林世源 Dr Lum Sai Guan

10/05/2026

Following my previous post about the toxic workplace culture in hospitals, one comment stood out. It went something like this: "Scolding juniors is completely justified. As long as it's for the sake of the patients, scolding is not a bullying. If you don't have the spirit of sacrifice, don't be a doctor."

Reading that just make me sad. Because we all know this isn't just one person's opinion. It’s the unspoken "norm" that our medical fraternity has accepted for years. A lot of seniors genuinely believe that "tough love" makes good doctors, and the verbal abuse is just part of the training.

I think it’s high time we debunk some of these deep-rooted myths we keep passing down in the wards:

🚫Myth 1: "It’s not bullying, I'm just teaching."
Of course, mistakes must be corrected. But there’s a huge difference between strict guidance and using a junior as your emotional punching bag. Pointing out a clinical error and explaining why it’s dangerous? That’s teaching. Getting in an HO's face, calling them "bodoh" or "useless"? That’s verbal abuse. HOs are inexperienced and they need guidance. But teaching should never cost someone their dignity.
🚫Myth 2: "If you don't shout at them, they won't learn."
Actually, because they lack experience, a senior’s patience is what matters most. Years in the ward have shown me one harsh truth: shouting doesn't breed better doctors; it breeds terrified ones. Imagine an HO realizing they made a mistake, or noticing a patient deteriorating, but being too scared of getting publicly humiliated by their MO or Specialist to speak up. Who pays the price? The patient. The younger generation is smart and willing to learn. Constant humiliation just kills their spirit. You can be strict without stripping away their self-worth.

🚫Myth 3: "We survived being yelled at back in the day. Why are kids nowadays so weak?"
We hear this all the time. Yes, our government hospitals are understaffed, the wards are overflowing, and everyone is burnt out. I myself went through hell during my HO and MO time. But if you know exactly how miserable it feels to be treated like dirt, shouldn't your instinct be to make it better for the next batch? Using past trauma to justify present abuse just traps us all in a toxic cycle. It doesn’t solve our manpower issues.

🚫Myth 4: "Some HOs just have bad attitudes, get extended, and then cry 'bullying'."
Medicine is a high stakes profession. If a HO genuinely slacks off or has a terrible attitude, the system has clear protocols for it, extend their posting. But a bad attitude doesn't give anyone a free pass to psychologically humiliate them. A good teaching environment inspires respect for the profession. A hostile one just makes people want to quit public service altogether.

🚫Myth 5: "If you don't want to sacrifice, don't be a doctor."
Serving the public is a privilege, but before we are doctors, we are human beings. We really need to stop wrapping chronic burnout and workplace bullying in the glorious packaging of "sacrifice." Expecting a depressed, sleep-deprived doctor who's on the verge of a breakdown to safely treat patients is ridiculous. Taking care of our own physical and mental health is not selfish, it's the bare minimum if we want to survive and serve our patients in the long run.

Studying and practising medicine in Malaysia is not easy. The job is tough and the hours are crazy. But our exhaustion should come from fighting diseases and saving lives, not from the mental drain of colleagues tearing each other apart.

I really hope one day our working places are filled with a bit more empathy. While we are busy saving patients, let's remember to look out for the colleagues standing right beside us. ❤️

10/05/2026

上一篇关于医疗界职场环境的贴文发布后，我看到了一条很有意思的留言。大意是说：“责骂实习医生是理所当然的，只要出发点是为了工作好，就不算霸凌。当医生如果没有牺牲精神，干脆别做。”

看到这条留言，我其实感到非常感慨。因为这种想法真的太普遍了，它几乎成了我们医学界多年来默认的常态。很多人真的认为“严师出高徒”、“打骂是为了你好”。

今天写这篇，不是为了指责谁，而是想和大家一起理清几个关于医疗界职场文化的长期误解和迷思。

迷思一：前辈的责骂其实是一种“教导”，算不上霸凌？

做错事需要被纠正，这点毋庸置疑。但我们需要分清什么是“严厉的教导”，什么是“情绪的宣泄”。霸凌从来不是偶尔的严厉，而是利用职权和资历，持续性地对下属进行打压、贬低甚至人身攻击。 指出病历哪里写错、解释为什么这种处理方式不对，这是教导；但如果指着实习或住院医生的鼻子骂“你这个废物”、“你怎么不去死”，这就是语言暴力了。年轻医生经验不足，自然需要提点，但无论如何，指导工作都应该建立在基本的人格尊重之上。

迷思二：新人不知道错误的严重性，不骂不长记性？

正因为新人经验浅薄，前辈的耐心才更重要。多年的行医经验让我看到一个很残酷的现实：靠辱骂教不出好医生，只会教出充满恐惧、甚至不敢认错的机器。 试想一下，当一个实习医生因为害怕被当众羞辱，而不敢向上级汇报自己的失误或病人的异常情况时，最终承受代价的是谁？是无辜的病人。现在的年轻人学习能力其实很强，动辄羞辱只会扼杀他们的热忱和学习动力。教育需要威严，但绝不需要践踏尊严。

迷思三：我们以前也是被骂过来的，为什么现在的年轻人这么脆弱？

这可能是我们最常听到的一句话。政府医院病人爆满、工作高压是事实，大家都很累。前辈们当年吃过苦、受过委屈，真的很不容易。但正因为自己淋过雨，体会过那种无助，我们现在是不是可以尝试帮后辈撑把伞，而不是把他们也推入泥坑？把曾经承受的痛苦，当作现在施压的理由，只会让这个高压环境陷入死循环，无助于解决任何实际问题。

迷思四：很多新人自己态度散漫被罚，却总喊着被针对？

医学是一条人命关天的路，容错率极低。如果新人真的态度不端正、不用心，医院有明文的规章制度去惩罚他们，比如延长驻院期（Extended posting），该留级就留级，这是制度的公正。但这并不能成为任何人对他们进行精神羞辱的借口。好的带教环境能激发起人对这份职业的敬畏心，而充满敌意的环境，只会让人想要逃离。

迷思五：没有牺牲自己、为国付出的精神，就不配当医生？

为民服务固然伟大，但在成为医生之前，我们首先是一个活生生的人。我们真的不需要把“过劳”和“承受职场霸凌”包装成一种理所当然的牺牲。要求一个每天身心俱疲、处于崩溃边缘的医生去治愈别人，这本身就不太合理。照顾好自己的身心健康，才是一个医生能长远为大众服务的前提。

从来没有人说读医是一件轻松的事。这份工作充满了挑战，也需要付出巨大的心血。但我们的辛苦，应该源于跟疾病对抗、抢救生命的艰难，而不是消耗在同事之间互相折磨的内耗里。

希望有一天，我们的医疗环境能多一点同理心。拯救病人的同时，也请善待我们身边的战友。

是时候撕下这层虚伪的面纱了。错就是错，包装得再华丽的精神虐待，依然是虐待。我们绝不能再任由这种打着“培训”和“为了你好”幌子的恶毒文化继续蔓延。最近，一个探讨医疗界“有毒文化”（Toxic Culture）的播客节目.....

04/05/2026

最近，一个探讨外科部门“有毒文化”（Toxic Culture）的播客节目在我医国学圈里疯传。点开视频看完的那一瞬间，我浑身发抖，不是因为共鸣，而是因为极度的愤怒与荒谬。那个坐在聚光灯下、对着麦克风自信满满地高谈阔论、谈论着职场霸凌的受邀外科主治医生，后来在评论区被彻底扒了皮。他自己，正是当年那个把无数实习医生（Houseman）推向精神崩溃边缘的“恶魔”。让施暴者来大谈反霸凌，还有比这更无耻的讽刺吗？

在我国的医疗体系里，霸凌就像一种隐秘且病态的“传承”。它根深蒂固，以至于许多前辈理直气壮地将它包装成一种成长的必经之路。他们管这叫“磨练”，管这叫“Toughen up”。在他们那套荒谬的逻辑里：如果你承受不住这些精神虐待，那就是你太懦弱、是“草莓族”、是不配穿上这件白袍的弱者。

这段视频也把那些我以为早就结痂的惨痛记忆，又一次被生生地撕开。大家都以为霸凌只会发生在实习医生上，但事实是霸凌并不会在你熬过实习期、拿到正式注册后就奇迹般地停止。

从实习医生（Housemen），到驻院医生（Medical Officer），甚至当我终于熬成了专科医（Specialist），我都亲身经历过霸凌或这种有毒文化。我曾被指着鼻子辱骂 “Bodoh”、“Stupid”； 我曾在病房里，当着众人的面被咆哮着勒令 “Get lost”； 我甚至听过最令人发指、最字字诛心的诅咒：“You don’t deserved to live!（你不配活在这里！）”、“You should jump and die!（你应该直接跳楼去死！）” 这些无休止的言语暴力，好几次甚至演变成带有威胁性的肢体恐吓。

或许很多人没办法理解那种困境，甚至觉得我夸大其词。没在这个令人窒息的环境里挣扎过的人，永远无法体会那种深不见底的绝望。 你们可以想象那种感觉吗？是每天开车去医院的路上，握着方向盘的手都在不受控制地发抖；是躲在 On-call 房间的厕所里捂着嘴痛哭，擦干眼泪洗把脸，又要若无其事地出去面对病人；是长期处于极度高压和恐惧下引发的心悸、失眠和抑郁。

当你被当众羞辱时，最让你万念俱灰的，是旁观者的集体沉默。因为强权即是真理，霸凌者掌握着你的生死生杀大权。 更让人心寒的，是人性的背叛。那些你以为可以互相取暖的战友，为了自保转身就在背后捅你一刀，加入了施暴者的阵营；还有些人，表面上对你嘘寒问暖，实则只是用一杯咖啡套取你的崩溃，转头就把你的伤疤当成他们茶水间的笑料。

我并不认识那位视频中的外科医生，但翻看底下的评论区，我的眼眶红了。留言里我看到无数年轻医生至今仍背负着他当年造成的严重心理创伤。有多少优秀的年轻医生，没有被繁重的工作和抢救压垮，却被这种有毒的文化逼得黯然退场，甚至走向了绝路？披上白袍是为了从死神手里抢人，却在医院里被自己人逼得想要结束生命。如果这些指控都是真的，视频里的他侃侃而谈毫无悔意，仿佛过去的暴行只是一场无关痛痒的玩笑。

看着一个曾把无数年轻人推向深渊的霸凌者，竟然堂而皇之地坐在播客节目里，面不改色地为他曾施加在别人身上的暴行进行“合理化”辩解，我只感到一阵令人作呕的恶心。而他绝非个例。在我国医疗体系中，究竟还有多少像他一样，将霸凌视为里所当然的医护人员？

是时候撕下这层虚伪的面纱了。错就是错，包装得再华丽的精神虐待，依然是虐待。我们绝不能再任由这种打着“培训”和“为了你好”幌子的恶毒文化继续蔓延。

勇敢对医疗界的霸凌说 “NO”！ 说“不”！

发声，是为了那些还在黑暗中挣扎的学弟学妹，也是为了拯救我们自己当初学医的初心。

打破这个恶性循环，就从我们不再沉默开始

01/05/2026

A recent podcast discussing the “toxic culture” in surgical department brought back bitter memories I thought I had buried long ago. The irony? The invited speaker, who sat there confidently discussing workplace toxicity, was later exposed in the comments as one of its biggest perpetrators, a notorious bully to housemen.

Bullying in the medical fraternity isn't new. It is so deeply rooted that many treat it as a necessary rite of passage to "toughen up" juniors. The narrative is always the same: if you can't handle the emotional abuse, you are deemed weak and incompetent.

But let’s be clear, bullying doesn't stop when you finish your housemanship. I experienced it as a House Officer, a Medical Officer, and even as a Junior Specialist. I’ve been called ‘bodoh’, ‘stupid’, told to ‘get lost’, and subjected to sickening phrases like ‘You don’t deserve to live here’ or ‘You should jump out of this building and die.’ The verbal abuse was relentless and, at times, even escalated into threats of physical aggression.

Unless you’ve been trapped in that suffocating environment, you will never understand the profound stress and depression it causes. You feel entirely hopeless when bystanders choose silence because the bullies hold all the power. Worse still is the betrayal, when people you trusted stab you in the back to join the bullies, or when "caring" colleagues pretend to comfort you just to dig for gossip to share with their friends.

Seeing this same bully now featured on a podcast, actively rationalizing the very toxic practices he inflicted on others, is sickening. Reading the comment section, it breaks my heart to see how many young doctors are still carrying the deep trauma of his actions, and how it has permanently scarred their careers. Looking at how he spoke, he remains entirely unbothered by his past behaviour and shows absolutely no remorse.

We need to stop making excuses for abuse under the guise of "training." Wrong is wrong. Do not rationalise this toxic culture.

Say NO to medical bullying. Let's break the cycle.


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