eunice Lau (Ms)

 

[hahaho]

GPs are much better off compared to other professions.

 

[annexa]

Simple. Get ANUS to triple their medicine intake this year onwards.

 

[shOUTloud]

A lot of the things that the GP husband does which she mentioned is more or less self-serving.

 

[qwerty]

go and drive a taxi..

more free and flexible time to drink kopi and bring kids to beach in free transport...

being a GP is terrible and suffering

 

[VIBGYOR]

methinks this letter is better addressed to her hubby than the public...

 

[scroobal]

She has a point. However the hubby should manage his time better. GPs generally take a morning or afternoon off during the week to play golf, have coffee etc to avoid burnout. There are also locums that they can rely on.

 

[Perspective]

She has a point. However the hubby should manage his time better. GPs generally take a morning or afternoon off during the week to play golf, have coffee etc to avoid burnout. There are also locums that they can rely on.

Agree. Also why would the chap want to do volunteer work. I understand the compassion but a family is also important.

Honestly, in Singapore, the only people who can do volunteer work meaningfully are those with office hour work. That removes many businessmen and nearly all shift workers.

 

[middaydog]

It has come to the point that we think twice about attending church services as he can be swamped by inquiries from churchgoers about their medical problems.
Eunice Lau (Ms)

your husband can always ask that churchgoers to undress on the spot so he can give correct diagnosis to their medical problems , hai mai ?

 

[scroobal]

Good point, why do volunteer work when your wife feels like a widow and the kids like orphans. Something amiss.

Agree. Also why would the chap want to do volunteer work. I understand the compassion but a family is also important.

Honestly, in Singapore, the only people who can do volunteer work meaningfully are those with office hour work. That removes many businessmen and nearly all shift workers.

 

[Ah Guan]

Simple. Get ANUS to triple their medicine intake this year onwards.

PAP has an even simpler solution: import 10,000 foreign half-qualified doctors

 

[cooleo]

>>Some of his volunteering duties take him abroad and away from our family many times a year.
Even during family dinners and gatherings, he is busy answering SMSes about medical problems.<<

Eunice, your GP husband probably busy keeping himself out of the house. U better go for some slim wrap and facial and make yourself more appealing!

Otherwise, i suspect he might do more 'volunteering' outside of home!

 

[singveld]

>>Some of his volunteering duties take him abroad and away from our family many times a year.
Even during family dinners and gatherings, he is busy answering SMSes about medical problems.<<

Eunice, your GP husband probably busy keeping himself out of the house. U better go for some slim wrap and facial and make yourself more appealing!

Otherwise, i suspect he might do more 'volunteering' outside of home!

what about breast implant? that help too?

 

[littlefish]

('Strangers helped dad, 80, but not doctor')

The true test will be if it was one particular 86yo man, would he have helped? If he can give the same answer, then I have no quarrel with him as he has treated everyone as equal, just like a true doctor should. Please note that this question is different from asking him to treat everyone regardless of whether they are able to pay for his services.

 

[kulgai]

She has a point. However the hubby should manage his time better. GPs generally take a morning or afternoon off during the week to play golf, have coffee etc to avoid burnout. There are also locums that they can rely on.

Thats not true. Most GPs work the shit out of them just to stay afloat. It's the specialists who have a good time with matching good income

 

[scroobal]

You are the second in this forum that said that. There was a doctor who was a regular in this forum who said that as well. He eventually got his migration to Canada. I also know one that left his private clinic to handle A&E in SGH as he told me that it was not profitable.

I am curious, is it something do with time management etc or something all together different.

Thats not true. Most GPs work the shit out of them just to stay afloat. It's the specialists who have a good time with matching good income

 

[shOUTloud]

You are the second in this forum that said that. There was a doctor who was a regular in this forum who said that as well. He eventually got his migration to Canada. I also know one that left his private clinic to handle A&E in SGH as he told me that it was not profitable.

I am curious, is it something do with time management etc or something all together different.

This is just proof that doctors are not good businessmen. Near my place there are 4 clinics. I wonder why there are 4 clinics. Due to face issues, these doctors dun wan to return to hospitals.

 

[scroobal]

This is interesting. I once came across 5 clinics in Marine Parade within 20 metres of each other.

This is just proof that doctors are not good businessmen. Near my place there are 4 clinics. I wonder why there are 4 clinics. Due to face issues, these doctors dun wan to return to hospitals.

 

[elephanto]

This is interesting. I once came across 5 clinics in Marine Parade within 20 metres of each other.

Congestion & over-concentration of GP clinic in one location is the biggest challenge to the GP business.

Also, single owner GPs cannot sustain long - sure to stressed out by long hours.

Small to medium clinic groups (partnership of 3-4 GPs) seem very able to have quality of life & good income. e.g. Health Partners & other similar GP group practices.

 

[limpeh2]

Unless she is a truly dumb-cunt, in which case, nobody'd bother with her whinging, this doc's wife knew what she was getting into. Did she think that the many annual holidays to europe, mercs, LVs & Gucci's were free? Obviously, sacrifice is needed. What - did she think that once she marries a doc, they'll both ride into sunset & live happily ever after in an ivory tower?

Definitely agree with some posters here that she'd better look at her husband more closely for the reason he's seldom at home. It's very common for doctors to start something with the more chio ancillary staff & patients. Many docs kena hauled to Medical Board for these.