WHEN most people imagine doctors, they picture stable incomes, a respectable career, and the ability to live comfortably.
But for one Malaysian doctor, the reality was far from glamorous — and his story has struck a chord with thousands online.
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“I’m a 90s kid. In UPSR, I scored 6As and 1B; in PMR, 7As and 1B; and in SPM, only 4As — the rest were Bs, Cs, Ds, and Es. The subjects I scored A in were the ones I didn’t really study for: Math, Add Math, English, and English for Science and Technology,” SnorlaxKow RubbishTalk in his Facebook post.
In a foreign country where he didn’t speak the language, he survived six years of medical school before returning home, mentally prepared for the “hell” of housemanship. His first posting was in paediatrics.
“In the hospital, no one cares about your grades… they only care if you can get the job done. At first, I was laughed at, but within two weeks I could present cases and plan treatments confidently.”
Still, the work was far from easy. He recalled moments of helplessness, especially when treating newborns.
“Sometimes you see a baby’s hand full of needle marks from failed attempts to draw blood… it breaks your heart.”
From saving babies with lung infections to delivering countless newborns in O&G, his internship was a crash course in both skill and endurance.
“One shift could mean working from 6am to 5pm, resting four hours, then continuing from 9pm until 1pm the next day — 28 hours in two days. In green shifts, it was 8am to 9pm with no break. It was exhausting beyond words.”
Even after becoming a Medical Officer (MO), his hours remained brutal — 70 hours a week was normal, and on-call duties could last 33–36 hours straight.
Years into the job, reality hit him hard.
“I went to see a condo — RM3k a month repayment. That means I’d be eating grass. Doctors here are underpaid — barely M40, sometimes B40. I looked at my boss, 50-plus, no work-life balance, still on-call, salary not great… I didn’t want that life.”
“Some people say doctors shouldn’t work for money, but I’m not a rich kid. My parents spent half a million on me. I’ve always treated my patients wholeheartedly… but I’m not running a charity. Medical ethics can’t be eaten.”
His post has since gone viral, sparking heated debates about doctor pay and work-life balance.
One user called Aaron Hoong shared: “Actually most professional’s salaries are not on par. My father always wanted me to be a doctor,but I chose to push on with aircraft engineering..after graduation I noticed that the salary I got is far lower than what I deserve,especially with the long working hours and constantly on standby.
So I left aviation field and joined automotive field…Today I’m leading my dealership’s training department,earning decent amount and having a very good work life balance.”