A reflector for pediatricians

Here is a reflector for pediatricians in Japan. Even though I quit the hard work at hospital inpatient ward etc long time ago, I have been reading it. It is inspiring and making me think of many things as well. They are discussing about difficult cases or advertising some academic conferences etc through it. A case report of possible encephalopathy has attracted my attention recently. The doctor on charge wanted any suggestion on the etiology/pathophysiology. The case has gone on with a variety of symptoms and signs. He wondered how to understand what had happened to this case and how to treat her.

It was amazing the case report and discussion had continued during the week end. In Japan, any doctor on charge of a difficult case should not take day off even in holidays or in week ends. So have I done in my resident and med school hospital staff days. It was a quite usual thing that a doctor worked in that way. It reminded me of my trainee days that this young doctor eagerly worked for the case. I felt honored to have worked in the same way years ago. I felt it rewarded me with knowledge of clinical experiences. I won't boast my hard work. It was just a training as well as a work necessary for the patients. It was quite natural for us to work so hard as I had sometimes almost no sleep for 2 or 3 days in the hospital those days.

The only anxiety is that there are more chances for suit cases and also more absurd administration by the bureaucrats in the clinical scenes nowadays than before. Clinical services are based on the good will of Samarithans. But I am afraid that the modern trend might suppress it for those young doctors struggling for the patients. The bureaucrats intend to force doctors to work so hard as in trainee days even after finishing that. We could not expect rosy future in our career. We could be burnt out on the way. Reading the posts in the reflector discussing that difficult case, I could not help thinking of those doctors in the future. If they get burnt out, it would be not only their career problem but also a great loss in the society as well. I would approve those young pediatricians, working hard for their patients either on a day off or not, from the bottom of my heart.